Question about double yellow lines

[Shadows]

I've searched everywhere and can't seem to find the answer. Somebody please enlighten me.

Imagine a vehicle sitting in an entrance way. The driver or rider wants to turn right.
In order to do so he must cross a solid double yellow line in the centre of the road. There is no "gap" in the line.
Would this manoeuvre be in breach of the road rules, or not?

[Bikemad]

explain entrance way............you mean a persons drive or commercial two lane jobby
i think it probably ok either way

[Berries]

There are thousands of driveways and accesses that have double yellow lines across them. The lines are 'no passing lines' and indicate where it is not considered safe to pass another vehicle. Well, they used to. There is nothing in the Road User Rule that says you cannot turn right across them. In an ideal world they would indicate that the visibility in at least one direction is shit though so you probably want to be careful, I'm sure you'd get done for turning without sufficient visibility or some such if you got t-boned.


2.9 Passing where roadway marked with no-passing line
(1) This clause applies if a driver is at or approaching a portion of a roadway where the road controlling authority has, in accordance with any enactment, marked a no-passing line applying to traffic moving in the direction in which the driver is moving.
(2) The driver must not pass or attempt to pass a motor vehicle or an animal-drawn vehicle moving in the same direction within the length of roadway on which the no-passing line is marked until the driver reaches the further end of the no-passing line, unless throughout the passing movement the driver keeps the vehicle wholly to the left of the no-passing line.

[Shadows]

explain entrance way............you mean a persons drive or commercial two lane jobby
i think it probably ok either way

Could be either but I'm thinking specifically about a commercial two lane jobby facing onto four lanes of traffic (2 lanes in either direction).

Same question applies to traffic turning right off the road as well. No hatching / turning bay.

[Shadows]

There are thousands of driveways and accesses that have double yellow lines across them. The lines are 'no passing lines' and indicate where it is not considered safe to pass another vehicle. Well, they used to. There is nothing in the Road User Rule that says you cannot turn right across them. In an ideal world they would indicate that the visibility in at least one direction is shit though so you probably want to be careful, I'm sure you'd get done for turning without sufficient visibility or some such if you got t-boned.

Cheers, yes I've read the road user rules but couldn't find any mention of it - thought it may have been listed as an exemption, but no.

So you're certain it doesn't breach the rules?

[Bikemad]

scummy will drop in shortly with an answer im sure

[Berries]

So you're certain it doesn't breach the rules?
I am certain that if there is a rule, which I doubt, it needs changing considering the network we have. The yellow line signifies a line that you should not go to the right of when passing, that's all.

I wouldn't worry about it personally.

[davereid]

Its legal to cross them to turn up a drive way. But be careful. The recent fatality at Otaki was caused by that. A right turning car was clipped from behind by a truck, and as the driver had her wheel turned to the right, she was shunted in the other lane. Best to find a safe place to turn around so you can do a left turn, or if cunning adjust your speed so you dont have to wait for oncoming traffic. And dont turn the wheel to the right before you need to, keep it pointed down your own lane.

[MSTRS]

Its legal to cross them to turn up a drive way. But be careful. The recent fatality at Otaki was caused by that. A right turning car was clipped from behind by a truck, and as the driver had her wheel turned to the right, she was shunted in the other lane. Best to find a safe place to turn around so you can do a left turn, or if cunning adjust your speed so you dont have to wait for oncoming traffic. And dont turn the wheel to the right before you need to, keep it pointed down your own lane.

Yep. Or pull off to the left and wait for a gap both ways.

Still with the talk of double yellows...WHY OH WHY do people give them more significance than they deserve.
People - please - the only yellow line you need to be aware of is the one on YOUR SIDE. The other one concerns them over there.

[Berg]

Its legal to cross them to turn up a drive way. But be careful. The recent fatality at Otaki was caused by that. A right turning car was clipped from behind by a truck, and as the driver had her wheel turned to the right, she was shunted in the other lane. Best to find a safe place to turn around so you can do a left turn, or if cunning adjust your speed so you dont have to wait for oncoming traffic. And dont turn the wheel to the right before you need to, keep it pointed down your own lane.
Has that crash gone fatal? Last I heard the one serious injury was stable but I haven't been at work for a week.

