Look at the stars, look how they shine for you

[venta]

I have long since ceased being surprised by the number of drivers who don't appear to know how yellow boxes work, ie you mustn't stop in them. However, of late I have been surprised by the number of people whom I'd regard as good drivers who don't appear to know how yellow boxes work, ie you may stop in them if you're turning right and are only blocked by oncoming traffic.

In fact, I've been so surprised that I've gone so far as to actually check I'm right, rather than just mouthing off at random.

Paragraph 174 of the Highway Code states:

Box junctions. These have criss-cross yellow lines painted on the road (see 'Road markings'). You MUST NOT enter the box until your exit road or lane is clear. However, you may enter the box and wait when you want to turn right, and are only stopped from doing so by oncoming traffic, or by other vehicles waiting to turn right. At signalled roundabouts you MUST NOT enter the box unless you can cross over it completely without stopping.

So... now I want to know. How many people know this ?

[Poll #1248362]

Comments

[feanelwa.livejournal.com]

On the rare occasions when I have been on a box junction, I have never had occasion to stop because there is almost always space for a bicycle to go down the side of the cars at the other side of the box. The only time I can think I would have to stop is if there is a giant lorry in the way, when I would stop before the box with the cars that are also doing so, or if somebody does something stupid and I have to stop otherwise they will accidentally kill me, which I think anybody in any vehicle would agree with.

[j4.livejournal.com]

But if your exit is clear, then you are allowed to go into the box junction, according to the rules as stated in the Highway Code. You don't have to invoke some kind of special I'm-a-cyclist-so-the-law-doesn't-matter privileges for that.

I'm assuming that by "down the side of the cars" you mean "in the cycle lane or equivalent" rather than "scooting down a 6-inch gap with one foot on the pavement trying to see how many wing mirrors you can remove".

[feanelwa.livejournal.com]

Yes, it's just basic Highway Code, just transmuted by my smallness into "unless the exit is blocked" instead of "if the exit is clear".

When there is a cycle lane down Mill Road, I will cycle down it until I find the first delivery van parked in it. Until then, it's gap all the way, though I tend not to take wing mirrors off since it would make the drivers who already drive along with one wheel in the gutter even more oblivious to my existence at junctions.