Few Questions About Road Markings

[ReadySalted]

I've got a few questions about riding, which I'm sure could be answered definitively by looking at the highway code, but I'm interested in what people think are the common sense answers, (not just the by the book answers), and hopefully other people can benefit from the thread aswel.

So firstly, where hatched lines exist on roads, like this;
https://www.leics.gov.uk/roadmarkings.jpg
am I correct in thinking, that it's perfectly legal to ride within the hatchings for example when overtaking or filtering, so long as there is a broken line on your side?

Are there odd rules regarding riding/ filtering over these lines?:
https://www.roaddriver.co.uk/webroot/uploads/ga39_road-markings-on-roads-and-carriageways.jpg

When turning right at a roundabout, if you are about to leave, do you move across to the left nice and early, so that you don't cut up traffic as you take your exit, or do you stay right, all the way around the roundabout, until you are at your exit, and then turn off. (As per the attached diagram). The reason I ask, is because I see people do it both ways, and both, at times confuse drivers waiting, to join the roundabout.

There's a few more questions like this I've got, but they escape me at the moment, so would appreciate the answers and opinions on those for now.

[Bezzer]

You really need to read and understand the Highway Code dude, doesn't matter what other people do. The odd question isn't a problem but putting a list together isn't exactly confidence inspiring.
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I used to be indecisive but now I'm not quite so sure.

[Suntan Sid]

AFAIC if its a broken white line you can cross it, as illustrated perfectly by a plod training video posted recently!

From memory, the Highway code says you can enter the hatching "if necessary". What "necessary" actually means may be open to interpretation, however, in the video I mentioned, the porkers seemed quie happy overtaking on those road markings.
Please bear in mind that the filth claim to be superhuman in all driving/riding scenarios, you and I, apparently, are not, you have been warned!
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[ReadySalted]

Fair point Bezzer, I think many of us could do with refreshing our knowledge of the highway code and perhaps me more than most. Out of interest, do you know the answer to any of the questions I posted? and if so, would you mind sharing?

[Barnoe]

The first is fine to overtake on, or go into if turning right etc.
as long as it has a broken line round it.
Solid line, no.

Zig zags if i remember rightly, means no parking on and no overtaking.
Overtaking someone stopped at a crossing is asking for trouble anyway :/
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You know you are old when you're told to slow down by your doctor and not the police.

[Chuffin Nora]

Yeah, well.
Common sense answers, is it? [You must be fuckin joking!...Me?]
So, answers pertaining to the real world. At least the kind that we'd ideally run by a magistrate if we really thought that we had an evens chance of a result.

A: no and yes
B: no
c: the latter (ish)

A:
An elongated ghost island, why not?; in the picture's instance, a 30 limit.
Whatever the limit, if the traffic in your directional flow is moving 'sufficient unto the day' then just hang back and mosey along.
If the traffic is grinding along i.e. a rolling roadblock, then by all means overtake, proceeding with caution over the hatching.

B:
No, there are no 'odd' rules regarding the markings governing pedestrian crossings; only sound and down-right sensible rules.
No parking on the zig-zags [with the exception of Royal Mail vans, white vans, taxis and every other kind of vehicle whose drivers are complete fuckwitian knobheads];
on the approach to the crossing proper no overtaking the leading vehicle;
the dashed lines requiring that, when you're stopped -- either to let pedestrians cross or to maintain a clear crossing at such a time when there's insufficient space beyond to accommodate your vehicle's entire length -- no part of your vehicle must encroach over those lines.
The space between the dashed lines and the crossing proper signifies a 'breathing space' for the pedestrians who must, though, endeavour to keep to the zebra.

C:
On roundabouts the imperative to command the road is absolute. One must ooze 'Rozzer'!
A set of 'Marty Feldman' eyes never goes amiss, either!; the left eye making contact with those awaiting entrance, the right eye focused on the route towards your exit.
Yet for those of us unfortunately lumbered with standard stereoscopic vision, frantic scanning is the order of the day, along with deft lifesaver looks (dependent on the size of the roundabout).
As to the diagrams, most always option 2. Get in there, command the inner circle, preferably keeping to either slightly ahead of or slightly behind any vehicle negotiating the outer circle, for the purpose of their awareness of your presence; also that you don't become squashed by them for whatever reason (large vehicles especially); yet if you've a clear run ahead then seize that ground.
So clearing the 1st exit should be a doddle. Yet be assuredly aware that any vehicle entering from your initial 9 o'clock that is intending to go straight on (your intended exit) is out to get you; so now you've got that and the 12 o'clock entrance to worry about, wherefore those waiting demand the best thousand yard stare that you can muster, the sort that says "Pull out on me and I'll put you in the fucking ground".
Now, lest I end up going around in circles all night, straight on to your destination!
Whether your 3 o'clock exit is single or dual carriageway matters not. Make for the right hand side -- accompanied by the most important lifesaver look going, the exiting a roundabout lifesaver look!! For see! Should anyone be pulling a fast one on your nearside, I tell yer, aborting your manoeuvre will prove to be the better part of wishing you'd never been born in the first place . . . simply(?) go around and try again.

It goes without saying, though, that the above is easier done than said.

tl;dr:
. . . uhm

Next question...

[arry]

[doggone]

The hatched areas are just to increase the separation between lanes of traffic, you sometimes see them on bends where HGVs need to take a wider line, or on roads with frequent bollards for whatever reason.

You can ride in them with caution - so long as the line your side is not solid - but because they aren't driven over much, a lot of debris gets flicked there and your risk of punctures is increased.

