Painted medians

[Bassmatt]

Got let of a ticket for passing on a painted median strip, cop only saw the last second or two as I pulled back into my lane.
I know you aren't allowed to use them as passing lanes but was wondering if you are allowed to cross the median into the opposing lane to pass traffic and then cross it again as you come back?

[AllanB]

Given the ticket you just got off I think you have the answer

[Berries]

Passing on right.

A driver must not pass or attempt to pass on the right of another vehicle moving in the same direction when—

(b) approaching or passing a flush median, unless the driver—
(i) intends to turn right from the road marked with the flush median into another road or vehicle entrance; or
(ii) has turned right onto the road marked with the flush median; or
(iii) can make the entire movement without encroaching on the flush median.
If you can persuade the cop that you had just turned right and were passing to get in to the gap ahead you might get off it due to (b)(ii) but (b)(iii) knackers the idea of crossing the FM to overtake as you would have to encroach on to it.

[R650R]

Er No that be a big zero on that one. That would be like saying I crossed the yellow line to stop on the other side of road but decided to rejoin traffic and accidently passed someone etc....
This law pisses me off a bit. Obviously the majority of the time it is unsafe to pass on a painted median as they are often in areas with lots of merging or turning traffic entering and exiting industrial and rural properties.
But there seems a trend lately to put them everywhere like on Pakowhai rd a main road that is also now a pathetic 80k speed limit.
Now during the daytime with people entering and exiting orchards and the like along here I can understand. But at nighttime why do I have to sit behind some tired or drunk incompentant driver doing 65km/h when its very clear via lack of headlights out of driveways that its safe to pass....
In addition to this median crap they have moved the left fog line far to the left, so far that now when a bus stops on this road it juts out into the lane. Real damn clever transit/council morons....

[Mike.Gayner]

When I pass on a flush median I always have my right indicator on. Gives me the opportunity to use the "I was turning right" defense if possible.

[jonnyk5614]

The painted medians are a good idea, but more separation and all that. What is stupid is the solid white line. They are usually dashed in the UK, except where overtaking would be inappropriate.


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[Big Dog]

AFAIK a solid line of any colour indicates that crossing for the purpose of changing lanes is Verboten.

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[Tazz]

That's a big ol negatory unless yer after a bear bite from Ol' Smokey.

[Bassmatt]

AFAIK a solid line of any colour indicates that crossing for the purpose of changing lanes is Verboten.

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eh? why have yellow lines then?

[Berries]

They're for the Chinese drivers.

[BMWST?]

​solid yellow is no crossing centreline,not no passing?

[Tazz]

eh? why have yellow lines then?

You can pass from one side but not the other with yellows.

Could just do a solid white instead of a double yellow and save money but I guess it's more obvious and they love finger painting.


​solid yellow is no crossing centreline,not no passing?

Solid white is the same, not no passing, just no crossing the line. You can always pass within a lane, on the right, afaik.

[Big Dog]

eh? why have yellow lines then?

They are no passing lines, prohibiting you from crossing into an oncoming lane.
Note: these are solid where you are not permitted to cross them.

Outside of the context of passing you are not allowed to occupy an opposing lane, in city streets you will mostly see these as solid lines separating the lanes on approach to lights etc.
Here you would not strictly speaking be crossing into opposing traffic for the purpose of passing.

Sometimes you will see temporary lane markings in orange or even pink to highlight that the outlay of the road has changed. These should not be crossed for the purposes of a lane change either.

My understandings of the differences, and I do hope if I am wrong someone will be along shortly to correct me:
Yellow lines = No overtaking, unless you can do so without crossing the line. Cop likely to hand you a big ticket and some demerits.
All other colours = no lane changes unless it is unsafe to remain within your lane. Cop likely to waggle his finger unless you put someone directly in danger.
Both are on the automatic fail list for sitting a license, or they were when I was preparing for my license tests, or helping others to prepare for theirs.

[FJRider]

​solid yellow is no crossing centreline,not no passing?

You CAN cross the solid YELLOW ... but only to turn into a property entranceway. IF ... it is safe to do so.

You can overtake if you do not cross the yellow line on your side of the road.

[FJRider]

When I pass on a flush median I always have my right indicator on. Gives me the opportunity to use the "I was turning right" defense if possible.

When the cop stopped laughing at your excuse ... he'd issue you a ticket for overtaking on a flush median ... :laugh:

[Tazz]

All other colours = no lane changes unless it is unsafe to remain within your lane. Cop likely to waggle his finger unless you put someone directly in danger.


You can get ticketed for 'cutting' the solid white on the inside of a corner. It happens.

Solid white also means no passing (as you can't cross it....), and I could be wrong but if it is like Aus that also means a big nopeeeeeee if you're pulling out of a driveway etc, u-turning or doing helicopter doughnuts.

[FJRider]

Got let of a ticket for passing on a painted median strip, cop only saw the last second or two as I pulled back into my lane.
I know you aren't allowed to use them as passing lanes but was wondering if you are allowed to cross the median into the opposing lane to pass traffic and then cross it again as you come back?

That is a definite NO.

[Big Dog]

You can get ticketed for 'cutting' the solid white on the inside of a corner. It happens.

Solid white also means no passing (as you can't cross it....), and I could be wrong but if it is like Aus that also means a big nopeeeeeee if you're pulling out of a driveway etc, u-turning or doing helicopter doughnuts.
I took it as given that white lines are included. Including the fog line.
My brother got a ticket for failing to remain in his lane because his mirror crossed the centre line where it was white solid.

I suspect the cop may have already had a woody for his shit driving and this was just an easy ticket.

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[Tazz]

I took it as given that white lines are included. Including the fog line.
My brother got a ticket for failing to remain in his lane because his mirror crossed the centre line where it was white solid.

I suspect the cop may have already had a woody for his shit driving and this was just an easy ticket.

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Yeah was more mentioning for the passing. Different to a lane change, but splitting hairs.

Friends old man got one for trailer wheel going partially over from the akaroa cop with a hard on for anything other than actual police work.

[Gremlin]

Good luck finding any reference to solid white lines in legislation (ie, where it matters). I couldn't find reference...

[AllanB]

Pass on the white lines

[Berries]

Right, yellow lines


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.
That is the only reference and it is quite clear. You can turn right across them, do u-turns across them, the only thing you cannot do is cross them to overtake a motor vehicle or animal drawn vehicle. Note no reference to cyclists.

White lines are different. A solid white line might surround a flush median but it is the FM that means you cannot overtake, not the solid line. You can get done for crossing a solid white line on a curve because you are failing to stay in your lane. For the same reason it could be a normal non-solid white line or indeed a yellow line, the colour matters not. I have never heard of anyone getting done for crossing the solid white line on your left, the edge line. This would fall foul of section 2.3(2)(a).


2.3 Use of lanes
(2) A driver, when driving on a road marked in lanes,—
(a) must drive as far as practicable entirely within a lane except when complying with subclause 2.1(2) or when changing lanes

Where 2.1(2) is "If a driver’s speed, when driving, is such as to impede the normal and reasonable flow of traffic, that driver must, as soon as is reasonably practicable, move the vehicle as far as practicable to the left side of the roadway when this is necessary to allow following traffic to pass."

You would have to fail the attitude test to get a ticket for that.

And of course flush medians are now morphing in to wide centre lines which have dashed lines along the side. You can overtake across these. And you are actively encouraged to cross a solid white line to drive over the hatching to get in to a right turn bay which makes it even harder to explain what a solid white line means. If you don't know the road rules you are best to overtake everything and let the magistrate sort it out.