What are the yellow lines for??

[The Stranger:Me]

I use a fourth option.
I don't pass on yellows unless I can comfortably fit entirely within the lane - which I believe to be within the law.

Often a driver will pull over when they see a bike approaching or sometimes a lane is easily wide enough to accommodate 2 vehicles.

Mind you have been known to pass on yellows where traffic is jambed during holliday periods.

[Panther]

dont get on the gas on the thick paint!
unless thats whats fun for you....

[babyB]

yellow lines... what yellow lines
i only see brown ones
but then im colour blind
well thats my excuse

[Ixion]

Until a few years ago, yellow lines were used responsibly by the authorities , to indicate that for some reason, possibly not apparent to the motorist, overtaking on that stretch of road was dangerous.

That being so, I thanked the authorities for their care, and respected the message. "Uh oh , yellow lines, DANGER, keep left"

Then, alas, the Insane Yellow Paint Maniac was let loose from his padded cell, equipped with a huge pot of yellow paint and a brush.

And some clown in an office had a BrightIdea. "How can I slow all the traffic down even more. I know. On any road there will be some driver who will want to proceed at only half the speed limit. If I force EVERYONE to follow that driver EVERYONE will be constrained to 40kph or so. How to do it? I know. Yellow lines - EVERYWHERE. Then no one will be able to pass, ever, and everyone will be forced down to the speed of the slowest, most doddery, most incompetant old twit on the roads".

And so it now is. The authorities openly admit that now yellow lines have no relevance whatsoever to any danger that might be posed by overtaking. They are simply another speed restriction measure

So, the yellow lines having lost their original purpose, I totally ignore them. And use my own judgement whether it is safe to overtake.Doddery old idiots with cell phones being factored in as a danger.

[ManDownUnder]

Then, alas, the Insane Yellow Paint Maniac was let loose from his padded cell, equipped with a huge pot of yellow paint and a brush.

And some clown in an office had a BrightIdea....

Thanks for saving me the keyboard time - agreed entirely.

If the Yellow Lines were only in those places where it actually is dangerous to pass then I'd have more respect for them. As it stands I adopt the adage... they are ..."there for the observance by fool and guidance of the wise."

If it's safe, then yes. No-one in Wellington is accurately able to assess every individual circumstance from afar, so I do it for them. Sensibly.

[Kyle]

I second CaNs option. Will pass cars where there are yellow lines , but only if i can do it without going over the lines or speeding excessively. All very safe manouvers but its the ticket on the mind at all times, tho sometimes its a choice between hitting the lines or losing a wing mirror.
curse those 4meter wide SUVs, they should be banned, unless they are towing a motorbike trailer, boat, jetski or other 'big boys toy'

[Beemer]

I'm with Kyle and CaNs - mainly because it's not so much that I will NEVER pass where there are yellow lines (if you get someone crawling along at 60kph on the open road you're going to go mad if you stay behind them), it's more that with a personalised plate, I'm not that keen to have someone I overtake consider it was dangerous and call *555. There is no real defence if you're crossed the yellows and I don't want to take that risk. I have safely overtaken drivers who are obviously looking for a driveway or something out in the country, so they are crawling along at 30-40kph, half in the lane and half on the shoulder, but because I have dared to overtake, I get a blast on the horn and a shaking fist because THEY feel it is dangerous. Throw in a few yellow lines and all of a sudden the cops might too.

[Gremlin]

I don't pass on yellows unless I can comfortably fit entirely within the lane - which I believe to be within the law.

as sAsLEX stated, it is the crossing OVER the yellow line, that is illegal.

Picked the middle option, I use my own judgement. However... one time, there was a cop on holiday with his family. Yes, he chased the bike up when he got back from holiday

Additionally, the yellows are designed with slow cars in mind, I would imagine. When you can pass a car in basically a second, at times, then yeah... I'll use my own judgement on each situation, hope there are no cops, and I don't use a personalised plate for the easy-to-remember reason.

[The Pastor]

I use them as a guidline If I ask my self "is it safe to overtake?" and I can't say 100% yes and see yellow lines I will not overtake. Other wise I don't care.

[blackkatana]

Squirt of power, stay inside the yellow, passed in a second. Depends on the overall flow, traffic and bike.

[Yellow Streak]

I tend to pass between the lines and the mobile cage.

[MotoGirl]

Generally speaking, I completely ignore yellow lines. I use my discretion as to whether it's safe to pass, e.g. if I'm on a clear straight or can see round the corner and nothing's coming - I'm gone! I never pass around blind corners even if the line is white.

If there's shitloads of room and the car has moved over, I'd pass between a car and the yellow line (therefore, not crossing the centre line). If the lane isn't that wide and I could be at risk of the car moving and taking me out, I'll use the other side of the road, provided it's empty, regardless of whether there is a yellow line. Sometimes, I just feel safer on the opposite side of the road.

[terbang]

Crossing yellow lines could easily become a 'HoHum' habit leading to the abnormal becoming the normal with a potentially bad result. However the converse of the LTSA (or whoever does it) painting the slightest hint of a bend with double yellow lines being a bit like the boy that cried wolf. I have been wondering lately if the road marking people have recently had a lot of yellow paint that is nearing its expirey date.

[terbang]

yellow lines... what yellow lines
i only see brown ones
but then im colour blind
well thats my excuse

If you are colur blind then you would also have testicles. Colour blindness is only a male thing, though the gene passed to us by our mothers.

[Meekey_Mouse]

9 Times out of 10 no, but the odd circumstance where I know I can get through safely, or the vehicle I am passing is going super slow. If in me car, I never pass on the yellows.

Same here