Crossing Solid White Line to your offside, What's It All About?

[Lonewolf]

Right folks this is a serious question. I'm a member of the West Yorkshire RoSPA Group and one individual within it who everybody seems to think is God has convinced those that count, i.e. the senior trainer & RoSPA themselves that to cross the solid white line with absolutely anything on the bike or any part of the rider is an absolute breach of  the Road Traffic Act and is an endorsable offence and will therefore result in a mark down on your test or a fail if the rider repeatedly straddles the solid white line to their offside with absolutely anything on their bike or any part of the rider.

What's your view on this, have a look at the below points first if needed. You only get one vote and it can't be changed so vote carefully!!

Crossing Solid White Line The actual road traffic legislation states that no vehicle shall cross or straddle but shall keep to the left of a continious white line nearest to the vehicle except where it is safe and if necessary to do so;

1/ To enter land or premises or a side road, or to pass a stationary vehicle, or owing to circumstances outside the control of the driver, or in order to avoid an accident,

or,

2/ To pass a road maintenance vehicle which is in use and moving at not more than 10mph and displaying keep right arrow signage. To pass a pedal cycle moving at not more than 10mph or to pass a horse moving at not more than 10mph.

3/ For the purpose of complying with any direction of a Constable in uniform or a Traffic Warden.

For those who have completed advanced training in any capacity, civilian or otherwise they may well be of the opinion that a solid white line to your offside is to be treat as a wall. Thats fine. Look at it practically though, a car towing a caravan with extended wing mirrors, there's a high probablity that those extended wing mirrors may well encroach into or even over the solid offside white line on occasions. Are we saying that that is an offence? RoSPA would say yes. Are we saying that a HGV on a narrow road whose mirrors periodically cross the solid whites to it's offside is guilty of an endorsable offence? Are we also saying that if a biker extends out into the centre of the road to improve their view on a left hand bend and their offside pannier overlaps ever so slightly the solid white line that they are likely to receive an endorsable ticket?

So I'm not talking about if the vehicle is overtaking anything in the above circumstances, just during general riding or driving.

[Rusty]

Steve ... this is exactly why I am not keen on some of these so called "examiners" or "Instructors" or "assessors" who , not all I have to say, appear to be very anal about their "jobs".

I thought that The Road Traffic Act had been amended so that you could specifically overtake slow moving vehicles on a DWL system without penalty. Perhaps I am mistaken.

I see no problem whatsoever with anyone having a bit of double white line whatever the circumstances, so long AS IT IS SAFE ... you could argue the toss all day, and I know some will, but there has to be a certain degree of common sense applied to whatever you are doing at the time and that's how I apply my discretion to anyone that I deal with. In my book you have to drive or ride like a complete c*** to get a ticket, which of course would be well deserved.

We are all grown ups and we all know what we are supposed to be doing and further more we know what is acceptable and what is not.

[Lonewolf]

I did discuss this a bit with a couple at the Lower Lode Inn and everyone seems to be of the opinion that RoSPA are talking out of their arse.

[Kwikasfuki]

Not being an advanced rider and all that, my opinion is that your RoSPA geezer is talking a load of bollocks

[routemaster]

Talk about being anal - I think some people need to get a life 

One of the primary purposes of solid white lines to tell drivers there is not enoughvisibility for vehicles to overtake safely ie you are on a potentially dangerous bit of road. If gets to the point where people start arguing about which part of the bike ie pannier, a mirror or wheels means you have crossed or straddled the white line and therefore breaking the law - sorry but they really do need to get a life.

There is the definition/interpretation of the law by the Police and the Courts - if the wheels cross the white line then that is a clear breach.
If your panniers/mirrors are above/over the while line then you have increased risks to yourself and others. Is it breaking the law, I have no idea and I am not going to worry about that aspect - I would be asking my associate or any rider "is the benefit of being in that position worth the increased in risk????" 

It's not as though you can do anything apart from sit their and follow the vehicle in front and if you do have a clear road ahead with no traffic in front of you I would still ask the question is the benefit worth the increased risk???

Don't forget even if the solid white line is on the opposite side of the road it still means that the visibility on your side of the road is also reduced but not enough to trigger a solid white line.

Steve

[viper]

my shadow sometimes crosses the line , does that count

[O.C.]

my shadow sometimes crosses the line , does that count

  I like that..

Doesn't the law also state that you can cross a solid white line in order to overtake a slow moving vehicle, I seem to recall that 10mph was mentioned

[Mogster]

Isn't it there to stop cars overtaking other cars...

which means that you can 'Do the B'stard' on the way into the corner, on the brakes, without worrying that some knob in a Kia is gonna try and overtake another knob in a Ford...

[Debs]

  Mogs

Is there something about Kia's and esp Ford's that you dont like? 

[nogoslow]

just my opinion but surely your only in breach of the RTA if you cross the solid line with a wheel, not if parts of your car bike truck etc has a component hanging over the line. Just because it "looks" like a part of vehicle is over the line doesn't mean it is, that is surely dependant on which angle you are viewing it from. a wheel over the line is not open to debate it either is or isn't over the line. Common sense?

[Boomer]

I cross them regularly.
They are designed for cars/trucks.
All too often no overtaking zones fail to take into account the acceleration/braking a modern car can do, let alone a motorcycle.
The bloody nanny state is trying to keep you safe from yourself and all the other idiots,... err sorry I meant Citizens out there.
If I feel it is safe and prudent to do so, I cross them.

I'm no fan of the "wheel shufflers" but I can see where some riders could gain enormously from their training.
I could almost certainly gain from their training, but I can't stand the mentality of so many of their instructors.
Just cos it says RoSPA on your dayglo jacket doesn't mean you are the "Oracle" of all things about motorcycling.

The last one I did (apart from my safety awareness course) was a Police training session and I enjoyed it tremendously.
I think the cop who did my 1-on-1 did too as I didn't hang about. 

[doebag]

I cross them regularly.
They are designed for cars/trucks.

I don't think your local magistrate would see it that way  . In the real world panniers,mirrors etc do not even come in to it , where the RoSPA instructor got his ideas from god only knows. However, crossing a soild white outside of the exemptions mentioned in the OP is an absolute offence in the eyes of a magistrate.

[Lonewolf]

my shadow sometimes crosses the line , does that count

RoSPA would probably have you for that too. 

Please make sure you all vote, these stats are going to get fed back to the bleeders at RoSPA head office. 

[routemaster]

I cross them regularly.
They are designed for cars/trucks.
All too often no overtaking zones fail to take into account the acceleration/braking a modern car can do, let alone a motorcycle.

So you are one of the total idiots who gives the rest of us a bad name

[Mogster]

So you are one of the total idiots who gives the rest of us a bad name

Nah thats my job.....