Historic road markings

[pdlethbridge]

and who could forget that famous Rt 66

[SteamGene]

One shingle goes a LONG way!
Gene

[SteamGene]

Sheldon,
I know about variances between states - after all, I am an army brat!     I agree about the single vs double lines - Bob's pictures show several examples of a double line in 1957- and I seem to remember them.  But there were also solid single lines. 
Gene

[Atlantic Central]

Gene,

Yes, I remember both single and double lines here in Maryland and I'm only 51, born in 1957.

Glad to see your layout is progressing, seems from your reports that problems have been minor.

Hope to get restarted on mine now that the control system is "developed".

Sheldon

[Yampa Bob]

In the UK, single and double yellow lines are used at the sides of carriageways to indicate parking times and waiting restrictions.

http://www.sefton.gov.uk/default.aspx?page=3178

In the U.S. single unbroken yellow separates each pair or sets of lanes in a 4 lane or multiple lane highway or street.  You may not cross a single continuous yellow line except where turns are permitted.

http://www.lowestpricetrafficschool.com/handbooks/driver/en/4/8

You have to read this. I hope to never see these people on the road when I'm driving.  Many drivers today either don't know or don't care about traffic regulations. Today some jerk crossed a double yellow to pass and was heading for us in our lane.  We had to pull to the shoulder to avoid a headon. To top it off, he gave us the bird as he went by.  Road rage is rampant.

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20081119142248AAs50Sa

BTW, how many know the current rule for maintaining intervals?  No, it's not one car length for every 10 mph as was previously taught. HINT. The rule works at any speed.

[Jim Banner]

Bob, it is interesting to note the differences in meanings of lines.  Here in Saskatchewan, you may not cross a double centerline, period.  If there is a break in the double centerline at an intersection, you may turn left.  If no break, you may not turn.  If you do cross it, even if it was safe, you risk getting a ticket for a moving violation, same as for speeding, running a red light, etc.  I guess if I were driving in Florida, I would be going a long way looking for a place to make a left turn!

I suppose the rule of which you speak is the 2 second rule?  Sometimes called the 3 second rule?  Or even the 4 second rule?

[Conrail Quality]

In drivers-ed, they told us the rule was 3-5 seconds behind they vehicle you are following, more if driving conditions are not optimal (dark, raining, etc).

Timothy

[Yampa Bob]

I attended a defensive driving course by the CHP several years ago, and we were advised the 2 second rule for daytime good weather, increase to 3 -4 seconds or more for nighttime or poor visibility.  I have seen many drivers cited for following too close. "Tailgating" carries a stiff fine out here, equal to speeding.

In rural areas, double yellow means no passing, you may turn at a road intersection if safe to do so. (my driveway for instance) Within city limits, turns other than those at traffic lights are discouraged or prohibited except on one way streets.

Some are intimidated driving in large cities, I love it.  You just turn the radio off, follow the lines, arrows and signs and go like a bat. 

[Atlantic Central]

Jim,

That is very interesting. Do they break the line for every driveway and parking lot entrance? If they did that here in suburbia the double yellow line would be dashed or maybe even non existant.

This just goes to show, even today, standards for these types of things very quite a bit from place to place.

We have lots of continuous center left turn lanes and lots of roundabouts and 4 way stops now, all of that is new in the last 15 years or so. You would have not seen any of that around here in the 50's.

We used to have both angled and parallel parking street side in urban areas. Angle parking is gone now, except in a few private "main street" like shopping areas.

Our expressways have always had both left and right hand exits, and, to go along with that Maryland has no "keep right unless passing" or "slower traffic keep right" laws unless it is posted on multi lane highways.

Sheldon

[Jim Banner]

Double centerlines in Saskatchewan, which are used only on 4 lane undivided highways and in places where passing would be dangerous on 2 lane highways and urban roads, do not have breaks for driveways etc.  The "correct" procedure is to continue on to where there is a break, turn off the highway, make a U-turn, then drive back to the driveway or whatever.  In practice, the "if I can't see a cop then a cop can't see me" rule applies.  This works well in practice if the double centerline is on a flat highway where you can see for miles each way but not so good when the double centerline is on a blind curve.

In urban areas, not many streets have double centerlines.  Many streets have no lines at all.  And all the streets have no lines for the half of the year when they are covered with snow.  Then you go by the ruts in the snow as a guide to where to drive, even though the ruts often differ radically from the lines hidden below.  Driving becomes really interesting in spring when the snow is melting, exposing the lines but still showing the ruts.

[Yampa Bob]

I think markings have become more standardized in the U.S. I don't really think about it while driving, it just seems natural to follow the markings and signs.

The main thing is to stay with the flow of traffic. Driving too slow can create a hazard in high volume areas.  We have minimum speed limits here, posted where in effect. 

BTW, we all know that on a standard traffic light red means stop, but what does yellow and green mean?  
 
Yellow (not flashing)
A.  Stop
B.  Proceed with caution
C.  You don't have the right of way
D.  None of the above

Green
A.  Go
B.  Proceed with caution
C.  You have the right of way
D.  None of the above

[pdlethbridge]

And last but not least....