Posted by There is too much information for just one article so I’m going to split them up, hence the numbering.
Possibly the biggest irritation of my driving career is lane procedure or lack of it.
I’m not just talking about motorways either, dual carriageways, roundabouts, junctions, they all require lane procedure. That is to say, they all require road users to be in the correct lane for their chosen speed, direction, or vehicle.
I wonder how many people know the difference between a single-lane carriageway and a dual carriageway? Strangely it’s not the number of lanes in each direction. The definition of a dual carriageway is two or more lanes separated by a physical barrier of some sort. This could be a metal fence, a wooden fence, a mound of earth with bushes on, or quite simply an area of grass.
You can, in fact, have a single lane either side on a dual carriageway, or a two or more lane single carriageway. This can and does catch people out regarding the speed limit, as on a dual carriageway the speed limit is often higher than on a single carriageway. Knowing the difference is important.
Single carriageway roads with more than one lane in each direction can come in various layouts. They can be three, four, or more lanes.
A three-lane road is often used on hills where there are quite possibly slow vehicles going uphill, so to allow vehicles to pass there are two uphill lanes and a single downhill lane. The up and downhill lanes can be separated in various ways, Two solid white lines between the different traffic directions, A hatched area with solid white lines around it between the two directions, or sometimes a hatched area with a broken white line around it, and even a solid white line on the outer lane of the uphill side and a broken line on the downhill side.
All have different meanings, and often there is confusion over what you can and can’t do. I’ve listed several types of white lines and what they mean below.
Broken white lines:
Most A and B roads have these markings. The broken white line in the centre of a single carriageway road indicates the divide between carriageways for you and oncoming traffic. Country lanes and residential streets are less likely to have them, partly due to their width, and partly because traffic generally travels slower if it’s not clear where the centre is.
Double white lines:
Double solid white lines in the middle of a carriageway mean that you and oncoming traffic are not allowed to overtake, or to straddle the lines. The only reason they may be crossed is if you are turning into a driveway or road, or if a vehicle is stationary and blocking your lane. You may also overtake a horse, a cyclist or a roadworks vehicle travelling at 10mph or under.
If the line on your side of the road is broken, but on the other side of the carriageway it’s solid, then you are allowed to cross it but the oncoming traffic is not, and vice versa.
Illegal overtaking, otherwise known as overtaking carelessly or recklessly, can cost you a fine of £100 and 3 points. If it goes to court either because it’s so serious, or because you refuse to pay can increase this to an unlimited fine and up to 9 points.
Funnily enough, most illegal overtakes are made within metres of the start or end of restricted areas, meaning that the plonkers who do it, could usually have waited a few more seconds and passed legally.
Hatched markings:
These road markings can be found mainly on dual carriageways and three-lane single carriageways, or on single carriageways adjacent to junctions, and are mainly used to help protect traffic turning right or to separate traffic lanes. If the marking is bordered by a solid white line then you are not permitted to enter it unless it is an emergency.
If, however, it is bordered by a broken white line then you can enter it to overtake if you have to, but it is generally understood that you shouldn’t use it. Usually, if it’s for a junction, it will have a solid white border line and this is to prevent people from overtaking across junctions. Many crashes happen because people do this.
Failure to understand hatched road markings and how to deal with them has caused a significant number of young drivers to fail their driving tests.
I’m going to talk about Chevrons in the next article because you will find them at motorway junctions more than elsewhere.