Cross continuous white line to overtake cyclist

fletch

Posted this on the motors forum but might be more appropriate here

Is it okay to cross a continuous white line to overtake a cyclist? Can somebody point me to the relevant legislation in relation to this (in the Road Traffic Act)

Thanks

CramCycle

There is a legislation thread if you want to look for your answer (or ask for it there), but my only comment is that context is everything.

magicbastarder

assuming this line fron the 1964 act has not been superseded, you are not allowed cross the white line to overtake.

9. An authorised continuous white line along the centre of a roadway shall indicate that traffic must drive to the left of the line, and when on a stretch of roadway on which such a line has been provided a driver shall, save for the purpose of entering or leaving land or premises adjoining the right hand side of that roadway, drive to the left of the line.

https://www.irishstatutebook.ie/eli/1964/si/294/made/en/print#article9

however, this would also not allow you to pass a parked car if you'd need to swing over the line to do this.

CramCycle

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121587074#Comment_121587074

There should be no parked cars along the roadway where there is a continuous white line.

Padre_Pio

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121587074#Comment_121587074

Or avoid any other obstacle, like a traffic cone, pothole or large puddle.

I would say the official, legal answer to the OP's question is No, but if the law is never enforced then why does it exist?

patmahe

Personally as a cyclist I have no issue with a car overtaking me provided they can see its clear to do so and leave a sufficient gap between me and their car. Also the overtake is at their risk (same as overtaking a car) if you choose to move onto the 'wrong' side of the road, you and no-one else made that decision, if it goes wrong don't try to blame the person who is in their lane being overtaken.

CalamariFritti

My understanding always was that the continuous white line rule makes an exception with regards to passing/overtaking slow traffic like tractors. I would imagine slow traffic includes cyclists too.

But I cant back that up with a link to a section in ROTR. It's just something I remember from theory lessons.

Edit: I just checked ROTR and it's in Section 6 signs & road markings and I couldn't find any reference to exceptions. I was pretty confident about the slow traffic thing tbh. Maybe someone else can chime in. I am curious myself now.

Chips Lovell

There's an exception in the UK, not in Ireland. I think that creates confusion among some people.

Large bottle small glass

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058330269/cross-continuous-white-line-to-overtake-cyclist

You can't legally cross a white line except for access or emergency.

In saying that it can at times be perfectly safe to do so, especially slower moving vehicles(such as bikes tractors) where the overtaking time for an average vehicle will be much shorter than at higher speeds.

Followed to the letter of the law it can be nonsensical though.

That's the southern end of the R672 as an example, a busy road and one popular with cyclists(although there are infinitely more enjoyable options to east and west). There is a solid continuous white line for the full section shown above.

Should all vehicles wait behind a solo cyclist at 20-30km/h irrespective of oncoming traffic?

magicbastarder

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121587123#Comment_121587123

that is true, but the law should allow for situations which shouldn't arise.

CramCycle

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121587669#Comment_121587669

It does, took me awhile to find:

5. (1) These Regulations shall apply save where compliance is not possible as a result of an obstruction to traffic or pedestrians or because of an emergency situation confronting a road user which could not reasonably have been expected or anticipated.

https://www.irishstatutebook.ie/eli/1997/si/182/made/en/print#article25

This would be where some muppet parks where there is a white line but I could see a solicitor getting away with using this in regards overtaking slower moving traffic in court.

The driving test won't give you a fault provided it was safe to overtake if you ignore the continuous white line while overtaking slower moving traffic (Tractors, Cyclists or Pedestrians mainly)

MojoMaker

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058330269/cross-continuous-white-line-to-overtake-cyclist

Shouldn't the question rather be: is it ok to cross the white line to overtake something? Not sure cyclist as an insert here is relevant, except for the obvious reason on the motors forum.

Certainly shouldn't be shooting by a cyclist on a standard driving lane *inside the white line* that's for sure.

Padre_Pio

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121588369#Comment_121588369

Really? So you can overtake a tractor on a white line?

I don't think that's true. Tractors and cyclists are traffic, I don't think they're an obstruction to traffic.

Could I overtake a slow driver?

Cabaal

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121587198#Comment_121587198

I've seen motorists overtake a tractor in such a situation and then Gardai pulled them over, so that understanding doesn't fit with reality.

A continuous white line generally exists for a good reason, blind turns, dips in road etc which reduce visaibility which mean that an overtake is much more likely to result in a collision.

Captain Havoc

I am closing this as it more of a motors issue than a cycling one.