[jellywrestler]

A right turning car was clipped from behind by a truck, and as the driver had her wheel turned to the right, she was shunted in the other lane.
I learnt that at defensive driving in 1980, shame that all you see on tv is ads about being naughty and not Defensive Driving tips like this one which may have saved these lives

[Scuba_Steve]

Cheers, yes I've read the road user rules but couldn't find any mention of it - thought it may have been listed as an exemption, but no.

So you're certain it doesn't breach the rules?

Yea I couldn't find anything about almost any yellow lines, I'm beginning to think there's no actual law about them...
But crossing them is fine just don't pass on them

[p.dath]

From reading the below information, it only seems to apply to passing.

http://www.legislation.govt.nz/regulation/public/2004/0427/latest/DLM303051.html?search=ts_regulation_Land+Transport +Rule_resel&p=1#DLM303051

2.9 Passing where roadway marked with no-passing line
(1) This clause applies if a driver is at or approaching a portion of a roadway where the road controlling authority has, in accordance with any enactment, marked a no-passing line applying to traffic moving in the direction in which the driver is moving.
(2) The driver must not pass or attempt to pass a motor vehicle or an animal-drawn vehicle moving in the same direction within the length of roadway on which the no-passing line is marked until the driver reaches the further end of the no-passing line, unless throughout the passing movement the driver keeps the vehicle wholly to the left of the no-passing line.
Compare: SR 1976/227 r 8(6)

[oneofsix]

just don't pass on them

but that would mean not passing in passing lanes :laugh:

Don't cross them when passing would be more correct. I don't like the term no passing lines because it is not quite what they are, but then again they are not no crossing line either.

[MSTRS]

Don't cross them when passing would be more correct. I don't like the term no passing lines because it is not quite what they are, but then again they are not no crossing line either.

Call them Keep Left Of Line Or Else lines? Bit of a mouthful, esp for those that need their mouth to breathe...

[Badjelly]

From reading the below information, it only seems to apply to passing.

http://www.legislation.govt.nz/regulation/public/2004/0427/latest/DLM303051.html?search=ts_regulation_Land+Transport +Rule_resel&p=1#DLM303051
...The driver must not pass or attempt to pass a motor vehicle or an animal-drawn vehicle moving in the same direction within the length...

Thanks for that, p.dath.

There's a couple of significant points there:

It says "moving", i.e. it doesn't apply to passing stationary vehicles. There's a road in Wellington (Hungerford Rd) where you have to cross a solid line to pass legally parked cars. It feels odd the first time, but you get used to it.
It says "motor vehicle or animal-drawn vehicle". This appears to specifically exclude bicycles. Interesting.


And, of course, U-turns across solid yellow lines are fine.

[oneofsix]

It says "motor vehicle or animal-drawn vehicle". This appears to specifically exclude bicycles. Interesting.



yeah I guess peddles aren't "animal-drawn" even if you concede they could be termed animal powered. :Punk:

[Badjelly]

yeah I guess peddles aren't "animal-drawn" even if you concede they could be termed animal powered. :Punk:

So rickshaws are out?

[oneofsix]

So rickshaws are out?

the ones where they are pulled can't be passed unless the road code has a definition of animal that excludes humans but if they are the peddle ones you can pass it appears. But don't pass tuktuks

[FJRider]

I learnt that at defensive driving in 1980, shame that all you see on tv is ads about being naughty and not Defensive Driving tips like this one which may have saved these lives

I learned it in a similar course in the 70's ... and remember it ...

Wording for the No passing lines rule ...

Making a turn over a no-passing line
You can cross over the solid yellow no-passing line (if it is safe to do so) when making a turn to enter a driveway or side road.

However, bear in mind that no-passing lines are often marked where visibility is limited, so special care is required. It may be safer to turn further along the road, where visibility is better. See Passing for more information about no-passing lines.

The link ...

http://www.nzta.govt.nz/resources/roadcode/about-driving/turning.html

[Shadows]

Well I'll be buggered. Cheers for the info.

Still it seems like a bloody stupid thing to try and do in the place I'm thinking of considering the amount of near misses I've seen there.

I reckon whoever designed the piece of road and the markings on it fucked it up. Who do I write to to suggest a fix?

[Berries]

If it's two lanes each way in an urban area you'll probably find that they have just used yellow lines to highlight the middle of the road so people don't drive in the wrong lane. If it is state highway talk to NZTA, anything else call your council.