Does this tick anyone else off?

[Chromatix]

The first British motorways were built without "breakdown lanes", which we call "hard shoulders". This was quickly corrected since the cars in common use at that time couldn't cope with constant high-speed running (no speed limit either back then), and the stationary cars were proving a major hazard to following traffic.

But British roads have a very simple lining scheme - if it's a dashed line, you can cross it, but if it's solid, you can't (except when using T or cross junctions, or in emergencies). The lines between lanes are dashed, and the ones by the central barrier and the hard shoulder are solid. More recently, the hard-shoulder line has even been made textured to warn drivers who stray over it.

[BookstoreEscapee]

More recently, the hard-shoulder line has even been made textured to warn drivers who stray over it.

Most major highways in the US (the sort that people drive on for hours at a time) have those to wake you up should you drift over the line.


Was behind someone today who signalled to turn left, and slowed, and kept going, and could have been turning at any one of 5 spots before they finally did. The shoulder was wide enough for me to go around on the right but they were still going too fast for me to feel safe doing it, since I couldn't tell where the hell they were actually planning to turn and I was afraid they'd just keep going straight.

[dalesys]

Most major highways in the US (the sort that people drive on for hours at a time) have those to wake you up should you drift over the line.


Was behind someone today who signalled to turn left, and slowed, and kept going, and could have been turning at any one of 5 spots before they finally did. The shoulder was wide enough for me to go around on the right but they were still going too fast for me to feel safe doing it, since I couldn't tell where the hell they were actually planning to turn and I was afraid they'd just keep going straight.

Or turn right

[MelodiousBubbles]

But British roads have a very simple lining scheme - if it's a dashed line, you can cross it, but if it's solid, you can't (except when using T or cross junctions, or in emergencies). The lines between lanes are dashed, and the ones by the central barrier and the hard shoulder are solid. More recently, the hard-shoulder line has even been made textured to warn drivers who stray over it.

We have basically the same setup. Major roads have double lines so they can indicate when cars in one lane can pass, but the ones in the next lane can't. On highways, the lanes are separated by dotted lines the entire way, and the breakdown lane (accompanied by the rumble strip) is indicated by a single solid line.

So it's rather difficult to mistake the breakdown lane for an actual lane, though I doubt they're mistaking it for one and are just using it as their turning point.

[Geek King]

Honestly, there are a few places were I do this. They are located with driveways directly off major roads that are speed limit 55+. It would just not be safe to slow for the turn while in the driving lanes themselves. I do make sure to be all the way into the breakdown lane so not to impede traffic, and indicate with turn signals as proper.