Safe Speed Forums

I know this idea is wrong as it stands but...

I was driving along the M4 today and I wondered what the effect would be of having a 'track' line instead of lane markings. In this idea we have a white line per lane and the objective is to straddle it.

Now I know...

- Bikers would always be on or near the track line - not good.
- We'd need to paint three track lines instead of two lane divider lines on a three lane motorway.

Are there any cases where a track marking would be better?

Are there any big dodgy assumptions in the way white paint is applied to the roads?

Does this sort of thinking trigger off any related ideas that might actually be useful?

_________________
Paul Smith
Our scrap speed cameras petition got over 28,000 sigs
The Safe Speed campaign demands a return to intelligent road safety

Paul,

I think employing this would promote wider lateral positioning tollerances of your vehicle.

You know what I mean? Having a lane means there's a well defined border that you shouldn't breach unless executing a lane change however if you were to straddle one line then there's a lot of play particularly with bigger/wider vehicles.

I don't think it's a particularly good idea, sorry.

_________________
If I have to explain you won't understand.

The other problem would be where to place cat's eyes and other road markings such as merge/turn arrows.

_________________
Prepare to be Judged

Alternatively instead of a painted line, you could dig a furrow. Then you could fit a runner to you car and the motorways would turn into hoofing great Scalextric tracks!!

(Sorry, couldn't resist!!)

_________________
If I have to explain you won't understand.

Yeah but Scalextric was never as good as TCR where you could actually change lanes. Trouble is, your car always flew to the outside lane under centrifugal force at the corners

Only played TCR once and didn't like it purely for that reason.

(Sorry for the hijack Paul.)

_________________
If I have to explain you won't understand.

You mean the lines aren't track markings?

_________________
Malcolm W.
The views expressed in this post are personal opinions and do not represent the views of Safespeed.

How would you implement double white lines, etc?

_________________
Will

Possibly.....

The resurfaced roads on my commute to and from work have been without any paint for several weeks. Nicely swept by traffic and such, they are an absolute pleasure to ride.

Tonight I was puzzling why they are now so great and it's clearly because they are completely unmarked with lines.



Their very absence is a benefit!!

These roads had (and will have) centre lines, solid lines, hazard lines and various diagonal hatched areas. It's micro-managing again. Without lines, people are forced to look ahead and read the road. They are forced to make their own decisions and that must be good for the learning experience and mental agility.

Take the double white lines - they're a bit like speed limits, never right for all situations, for all vehicles, in all conditions.

Start to make people think when they drive - ditch the paint!

_________________
It's tricky doing nothing - you never know when you're finished

A kind of double negative... Bikers are most vulnerable when filtering. The (present) white line presents a further hazard to bikers at this most vulnerable time.

So what MIGHT be good is white lines with a "no mans land" (or if you prefer filtering "track") in the middle.

Well, we are seeing a proliferation of hatched ‘biker lanes’ up the centre of the road – but I’m not a great fan. They tend to acquire all the crap off the road.

No, I’m convinced that, with paint, less is more!

_________________
It's tricky doing nothing - you never know when you're finished

We already have "advisory cycle lanes" - I try to keep the wheel on them...

_________________
Andrew.