Close call

I only know that because I had it clarified to me a couple of weeks ago by one of our senior observers, after passing the front (moving) car on a crossing and roundabout approach in Barnsley.

In theory, yes... you are crossing the stop line at red. If you look at the markings, the left side has a broken section to allow cyclists to use the advance stop box, but the line at the front of that is solid and full width.

As far as overtaking goes, don't rule out doing it in the slower limits if it is safe and legal to do so... if you're following a line of traffic at 30 in a 40, then I would encourage my guys to look for a passing opportunity in the same way as at 55 in a national.

Originally Posted by orose

You MUST NOT park on a crossing or in the area covered by the zig-zag lines. You MUST NOT overtake the moving vehicle nearest the crossing or the vehicle nearest the crossing which has stopped to give way to pedestrians.

Does this rule not apply only to pedestrian and zebra crossings, and traffic lights with a pedestrian crossing integrated, and not to bog standard traffic lights?

The case then being that where pedestrians are crossing, you are not allowed to overtake the front vehicle, because that front vehicle is blocking the view, and so there could be pedestrians crossing who you have not seen, and may not have seen you.

And in that case, at bog standard traffic lights (for instance a country road with no pavements) you are allowed to pull up alongside the front car, or pass the front car, so long as you don't cross the stop line at the front?

The whole post is a question not a statement.

If there are no zigzag lines, then I would move alongside into the drivers view or in front if there was room to do so. More often than not though, I sit behind and off to the right of the first vehicle and pass after clearing the hazard, because most of the junction I see use islands to funnel traffic.

[keith_d]

Originally Posted by -Ralph-

Does this rule not apply only to pedestrian and zebra crossings, and traffic lights with a pedestrian crossing integrated, and not to bog standard traffic lights?
<snip...>.

At lights where there are zigzag lines you are not permitted to overtake the vehicle at the front. But at a regular traffic light you can filter right to the front as long providing it is safe and you don't cross the solid line.

Oh, and revving your engine to chivvy the pedestrians along when the lights are about to change isn't allowed either, and neither is kicking the cyclists that ride straight through a red light. Just in case you're tempted...

Keith.

Originally Posted by keith_d

Oh, and revving your engine to chivvy the pedestrians along when the lights are about to change isn't allowed either, and neither is kicking the cyclists that ride straight through a red light. Just in case you're tempted....

I'm quite sure the highway code doesn't mention either of these two things! Of course they are permitted

Talking about the cyclist, I was crossing a pedestrian crossing in London integrated into the traffic lights at the cross roads outside King Cross station, when one came straight though the red light, narrowly missed me, then filtered straight through the traffic on the junction and carried on. I wish he had just been a few inches closer, and I'd seen him coming a split second earlier. He would have been off as I "instinctively pushed him away from me to protect myself from being hurt".