Centre-lining single carriageway

[japitts]

I'd like some second opinions on "centre-lining" of single-carriageway roads please... pros/cons/do/don't.

For example... on a quiet cambered road where the edges of the carriageway are lower than the centre line, and there is no-one else around.. I tend to drive down the middle of the road to avoid the camber and any accumulated rubbish in the "gutter" area. Very careful to avoid this with other vehicles being around though.

But how about using the same technique on, say, faster NSL A/B-roads? For example, straight open stretches of the A9 north of Inverness when there's no-one else around, I can't help but think it's probably safer to be in the middle of the carriagway and create some safety around you - no harm done on wider bursts, and helpful on "thinner" stretches.

I guess you have to be very careful when there's vehicles in your rear-view so as not to confuse them.. but then if they're distant and a fair way behind.. just be mindful. Equally as soon as you see someone approaching, revert to left.

Obviously this flies in the face of "don't hog the middle lane", but I'd just be interested in thoughts on here... constructive debate etc.

Thanks.

[7db]

You do need to bear in mind that if being in the middle allows you a greater safety margin (and therefore to comfortably travel at a higher speed), then anything which causes you to retire that position (whether for safety or for the expectations of others) must be matched by a reduction in speed.

[hir]

I guess you have to be very careful when there's vehicles in your rear-view so as not to confuse them.. but then if they're distant and a fair way behind.. just be mindful. Equally as soon as you see someone approaching, revert to left.

Obviously this flies in the face of "don't hog the middle lane", but I'd just be interested in thoughts on here... constructive debate etc.

Thanks.

If:
There are no other road users about, and
You are moving the car to a place of safety, and
It's legal.

Why bother to ask yourself the question? - just do it.

PS: The concept of "Hogging the middle lane" occurs only in the mind of another road user. Therefore if there is no other road user present you can't be "Hogging the middle lane".

[martine]

There are some local roads where I would regulary take up a central position (all things considered). Not so sure of the benefits on a faster A road though as by their nature they tend to be wider, better quality etc but if it works for you then fine!

[true blue]

When there's a functional reason (increasing vision, taking the best line through a curve in the road etc.) I've no qualms about using the middle/offside, though on straight sections of road I wouldn't automatically take the middle. I'll use enough to get me out of any crud at the edge but this seldom takes me more than a tyre's width over the line. It's not that there's a disadvantage to going out further, just perhaps no advantage.

When there are obviously entrances to the road (e.g. farm tracks), taking the middle line may give a better view or a whisker more space in case something pulls out unexpectedly, in which case I'd take it.

[waremark]

When there are obviously entrances to the road (e.g. farm tracks), taking the middle line may give a better view or a whisker more space in case something pulls out unexpectedly, in which case I'd take it.

Or where you cannot be sure that there are no entrances ....

[MGF]

Unless you are sure that nothing will emerge from either a concealed entrance or one in view the most important consideration must be your speed. The benefits of positioning centrally will not give much benefit in terms of a higher speed.

[7db]

I do think that depends on whether you consider the lateral separation from the kerb to be space that can be used up by the encroacher while you reach for the horn or whether it's about having a better angle at range into the side. Does rather depend on the geometry of the road.

Although put simply if you end up twice as far from the edge, presumably you have twice as long to react so can travel 41% faster...

As a general rule, I observe that I lose around 10-20mph on a country lane with poor lateral vision when I retire a central position.

[Ancient]

Years ago I (a motorcyclist at the time) was in the back of a car driven by a learner, wiith an instructor in the front passenger seat. The road had big hedges to the left and curved away to the right where the lack of hedges meant an open cross-view showing the road surface for a good mile. The hedges on the left had blind entrances belonging to some large houses.

There was clearly no oncoming traffic for the whole visible mile+.

I was asked what I thought of the learner's driving. I replied that I felt he should have positioned away from the blind entrances in order to see into them and have the option of taking avoiding action if necessary. The instructor's reply was that car drivers were not as concerned about such things as motorcyclists like me, because they had physical protection which would suffice to prevent injury at the speed he was passing the entrances.

He was correct that the speed was not excessive. However if for example, little Johnnie in his pedal car had decided to follow daddie's Merc out of the drive, the protection offered to the motor-vehicle's occupants would have been of little comfort. The ability to see any distance into a blind drive can be useful and it would have taken the hypothetical 'Johnnie' that much longer to get in front of the motor vehicle.

[drivingsteve]

Doesn't the DSA refer to your "normal" driving position being approximately 1m from the kerb, or in the centre of your lane where applicable?

In that case, driving down the middle of a road when there's no specific reason to do so doesn't sound right.

However vigilant we are, there's always the chance of something or someone approaching unexpectedly. It coudl cause confusion and potential panic of that person is greeted by you driving with half your vehicle on the wrong side of the road!

[TripleS]

Doesn't the DSA refer to your "normal" driving position being approximately 1m from the kerb, or in the centre of your lane where applicable?

In that case, driving down the middle of a road when there's no specific reason to do so doesn't sound right.

However vigilant we are, there's always the chance of something or someone approaching unexpectedly. It coudl cause confusion and potential panic of that person is greeted by you driving with half your vehicle on the wrong side of the road!

Oh, I think we can choose our positioning with a rather more flexible approach than that, Steve. I do agree it needs us to be diligent with our observation and anticipation, but so long as we are, making good use of the available road space is one of the facets of advanced driving, is it not?

BTW, welcome to ADUK.

[exportmanuk]

I am always concerned about drivers emerging from the right and turning left invariably they only ever look to see what is approaching from their left and don't consider looking right until they have pulled partway out of the junction into your path.

[TripleS]

I am always concerned about drivers emerging from the right and turning left invariably they only ever look to see what is approaching from their left and don't consider looking right until they have pulled partway out of the junction into your path.

?

[TripleS]

Heh, when I first saw this thread title, I thought it was going to be about road markings, i.e. the type of linework used.

Suggestion: single carriageway roads of normal width, i.e. wide enough to allow two vehicles to pass comfortably, should be marked with a centre-line comprising short bits of white line with largeish gaps. Forget about hazard lines, which good drivers don't need, and the rest will not know what they're about and therefore derive no benefit from them.

Also: scrap the double white line system, which all too often is not appropriate to the situation in terms of whether or not safe overtakes can be made.

Right, there you go; start issuing the flak.

[fungus]

I am always concerned about drivers emerging from the right and turning left invariably they only ever look to see what is approaching from their left and don't consider looking right until they have pulled partway out of the junction into your path.

Absolutely.

I will straight line a bend if safe and there are no other road users close to, but I make sure there are no gateways or junctions that could cause a problem. You must have sufficient view through and beyond the bend, and be sure that no one can enter that space whilst you are to the right of centre.