Trailer Rules?

[EnglishLes]

Originally Posted by John Kennett

There could be some 4 lane dual carriageways for all I know, but I can't think of any off hand.

The River Thames Dartford crossing (QEII bridge/tunnel) has 4 lanes approaching the toll booths and 13 (maybe 14) booth lanes, so I suggest that there are dual carriageways with 4 (and more) lanes!

[SW Boat Transport]

Originally Posted by John Kennett

That says " Towed outfits are not permitted in the outside lane of a three or more lane motorway unless other lanes are closed."

Why do you think it applies to dual carriageways?

Right at the top it says "You might know that it's illegal to tow in the outside lane of a motorway or dual carriageway with 3 or more lanes"

[mister p]

It's actually the "inside lane".

[John Kennett]

Originally Posted by SW RIB Charter

Right at the top it says "You might know that it's illegal to tow in the outside lane of a motorway or dual carriageway with 3 or more lanes"

Ah, missed that bit. I wonder if it's actually correct? It doesn't give any reference, and I'm not sure that a caravan owners' club is necessarily the most authoritative source.

[John Kennett]

Originally Posted by mister p

It's actually the "inside lane".

No, the inside (or nearside) lane is the left hand lane, nearest the side of the road. Don't know why, it just is.

[CJL]

What this entire thread nicely demonstrates is the whole thing is a total and utter mess!!

There must be a much easier and simpler way of applied rules that achieve the outcome of safe towing FFS!!

Chris

[mister p]

Well I disagree. It is a piece of nomenclature that is grossly misused. The same as people saying "tender hooks" instead of "tenter hooks" and "glitters" instead of "glisters", when it comes to "All that glisters is not gold".
Even the DfT can get it wrong. On a dual carriageway, the overtaking lanes are the inside lanes.

[Smithyyy]

I did just come across this
http://www.direct.gov.uk/prod_consum.../dg_185825.pdf
as a overnment document. Page 11 describes the "outside lane" restriction for motorways, no mention of other 3+ lane roads

[Smithyyy]

But I agree with Chris. It's daft that it's so hard to work out what these rules are

[IanH]

Originally Posted by John Kennett

No, the inside (or nearside) lane is the left hand lane, nearest the side of the road. Don't know why, it just is.

Everything is relative to standing on the pavement/kerb and terminology predates dual carriageways. So inside/nearside is nearest the pavement/kerb ie left lane or passenger side of car. Outside/offside is lane furthest from pavement/kerb or drivers side of car.

[John Kennett]

Originally Posted by mister p

It is a piece of nomenclature that is grossly misused.

Well, you appear to be right about that bit

On a dual carriageway, the overtaking lanes are the inside lanes.

But wrong about this one. Or maybe you are right, and everyone else is wrong (if you Google it you'll find that the dictionary definitions don't agree with you though)

Or maybe you prefer to overtake on the inside. That's generally frowned upon though

How about a boating analogy? Think of it like a river - in near the bank, or out in the middle.

[Silverfox]

I agree. Outside for overtaking, inside for drifting along Sunday drivers ;0)

Also, the only sure fire way to determine if you are on a motorway or A road )which could be multi laned or single carriageway) is that the motorway will have blue signs, and that means you can't go in the outside lane to overtake with a trailer.

This applies even when the motorway becomes two lanes, such as a slip road from one motorway to another.

[ShinyShoe]

Originally Posted by Silverfox

Also, the only sure fire way to determine if you are on a motorway or A road )which could be multi laned or single carriageway) is that the motorway will have blue signs, and that means you can't go in the outside lane to overtake with a trailer.

This applies even when the motorway becomes two lanes, such as a slip road from one motorway to another.

B****KS - it only applies if there are three or more lanes. A trailer can use either of the two lanes.

In answer to the 4 lane dual - I think bits of the A1(M) around Newcastle (just to confuse thats a A road not an M road) now have 4 lanes where the left most lane is a merging sliproad and exit road and then there were two lanes, I think they've added a third lane. Must pay more attention when driving it...

[John Kennett]

A1(M) is motorway though, not just a dual carriageway. Blue road signs and everything...

[Silverfox]

Originally Posted by ShinyShoe

B****KS - it only applies if there are three or more lanes. A trailer can use either of the two lanes.

In answer to the 4 lane dual - I think bits of the A1(M) around Newcastle (just to confuse thats a A road not an M road) now have 4 lanes where the left most lane is a merging sliproad and exit road and then there were two lanes, I think they've added a third lane. Must pay more attention when driving it...

You might be right shinyshoe, but I'll stick to my rule if that's ok, and avoid a discussion with the boys in blue as to who is right or not.

[j.i.wilson]

Highway Code says the overtaking rule only applies to Motorways in the rightmost lane on carriageways with 3 or more lanes.

So, it only applies to one lane, the right one, where there are 3 or more, on a motorway. Motorways have blue signage.

IW

[ShinyShoe]

Originally Posted by John Kennett

A1(M) is motorway though, not just a dual carriageway. Blue road signs and everything...

This is where it helps if I ever read the road signs! The bit I was thinking of is green signs so no longer A1(M) but back to A1. (No hardshoulder).

However, that introduces an intersting dilema - the A1(M) northbound divides into the A194(M) off towards the Tyne Tunnel and the A1 round newcastle. To go on the A194(M) you leave the motorway from the outside (offside, right most) lane! Its a 3 laner at that point. Does that mean you can never legally take that exit with a trailer??!! or at least to be legal you should wait to the very last minute when the slip road lane splits to two lanes...

Link to streetview picture for info
(complete with the obligatory cones that never seem to go away!)
showmystreet.com - fast &easy street viewing

[lukewhiting]

This is confusing!

[EnglishLes]

My understanding is that you need to look at the white lines. In the link given the OS lane has closer dashes (indicating a more dangerous piece of road) this is then treated as a separate piece of road from the other two lanes so rather than being a 3 lane motorway it is a 2 lane and a 1 lane that then splits into two different roads.

There are similar bits of road all over the place: M3 J1 to J2 (M25 Junction) 2 left lanes for M25 & one right lane for M3, M25 from A3113 to M4 2 left lanes for M4 & 3 right lanes for M25, both of these are 15 minutes from me.

[j.i.wilson]

Pedantism is alive and well!