White arrows on the road

[akirk]

Can someone remind me of the legal significance of white arrows on the road?
All I can find in the Highway Code is:

White direction arrows on the road indicate that you need to get back onto your side of the road.

from: https://www.gov.uk/general-rules-all-dr ... 127-to-132
And the linked PDF with pictures doesn't show them...

I had always seen them as a compulsory sign meaning that you are approaching a solid white line you can't cross, so you need to be on your side of the road before the white line...

however, I have increasingly noticed them approaching hazard spacing lines (dashed on both sides spacing the traffic apart - e.g. for someone to have space when waiting to turn...) e.g. here near me: https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@51.68613 ... !1e1?hl=en

as it is legal to overtake on those lines (though caution / warning / etc.) how do the two tie together - presumably the white arrows are advisory and not compulsory as there is no point between that position and the roundabout ahead (past the left junction) where the central lines are solid...

I am assuming that I am just confused!

Alasdair

[Strangely Brown]

The "throw-ins" or "return arrows" (or whatever the official name happens to be) in your example do actually precede a double white line system, albeit not until a bit further up the road. It is possible that they have been placed in the latest position prior to the double whites that they would not be obscured or placed on top of the other markings around the junction.

The TSRGD entry for them in on page 175 here: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/307152/draft-tsrgd-schedules.pdf

[Strangely Brown]

On a similar note: the arrows here: https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@50.8280032,-0.1977694,3a,75y,299.78h,92.57t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sSXC9S1uy02lUGsTG8W_J8w!2e0!7i13312!8i6656 are used to indicate that the right lane "disappears".

Local knowledge: in this case they are actually wrong and it is the left lane that actually disappears. The arrows used to be the other way round to reflect reality but the local council, intelligent creatures that they are, saw fit to reverse them. Now they serve no purpose but to confuse non-locals. Everyone else ignores them and moves left to right to avoid the parked cars.

[akirk]

I have also seen them in many places where there are no solid white lines for a long time -only the spacing markings... (e.g. A69 between Newcastle and Carlisle)

interesting link / reference - they apply to a number of markings, and indicate the side the driver should go (is should compulsory or not?!) w.g. table 42 on page 183 - item 23 shows the hashed spacing markings as:

Part of the carriageway which vehicular traffic should not enter unless it is seen by the driver to be safe to do so

so, confirmation that you should go to the left of such markings / but the markings state that you can enter if safe...

interesting, presumably means that the arrows aren't themselves a compulsory sign, just an indication / warning of something coming up, which itself may be compulsory - and presumably you will always be able to see what is coming up, so know how to then treat the arrows...

Alasdair

[martine]

My understanding is the arrows are advisory. Of course the hatched hazard area bounded by broken lines is also advisory - you can enter it 'if necessary'.

[Horse]

I know them as 'throwback' arrows, perhaps a genetic issue?

My lad likened them to an auctioneer: "Going once, going twice, fair warned . . . gone!"