Why do people ignore double white lines?

[Sheffield_Tiger]

Grandmaster Flash says about white lines "don't don't do it"

Which is a kind of confusing double negative

 

[Alun]

Matthew_T, for your own safety don't get involved in policing other peoples driving.
If you are that concerned by it then apply to join the Police, and become a traffic officer.
Nothing on your video shows the speed of your bike or the cars involved, therefore we only have your word that the law has been broken.

 

[GrumpyGregry]

One direction: https://maps.google.co.uk/maps?q=rhyl&hl=en&ll=53.305852,-3.531362&spn=0.007693,0.021136&oe=utf-8&client=firefox-a&hnear=Rhyl, Denbighshire, United Kingdom&t=h&z=16&layer=c&cbll=53.305852,-3.531362&panoid=e-XAYJhhoYz6trqQqQ5xoQ&cbp=12,50.96,,0,-1.1
Other direction: https://maps.google.co.uk/maps?q=rhyl&hl=en&ll=53.308096,-3.525946&spn=0.003487,0.021136&oe=utf-8&client=firefox-a&hnear=Rhyl, Denbighshire, United Kingdom&t=h&z=16&layer=c&cbll=53.308045,-3.526075&panoid=4z0U3FJfpVJAUJ977V8N6A&cbp=12,235.55,,0,-1.55
The footage only shows the overtakes, not the whole road.

fair enough, though I'd say that signage overall falls a long way short of what I'd expect to see in a 20mph zone in these parts. I'd get on to the county council and get them to improve the signage, install a radar controlled sign, etc., try and get plod to do some speed gun stuff, if that was on my manor.


of course I'd get nowhere but I'd have fun trying.

 

[Alun]

fair enough, though I'd say that signage overall falls a long way short of what I'd expect to see in a 20mph zone in these parts. I'd get on to the county council and get them to improve the signage, install a radar controlled sign, etc., try and get plod to do some speed gun stuff, if that was on my manor.of course I'd get nowhere but I'd have fun trying.

Technically it's not a 20mph zone, but a 20mph speed limit. They have different requirements for signage and traffic calming measures.

 

[Nigel-YZ1]

No other road laws seem to matter these days, so why do many bother obeying white lines?

 

[campbellab]

I often get double white line overtakes on a steep downhill in a 50 approaching a 30, where I'm doing 20-30 depending on how damp it is! Most dont seem to think twice about it...

I sent a moan off to the NHS ambulance trust when an Ambulance driver decided to overtake me on it (should know better) as every other sheep behind him did the same afterwards.

 

[GrumpyGregry]

Technically it's not a 20mph zone, but a 20mph speed limit. They have different requirements for signage and traffic calming measures.

that's informative, thank you.

I'm not sure the signage meets the standards for a 30 limit let alone a 20!

 

[trampyjoe]

the 20mph limit anywhere is a joke to most drvers.
I feel like I'm the only one that sticks to it in my village.

 

[PK99]

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xjr04Si2AnU
This is what I am talking about. 20mph limit, narrow lanes, and double white lines. And yet some still feel the need to overtake.

1 stop beeping your fecking horn to signal annoyance!
"The horn. Use only while your vehicle is moving and you need to warn other road users of your presence. Never sound your horn aggressively" esp when people are already past you. You are likely to cause distraction and hazard.

2 stop reading out the number plate of every fecking car that you consider has made a minor error - pay more attention to your own position and cycling

 

[simon.r]

The painting of solid white lines down the middle of roads seems to be almost entirely arbitrary.

There are plenty of places where it is safe (though illegal) to cross a solid white line when overtaking and plenty of places where it is unsafe to overtake on a dashed line.

 

[GrasB]

Read post #38 & then think about what you've just said. In general road markings restricting things are there because the risk is non-obvious.

 

[Miquel In De Rain]

the 20mph limit anywhere is a joke to most drvers.
I feel like I'm the only one that sticks to it in my village.

You are good people.

 

[4F]

I have to say that I agree with the comments about the inappropriate use of the horn.

I would not have a problem with most (not all) of the overtakes in that video and imho it is not up to the OP to police other drivers. If you feel that it is a danger report it to the police, if not stop sounding the horn.

 

[simon.r]

Read post #38 & then think about what you've just said. In general road markings restricting things are there because the risk is non-obvious.

I take your point and I agree that the use of solid white lines where risks aren't obvious is a useful indicator. My use of the phrase 'almost entirely arbitrary' is wrong, but I'd still argue that there are numerous instances where the road markings (be they solid or broken lines) are inappropriate.

 

[Hawk]

I think often solid lines are there to prevent a vehicle committing to an overtake of a motor vehicle where there is not enough space.

The 'forwards' distance required to overtake a cyclist is certainly not the same as the distance required to overtake a vehicle that is travelling much faster, with a smaller speed difference. There are many instances where overtaking a cyclist over double white lines is entirely safe, unfortunately it's not always possible to judge when that's the case...