Solid white outer lines

[jal]

Hello guys,

I just wanted to ask, if someone would be so gentle to answer me, if the outer white solid line on roads is there just for the better visibility? Or is it there for any other reason? Wether it is used in a cities, if yes, is it used often or just in some special cases?

For better illustration, look at a pic.



Thank you very much.

edit: Its about US roads.

[b101uk]

mostly just visibility and demarcation between the carriageway and verge.

in the UK, they are normal ~225mm from the edge of the road with the line having a width of 150mm

4.35 The following are examples of situations where the edge of carriageway marking might be particularly appropriate:
(i) where the demarcation between the carriageway and the verge is poor,
(ii) along lengths prone to fog and mist,
(iii) on heavily-trafficked single carriageway roads where headlamp dazzle is severe,
(iv) at sudden changes of carriageway width,
(v) on the approaches to narrow bridges,
(vi) on the approaches to bends indicated by bend warning signs,
(vii) at the back of a hard shoulder for use during contra-flow working. A 100 mm wide marking is prescribed for this purpose, and is generally laid 50 mm from the back of the hard shoulder. It may remain when the contra-flow has been removed, or
(viii) at traffic calming measures e.g. chicanes.

- traffic-signs-manual

[SomKilla]

Pavement markings are used to convey messages to roadway users. They indicate which part of the road to use, provide information about conditions ahead, and indicate where passing is allowed. Yellow lines separate traffic flowing in opposite directions. Drivers should stay to the right of yellow lines. A solid yellow line indicates that passing is prohibited. A dashed yellow line indicates that passing is allowed. White lines separate lanes for which travel is in the same direction. A double white line indicates that lane changes are prohibited. A single white line indicates that lane changes are discouraged. A dashed white line indicates that lane changes are allowed.

this should help for the pavement markings in USA
http://mutcd.fhwa.dot.gov/services/publ ... waop02090/

[TruckSimChris]

I'm guessing this has to do with ATS, correct?

In cities, generally there is no white line on the side of the road near the sidewalk, as you can see here on this 4-lane road in Seattle. (This may not be true of all US cities, but this is what I see most often.)



However, if the city road has a bike lane, there is a white line dividing the main road from the bike lane.



I should also note that on most major highways and freeways in the US, the white line is only on the right side and a yellow line is on the left side (which means that you may not park on the left side of the road).

[Centrino2]

Guys, he is asking about one lane roads (one lane for same flowing and one for opposite flowing traffic), I think he marked the picture wrong.

But anyway, I have never really paid any attention to that. But in the one video I posted in the topic "dem tight roads", you do see the solid white outer line on the edge of the road (although in some areas is worn out), but in one particular part of the video, Allie comes up on a left turn and there is a church and bit of a parking area to the right and in front of her, this solid white outer line curves to the left alongside with the orange divider line away from the church's parking lot.
Here is a link to the beginning of that part of the video (be sure to have it on 720p or higher otherwise you may not clearly see it, and yes its another Allie video , now if only YouTube would respond! ): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S-NZGKH ... be&t=5m44s


So that was a tight road possibly nearby a city... now here is a road in Kansas way out in the country: https://youtu.be/SvPvEyb7IVs?t=7m9s
There is a newly paved road that did not have the solid white outer line but they probably just haven't painted the lines yet.

Now that I have thought about it, it seems to be more to show where the road really is so any other traffic that is not really on the road or coming to a complete emergency stop will have to stay on the right side of the solid white outer line so they won't block a bit of the road impeding traffic and risk getting their front end chopped off or getting a smashing rear end surprise.

And for traffic that is on the road to stay on the left of that solid white outer line so there can be a place to stop by the side of the road for vehicles that need to stop but don't want to stop in dirt and possibly get trapped.

Some of US one lane roads are quite wide, but some of the road is used for a place to stop if needed..... or for extremely wide vehicles.

Although I was expecting for there not to be any outer lines on one lane roads way out in the country.

erm..... might just be better to pay attention to Google maps.

As truckers say "Keep it in between the white lines"

Now here is one in Canyonland (might be Utah): https://youtu.be/4MhNlcQ4ue0?t=1m46s
I was hoping to find a video where she was in some desert lands.

Perhaps the image without the markings in the OP is in case the solid white outer line is not there or worn out... or crumbled away with the road.


Well, I hope that helps, let us know if you need to know anything else and we will try to help. ...... to the best of our knowledge.

[RiXeN]

I think Centrino nailed it right on the head. It doesn't really have huge significance, other than marking the lanes, mostly on places with soft shoulders, more than one lane (bike lanes), or narrow (or wider) roads.

[TruckSimChris]

jal also asked specifically for cities, so here's another Allie Knight video in Baltimore: https://youtu.be/fRcxCxTkDLM?t=2m35s

Like I mentioned in my previous post, "generally" you don't see white lines on the outside if the lane is right next to the sidewalk.

I think it's important to note the contrast between Europe and the US because, for example, in the UK city roads have double yellow lines on the outside:



We definitely don't have lines marked like that in the US, at least that I've seen.

[jal]

Thank you guys, it was pretty quick. I just wanted to make me sure about it and dont be afraid about our attention in research, but maybe as you know, we are from Europe and there are a bit different rules, so it was just for assurance.

[Axel Slingerland]

However, if the city road has a bike lane, there is a white line dividing the main road from the bike lane.

This is off topic, I know... But in my opinion, you gotta be loco en la cabeza (crazy in the head) to ride a bike in bike lanes in cities. I call them "suicide lanes" because you gotta have some serious suicidal tendencies to ride in them. I won't even ride in them in Eureka, which is about 2% bigger than a small town.

[gibanica]

in countries who have the continental climate, you have white lines in the middle, and a side it can be solid or broken (like mostly in poland).

In countries with polar (snowy) climate the yellow lines are in the middle. Like canada, alaska, norway (somewhere).
it is becouse of snow, so you can follow the middle of the road. white line can be bearly visible.