Markings and painted areas in the centre of the road
Discussion
Don't know if any of you remember me (it's been a long time since I was last on here, I became a bit disillusioned with driving quite az while back) but recently I've realised that I still want to improve my driving.
Anyway, I'm curious to know EXACTLY what some road markings I've noticed are, and why they are there.
Having moved to South-West Wales recently, I've notice several areas where the centre of the road has had a small area marked with diagonal lines or chevrons, then enclosed in either broken or solid lines. Some of them are also marked using a red coloured surface similar to the anti-skid surface.
The main location of these is on the larger B-roads and A-roads, often both round bends and in a straight line.
Now, I understand that I shouldn't pass when the area is enclosed in solid white lines, and I am allowed to pass when the lines are broken. But why do they not just use normal solid centre lines or caution lines? The only effects these areas has is to narrow the available area of road. Also, what is the difference between the chevroned areas and diagonal-marked ones?
I checked the online Highway code and couldn't find any difference listed.
Anyway, I'm curious to know EXACTLY what some road markings I've noticed are, and why they are there.
Having moved to South-West Wales recently, I've notice several areas where the centre of the road has had a small area marked with diagonal lines or chevrons, then enclosed in either broken or solid lines. Some of them are also marked using a red coloured surface similar to the anti-skid surface.
The main location of these is on the larger B-roads and A-roads, often both round bends and in a straight line.
Now, I understand that I shouldn't pass when the area is enclosed in solid white lines, and I am allowed to pass when the lines are broken. But why do they not just use normal solid centre lines or caution lines? The only effects these areas has is to narrow the available area of road. Also, what is the difference between the chevroned areas and diagonal-marked ones?
I checked the online Highway code and couldn't find any difference listed.
leon_t said:
Don't know if any of you remember me (it's been a long time since I was last on here, I became a bit disillusioned with driving quite az while back) but recently I've realised that I still want to improve my driving.
Anyway, I'm curious to know EXACTLY what some road markings I've noticed are, and why they are there.
Having moved to South-West Wales recently, I've notice several areas where the centre of the road has had a small area marked with diagonal lines or chevrons, then enclosed in either broken or solid lines. Some of them are also marked using a red coloured surface similar to the anti-skid surface.
The main location of these is on the larger B-roads and A-roads, often both round bends and in a straight line.
Now, I understand that I shouldn't pass when the area is enclosed in solid white lines, and I am allowed to pass when the lines are broken. But why do they not just use normal solid centre lines or caution lines? The only effects these areas has is to narrow the available area of road. Also, what is the difference between the chevroned areas and diagonal-marked ones?
I checked the online Highway code and couldn't find any difference listed.
Chevrons are to be found on motorway slips & you must not going into those with a solid border.Anyway, I'm curious to know EXACTLY what some road markings I've noticed are, and why they are there.
Having moved to South-West Wales recently, I've notice several areas where the centre of the road has had a small area marked with diagonal lines or chevrons, then enclosed in either broken or solid lines. Some of them are also marked using a red coloured surface similar to the anti-skid surface.
The main location of these is on the larger B-roads and A-roads, often both round bends and in a straight line.
Now, I understand that I shouldn't pass when the area is enclosed in solid white lines, and I am allowed to pass when the lines are broken. But why do they not just use normal solid centre lines or caution lines? The only effects these areas has is to narrow the available area of road. Also, what is the difference between the chevroned areas and diagonal-marked ones?
I checked the online Highway code and couldn't find any difference listed.
The more money they are spending (red surface etc) to separate streams of traffic, the more caution they are trying to get you to show.
At least on the bright side they are putting in central paint to separate streams rather than wide bike lanes to push them together.
You may cross that area when it has broken borders, but take extra caution. When it has solid borders you sometimes can and sometimes can't cross it - it depends on the width and whether it's a wide DWL system or a b*stardised hatched area.
Von - incidentally you will see chevrons on some A-road slips, but as far as I can tell they are meaningless, as they are defined only for special roads.
You may cross that area when it has broken borders, but take extra caution. When it has solid borders you sometimes can and sometimes can't cross it - it depends on the width and whether it's a wide DWL system or a b*stardised hatched area.
Von - incidentally you will see chevrons on some A-road slips, but as far as I can tell they are meaningless, as they are defined only for special roads.
For broken-line edges, it's basically to psych you into (a) moving the opposing lanes of traffic further apart and (b) make you think twice about overtaking.
I like them in some circumstances, as the 42mph numpties stick over to the left and leave a nice, wide overtaking area free for you.
I like them in some circumstances, as the 42mph numpties stick over to the left and leave a nice, wide overtaking area free for you.
According to Know your traffic sings the chevrons are used for motorway slips and, with a different design, on other roads for separating lanes where traffic on both sides of the chevrons is travelling in the same direction. Diagonal lines are used "to separate traffic lanes, to protect traffic turning right, or along the nearside of offside edge of the carriageway".
Yep, they're just there to make you think the road is narrower than it really is, which makes you drive more slowly and therefore - apparently - less likely to crash. Standard traffic calming technique for higher speed roads.
If they're bordered with a dashed line you can consider them invisible.
If they're bordered with a dashed line you can consider them invisible.
This time of the year they just seem to pile up with a line of muck and dirt, so when motorcyclists figure they're solely for them to tear along at 80 mph inside, they end up with more punctures.
I was sure I'd see some with chevron marking in, but I'm normally thinking about the road a bit more than what shape they are.
I was sure I'd see some with chevron marking in, but I'm normally thinking about the road a bit more than what shape they are.
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