More about the road

[artme]

How many of you have given thought to the line marking on roads?
When i was a boy all line marings in NSW were bright, and very visible yellow. Victoria had white lines. Can't say for other states.
Now we have white lines everywhere. WHY???:((:((:((
White on black is nowhere near as visible as yellow on black, and this is scientifically verifiable.
Drive in the rain , paticularly at night, and white markings, especially those that are worn, vanish.This does not happen with yellow lines.
Iwonder how many cases of vehicles being involved in accidents as a result of crossing to the wrong side of the road are the result of not being able to see line markings.

I think it's time we badgered all hell out of our politicians until things are changed.

[Wood Borer]

I know what you mean on a wet road particularly where Dodgy Bros. road contracters paint new lines and don't properly remove the old ones.

I have mainly seen this at big intersections that have been modified to have 2 turning lanes but in the rain you can equally see a straight ahead and a turning arrow.

I always thought the NSW yellow lines were so you knew what state you were in just in case you missed the creek.:p

[zathras]

My only experience with yellow lines was in Tasmania in a thick fog.

Priceless.

[Dingo Dog]

Is it an "Australian Standard" thing why the lines are painted that colour, know one thing, them big fat white zebra crossing's that light up at night when your light's hit them are damn dangerous in the wet for a m/cycle rider.

D D

[AlexS]

...them big fat white zebra crossing's that light up at night when your light's hit them are damn dangerous in the wet for a m/cycle rider.

D D
SWMBO was stopped at the lights in the rain. When she took off, her rear wheel spun as soon as it went onto the Xing, went out from under her and she landed on her bum.
As she was on a Honda 70 at the time, she wasn't exactly powering away.

[echnidna]

I think line colours changed due to the Aussie standards being pinched from NZ standards

[Rossluck]

While I'll have to admit that the lines on the road are not something I contemplate at length, I'm under the impression that the colour is relatively irrelevant be relative:?]. Isn't the paint that makes up these lines filled with billions of small glass beads that reflect light irrespective of colour?

[petersemple]

As a queenslander who has driven through NSW a few times I thought the line marking were better there - especially on the highways. I especially liked that there were red reflectors on one side, white on the other, and orange between lanes. Made it very easy to see the lanes at night. Here we only get the red and white ones - with no orange for the lane borders.

Peter

[Gingermick]

yet another example of the redundancy of states. Life would be so much simpler for interstate drivers and rail transport and healthcare and law-n-order and the rest if everything was standardised across the country.

[artme]

Agree about the slip;ery zebras.

As I understand it the Australian Standard came about when discussion were being held many moons ago about a "Uniform Traffic Code" Apparently That stubborn old bugger of a Henry Bolte refused to budge on issues unless white markings were adopted.

Colour is relavent. Yellow is scientifically proven to be easier to see on black than white is. The whit and the glass beads simply dissipate the light. About time science and not beauracrats and stupidity had a say.

[Gingermick]

Yellow is scientifically proven to be easier to see on black than white is.

where-abouts?


The white and the glass beads simply dissipate the light.

Reflect, which is the only thing that non light producing sources can do. I dont have time nor library to look up the relevant NSW standard, but will look in the work library.

[dazzler]

Is it an "Australian Standard" thing why the lines are painted that colour, know one thing, them big fat white zebra crossing's that light up at night when your light's hit them are damn dangerous in the wet for a m/cycle rider.

D D

And very very funny....like tram tracks....:p

[artme]

G'day Gingermick. My assertions on the visability of yellow are based on reading I did many years ago
Perhaps I was clumsy in my explanation about the "disipation" of light.
One reason that the old fog lights were yellow was that they were more easily seen in the fog. They were never meant to make your vision better but to provide a visible warning to approaching traffic that you were there. Ordinary white lights were, and are, not up to the mark in this regard.
I made the point in my 1st post on this subject that white lines are very hard to see in the rain. Sometimes they are impossible to see. This is because the minute droplets of water created when the rain hits the road act like fog and tha white light is reflected and diffused in such a way as to become almost invisible.
I have travelled thousands of Ks onthe roads of the USA and Brazil where line markins are yelow. From experiences of driving in both places in the rain I can tell you I would rather have yellow lines any day.

A s an interestin point I note that around Bribane there are yellow markings at level crossings. Why? From my enquiries "they are easier to see, especially at a distance or in the rain" Go figure.

[Rossluck]

I'm with Gingermick on this; I want more proof that yellow is easier to see than white. Light is light, and surely the brightness of relected white light has to be stronger than reflected colour because it's made up of more frequencies). Isn't this brightness the most important thing when it comes to visibility?

This post is in the interests of enquiry, I'm not pretending to offer answers. :?

[Sturdee]

The argument seems to be based on the fact that we are all to see colours and doesn't take into account those who are colour blind.

I have a friend who is colour blind and he could NOT see yellow line markings in the dark when they were in use in NSW. Hence he moved down to Victoria to live.

Maybe Henry Bolte when he refused to budge in this issue many years ago knew this and was not that obtuse.:D


Peter.

[Rossluck]

The argument seems to be based on the fact that we are all to see colours and doesn't take into account those who are colour blind.

I have a friend who is colour blind and he could NOT see yellow line markings in the dark when they were in use in NSW. Hence he moved down to Victoria to live.

Peter.


I dunno Peter. There seems to some mythology creeping into this. When it comes to visibility, I think it best to think in terms of contrast and not colours. I'm sure that white contrasts best with black, and yellow contrasts best with diffused light in daytime (ie., as gear that motorcyclists should wear). Your colour blind friend illustrates this point beautifully, because he sees yellow as a shade of grey. White (as we know it) is also a shade of grey, just lighter. So, the lighter the better the constrast with black.

[artme]

Sorry all. Didn't mean to strike a discordant note.

Wasn't trying to take the Mickey either.:D:D:D

[Rossluck]

Sorry all. Didn't mean to strike a discordant note.

Wasn't trying to take the Mickey either.:D:D:D


Not at all. I think it's just interesting. I haven't thought about it before. I wasa hoping someone "in the know" would illuminate (:wink:) us.

[GekoMan]

In NZ yellow lines mean no overtaking. A yellow line on your side of the road means you can not cross it. A yellow line on the other side means oncoming traffic can not overtake. Double yellow lines mean no one can cross the centre [unless turning]. White lines are then used for everything else - like road edge etc. My father is colour blind but he never has a problem with this system.

Also reflectors on different sides of road are different colours which makes it clear which way the road bends.

It is much clearer and safer than the system in Queensland.