Single White Line.

[serendipity2]

Can anyone tell me what a single white line in the road near the kerb means? Can I park there or not? I did it yesterday and someone drove past me sounding there horn loudly.

[Loosehead]

Do you mean the ones often painted near dropped kerbs? if so they have no legal meaning they are there to emphasise the dropped kerb. The dropped kerb itself does not neessarily mean no parking either but parking across someones drive is out!

[Panic Button]

A white line at the edge of the road means
"this is the edge of the road"

[Panic Button]

If they were sounding their horn, perhaps you were stopped on a clearway?

[sddsddean]

A single white line on the edge of the carriageway is used to emphasise a centre hazard line. Centre hazard lines are either 4and 2 (4m line, 2m gap) or 6 and 3. They are used where it is OK to overtake, but you should be aware of a hazard eg slight bend, approaching junction. Where there is a normal centre line (2 and 7), there is normally a broken line on the edge. Having said that, edge lines are normally only used where there is no kerb. Sometimes this comes about because the road has been upgraded to have kerbs and when it gets re white lined, the gang just go over all the old lines.

[Panic Button]

Where do you get that info, sddsddean?

[sddsddean]

I used to build roads and one of my responsibilities was road marking. It all comes under The Specification for Highway Works, Chapter 3. Its also in the Highway Code (remember that?!).

[kempie]

Actually sddsddean here is the full extent of information about white line road markings as found in the Highway Code...

http://www.highwaycode.gov.uk/10.htm#106
http://www.highwaycode.gov.uk/signs09.htm

[Panic Button]

Yes, I checked the Highway Code and as Kempie shows this detail is not there.

[Panic Button]

Sounds like we need some more joined up thinking from the Highways Agency.

What is the point of telling engineers to put paint on the road that means something, but not telling us drivers what it means?

[dustypuss]

to panic button. the answer for not telling us what they mean is so that traffic wardens have some thing to do !.

[sddsddean]

Ah, must admit I have one of the old versions of Highway Code and its in there. Obviously the DoT don't think white lines are important any more!! dustypuss - This has no bearing on a traffic wardens duties. As I say, the edge white lines are purely warnings or markers.

[dustypuss]

yes i know i was only joking. white lines down the side of the road mean roughly the same as a solid white line down the center of the road ie ( do not cross unless in a emergency. or turning left or right in to a side road or a drive way.) i think and i am a driving instructor . Ps the DOT is now the DSA Driving standards agency.

[kempie]

Actually the DfT (Department for Transport) is made up of these executive agencies

� Driving Standards Agency (DSA)
� Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA)
� Vehicle Certification Agency (VCA)
� Vehicle and Operator Services Agency (VOSA)
� Highways Agency (HA)
� Government Car and Despatch Agency (GCDA)
� Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA)

and sponsors several Non-departmental Bodies (NDPBs) such as the Trinity House Lighthouse Service and the Rail Passengers Council to name but two.

[serendipity2]

thank you everybody but I am still confused as there are so many different answers here. The white line is in the same place as yellow lines would normally be. It is a wide road and before the white line was put there, parking was allowed on both sides of the road. Now, there are just these single white lines most of the way along and then as you get near the end of the road they turn into broken white lines.

[dustypuss]

try to by or borrow a book called know your traffic signs , it's got it all ,