Roadway Markings

[Bob_Roller]

Kinda curious about some roadway pavement markings, I wonder if they are international, US, or just a local thing .

A few years ago I noticed that some pavement markings that I didn't recognize, first one was lanes on urban expressways lanes that were exit only, had short block type markings (maybe at best one foot long and twice as wide as lane divider markings)  everything to the right of that was an exit only lane .

Second was a no lane changing zone, instead of the usual long white dashed stripes marking the lanes of traffic, there is  a solid line about twice a wide as the usual lane markings .  

[Lucky_Lou]

In the UK the line markings can mean many things and its amazing how many motorists dont realize or ignore them. At the Junction at the bottom of our road the "main" road has long white center lines with a short gap, the highway code tells us this is a no parking zone as you will obscure the junction most folk ignore this and park up for a visit to the pub or chippy regardless.
 My favourite is the "zig zag" white lines 20 yards either side of a pedestrian crossing its an automatic 3 points on your licence and a hefty fine for parking there but largely ignored due to lack of enforcement.
Lou
Images courtesy of Google...
Oh and "Box" Junctions.... dont get me started with the muppets who block those

[Barry]

The most widely misunderstood or just plain ignored road markings in the UK are the motorway lane markings where the long white lines with short spaces adjacent to motorway slip roads mean no lane changing until some distance after new traffic has joined the motorway. The vast majority of road user are so oblivious of this requirement that if you do observe them it often results in someone thinking that you are hogging the middle lane and so they overtake on the inside creating a hazard when the lines are supposed to mitigate against one.

[balibeemer]

WE EVEN HAVE ROAD MARKINGS IN BALI!!
But no one knows what they are for and I think the government puts them there to get rid of the surplus white paint that the army used for snow camouflage.

[nhmaf]

The road markings that I ABSOLUTELY HATE, but which are growing in number/scope of usage here in the US are those thick applique' type of vinyl material lines, arrows, and stop line marks at multilane intersections.
Once those friggen things get wet, they are almost frictionless.   If you stop your front wheel drive car on the stop line in the rain or light frost and try to take off again, your tires will spin for several seconds before you start to move.   Trying to stop on those goddam thing on a bike can be a real disaster - as if we didn't have enough to worry about at busy, multilane intersections!

The municipalies like them because they are VERY reflective and show up well in the dark, rain, etc.   and usually last longer than paint (unless they get scraped off by the snowplows during the winter months, which I always hope for...)

[MrRiden]

Never saw those short stripe road markings on the East Coast Bob and to tell you the truth it took me a couple of years to realize what they were telling me. I do like the new big lane markings advising you what lane to be in for a particular highway exit. The thing that gets me is you can't always tell if the exit coming up is one, two or more lanes and the signage here is awful. I do hate the traffic lights at the bottom of what to me are the acceleration ramps leading on to highways. I continue to blow through every one I encounter.

[montmil]

...I continue to blow through every one I encounter.

[size=16]+[/size] [smiley=thumbup.gif] You rock, Mac. Better than being run over from behind.

Monte

[Julio A.]

Where I come from, the road markings are more of a suggestion than a rule.

[Lucky_Lou]

Any one ever Riden/Driven in Turkey......mental and i thought the Peripherique was bad until i experianced that white knuckle drive
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boulevard_P%C3%A9riph%C3%A9rique
Where traffic on the main road has to give way to traffic joining ??
only the French could come up with that one.
Lou

[Vegasrandall]

I lived in italy for two years and I found that contrary to popular belief,they can drive. They won't stop at stop signs,red lights and will drive on sidewalks,curbs or the sides of buildings while honking the horn and yelling quaint italian curses.but,they are good drivers,it's harder to get a drivers license there. Than it is to get a pilot's license here.
Once you get used to the rules there you find they are very tolerant of bikers and actually drive well.

[Bob_Roller]

So I guess it's safe to say that these markings are a local occurrence .