Overtaking Double White Lines in Standstill Traffic?

[Bluepete]

Originally Posted by cbay

What if you can pass the car without going across the SWL? If its a wider road for example and they are queuing at roadwork traffic lights (The ones that always seem to take longer....)

It's crossing the SWL, not overtaking within a solid white line system. If thjere's space, go for it carefully.

Pete

[cbay]

Originally Posted by yorkie_chris

They're not stationary, they're just not moving!

Lol my thoughts exactly. How stupidly worded.

Stationary doesn't mean stationary?

[keith_d]

Strangely enough this was discussed when I did Bikesafe last year, and the traffic officers there were pretty clear. You can only cross a solid white line when:

* Turning right into a road or access to a property
(does not include parking on the other side of the road)
* Passing very slow moving vehicles including road maintenance etc.
* Passing a parked or broken down vehicle
* Passing an obstruction such as roadworks, fallen trees etc.
* Instructed to do so by a police officer

While many motorists regard them as 'no overtaking' lines they actually mean do not cross (that includes riding along them!! ). So if the motorists are kind enough to leave room for a bike on your side of the lines, get filtering.

I quite simply regard DWLs as being compulsory for cars and discretionary for bikes. They're only put in place to tell f**kwit car drivers that it's not a good idea to try and get their slow and wide POS past a truck on that stretch of road, but everyone knows the average motorcyclist is far more aware of their surroundings and will use maximum safe acceleration to pass the antiquated, cancer-inducing smoke billowing truck full of disposable nappies that's slowing everyone down to 40 bloody mph in a NSL. In town I do the same and filter the 'wrong' side of them all the time. I haven't died yet so it must be safe, and never been nicked for it either. Maybe we just have more enlightened (read this as 'lazy') coppers around our way.

Speed limits are also discretionary (read as 'there are no speed limits') once outside 30s and 40s.

[yorkie_chris]

I'm curious to know, if they said you were taking liberties with the SWLs, and you said "nah those vehicles were clearly stationary" as you would, would the CPS even be *rsed to take it to court?

Originally Posted by keith_d

the traffic officers there were pretty clear. You can

Which it is worth quantifying is only their opinion in an official setting and in reality they may or may not pull you and/or report you for going against any of that.

[Swin]

Just use a bit of discretion and try not to be spotted doing it seems to be the best bet

Originally Posted by yorkie_chris

I'm curious to know, if they said you were taking liberties with the SWLs, and you said "nah those vehicles were clearly stationary" as you would, would the CPS even be *rsed to take it to court?

Just depends on your definition of stationary. Whilst literally it means 'not moving' I infer from the Highway Code that it means stopped in a 'parked' or 'broken down' sense, rather than unable to proceed due to the road being full of other cars. I suspect the beak may take a dim view if he thinks the highway code is implying the first definition, but who knows?

Only way to make a more informed judgment is a court test case. Next person who gets caught, take it to court please

If there is not a substitute definition of the word stationary in the highway code book, i can only go by the official oxford English dictionary definition. 'not moving or not intended to be moved'

Originally Posted by beabert

i can only go by the official oxford English dictionary definition. 'not moving or not intended to be moved'

Well there is your answer then everybody, the court would use the dictionary definition as is nigh on impossible to dispute that.