ego.istic.org

I happened today to notice the following interesting rule in TSRGD, regulation 26:

The requirements conveyed by a road marking mentioned in paragraph (1) shall be that —

(a) subject to paragraphs (3) and (5), no vehicle shall stop on any length of road along which the marking has been placed at any point between the ends of the marking; and

(b) subject to paragraph (6), every vehicle proceeding on any length of road along which the marking has been so placed that, as viewed in the direction of travel of the vehicle, a continuous line is on the left of a broken line or of another continuous line, shall be so driven as to keep the first-mentioned continuous line on the right hand or off side of the vehicle.

The “road marking mentioned in paragraph (1)” is double white lines down the middle of the carriageway, indicating no overtaking (or no overtaking in one direction). (a) says that you can't park on either side, (b) says you can't overtake on the side with the unbroken line. What's interesting is the exceptions given just after:

5) Nothing in paragraph (2)(a) shall apply - […]

(c) to a pedal bicycle not having a sidecar attached thereto, whether additional means of propulsion by mechanical power are attached to the bicycle or not;

which is to say, parking of bikes or mopeds is allowed, even on the carriageway; and

(6) Nothing in paragraph (2)(b) shall be taken to prohibit a vehicle from being driven across, or so as to straddle, the continuous line referred to in that paragraph, if it is safe to do so and if necessary to do so - […]

(f) in order to pass a pedal cycle moving at a speed not exceeding 10 mph;

which is to say, you can only overtake cyclists on a road with double white lines if ⒈ the cyclist is travelling very slowly or ⒉ the lane is wide enough to pass without crossing the line.

I do not think very much of this rule. For a start, who knows about this exception? Most motorists don't even think of overtaking cyclists as overtaking, and will happily do so even where “No Overtaking” signs exist. Second, how is the motorist supposed to know whether the cyclist's speed is more or less than 10mph, and on what evidence would a court be able to judge afterwards (should it ever come to that)? Third, it encourages motorists to pass fast-moving cyclists far too close in order to not cross the central line.

To discourage this, I have to suggest that cyclists going down such roads faster than walking pace take up what's called “primary lane position”: that is, position themselves near the centre of the lane rather than near the edge of the carriageway.