[weasley]

I frequently use hatched zones with broken lines for overtaking, turning, straightening corners etc. It was encouraged and applauded by various IAM assessors I have had.

However, there are things to be aware of:

- other road users. Especially those Daily Mail reading know-it-alls who believe that you can't or shouldn't be using them and remonstrate with you by horn, lights, gesture or swerve

- debris, as mentioned above

- raised paintwork. If these lines are painted over several times they can get raised and offer a chance to upset your bike (and even initiate a head-shake)

- slippery paintwork in the wet

- people coming the other way doing the same as you.

On the zigzags, you can filter up to the front car, but can't pass it. Obviously this is done with extreme awareness and caution, because stupid people get injured crossing the road near, but not at, pedestrian crossings.

Roundabout - I tend to (1). (2) is a sure fire way of getting swiped off by someone going round without indicating, or 'doing you round the outside'.
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[iooi]

hatched areas

While I use then pretty much on a daily basis (while filtering). You have to be aware that they can be full of all sorts of crap that will do your tyres no good at all.
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[C1REX]

Hatched lines - you can use it when necessary. It means don't use it, when there is no point doing so. It's fine to overtake on it or filter.

Zigzag -

5. Pedestrian crossings (191 to 199)
191
You MUST NOT park on a crossing or in the area covered by the zig-zag lines. You MUST NOT overtake the moving vehicle nearest the crossing or the vehicle nearest the crossing which has stopped to give way to pedestrians.
Laws ZPPPCRGD regs 18, 20 & 24, RTRA sect 25(5) & TSRGD regs 10, 27 & 28

It means you can and should filter on zigzag lane unless somebody gives way to pedestrian. You can't overtake moving car.

On advanced test examined by police officers you can lose points or fail if you don't make safe progress in a traffic with such crossings on the way.
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[stinkwheel]

Nobody has ACTUALLY answered the zig-zag question correctly. Not even the obnoxious, self-riteous people.

It is illegal to STOP on zig-zag markings. The exceptions are if someone is on a zebra crossing, there is a red or solid amber light, there is a flashing amber while someone is on the crossing or your forward movement is impeded by another stationary vehicle.

So say you briefly stopped on the zig-zag to shout across to your friend on the pavement. 3 points and a £100 fine right there. I know someone this happened to.

Normal rules for traffic signal apply.

It is also illegal to overtake the last vehicle before the crossing while on zig-zag markings. You can filter up to it but not past it.
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[Andy_Pagin]

[C1REX]

Are you 100% sure there is no legal way to filter on zigzag lane?

I can be wrong but let analise this:

You MUST NOT overtake the moving vehicle nearest the crossing or the vehicle nearest the crossing which has stopped to give way to pedestrians.


What about a vehicle that is not moving and stopped for a different reason than to give way to pedestrians? Like being blocked by traffic?
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[bamt]

A good example of that kind of place would be on the A30 London Road in Sunningdale, heading east, the bit with a white car on the crossing in this picture:-
https://goo.gl/maps/MRbQK

The level crossing is closed for about five minutes a couple of times an hour (plus some shorter closures) which means very long tailbacks in commuting times. There's another rant there about why the railways consider it safer to do this for one train in each direction with several minutes between, and how this encourages people to race the barriers coming down as they don't want to be held up for what appears to be an unreasonable amount of time with nothing happening, but that's off topic

You can filter all the way up to to the pedestrian crossing as there is a lovely wide road with nice hatched bits. Obviously the cars there are stationary because of the cars in front, not for pedestrians, and aren't going anywhere as you can see that the barriers are down. This means that bearing in mind that rule means that I take the view that in this case it is OK to filter past. Obviously this is done at a very slow pace, and being absolutely sure that there are no pedestrians around.

[stinkwheel]

[bamt]

[C1REX]

Stationary means engine off. Queueing in traffic is not stationary.

However, there is a distinction here between stationary and proceeding so not sure.

So back to the law.
What if the car nearest to the crossing is NOT proceeding for other reasons than 23, 25, 26?
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[Chuffin Nora]

[pig hog]

[C1REX]

We know what 23, 25 and 26 is. Google helps with that:

https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/1997/2400/part/I/crossheading/movement-of-traffic-at-crossings/made?view=plain

It means red and amber light and pedestrian

I've googled more to find this out:

https://www.motorcycling-uk.com/training/motorcycle_filtering.htm
It says you can overtake if the vehicle is queuing in traffic.

If law wouldn't allow that, then you would be blocked even on two lanes going the same way, when one lane is congested. You wouldn't be able to pass the car on the other lane nearest to crossing even if your line was empty.

Still can't overtake moving traffic approaching a crossing.
My friend got killed that way, when a car slowed down to give him way but the truck on second lane didn't stop. The truck should also slow down to not overtake the car.
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[ScaredyCat]

[Rogerborg]

[map]

[barrkel]

On 2 bikesafe days and one ROSPA discussion day, this came up.

There was no hard consensus on whether overtaking[1] the last vehicle, before the crossing is OK or not when there are no pedestrians. It could be up to the whim of the police involved.

Personally, I tend to start overtaking moving vehicles when they have entered the crossing - the vehicle would preventing a pedestrian getting onto the crossing at that point. I've overtaken police vehicles like this.

For stationary traffic, I'll wait behind the lead vehicle if there are police about, but if there aren't, I'll creep up to the lead vehicle and peek around to verify that nobody is crossing, before proceeding.

[1] Technically described as the front of your bike going past an imaginary line marking the front third of the vehicle in front - think A-pillar.
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