Yellow vs White central divided lane

[NJ]

What countries uses Yellow vs White central divided lane (opposite traffic direction)?

USA, Canada, Mexico, Brazil all uses yellow, as does Norway (I believe the only European country?)

[SignGeek101]

I've been to Japan (uses white) and Indonesia, which now uses white. Yellow was used only to separate traffic on freeways, but was phased out a few years back, and white is used everywhere now. Yellow can still be found though. For two lane roads I believe white was always used. More info:

http://www.city-data.com/forum/world/1148170-yellow-vs-white-center-divided-line.html

[SignGeek101]

Equador also does.

https://goo.gl/maps/BMyARLtn34w

[realjd]

The history on this is that a white broken line was used as the center line. When no passing zones were invented, they were marked as a barrier line on one side or the other of the broken white line. In many states, the no passing lines were yellow. The equivalent of a modern double yellow line would be a white broken line with a solid yellow line on either side.

In most countries, the broken center line went away and they just mark a double solid line for no passing, and most countries standardized on white or yellow for the center line. A few countries like New Zealand still use white for broken center lines and yellow for solid center lines, resulting in cases where one side has a solid yellow and one side has a broken white line.

[Jet380]

Australia uses white for all lines, with the exception of yellow for bus lanes. An American tourist got into a fatal crash a while back because he thought he was on a dual carriageway when he wasn't.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-08-07/us-tourist-jerome-rubin-jailed-after-crash-killed-wife-toddler/6681618

[Brandon]

Australia uses white for all lines, with the exception of yellow for bus lanes. An American tourist got into a fatal crash a while back because he thought he was on a dual carriageway when he wasn't.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-08-07/us-tourist-jerome-rubin-jailed-after-crash-killed-wife-toddler/6681618

This is exactly why North America has gone to yellow center lines.  I've seen photos of European and Australian roads, and without proper signage, how the hell can you tell which side is which?  IMHO, it's substandard.

[NJ]

Australia uses white for all lines, with the exception of yellow for bus lanes. An American tourist got into a fatal crash a while back because he thought he was on a dual carriageway when he wasn't.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-08-07/us-tourist-jerome-rubin-jailed-after-crash-killed-wife-toddler/6681618

Crazy... Wish it was yellow worldwide or at least double white

[vdeane]

Ditto.  I have no clue how people in other parts of the world manage with all the lines being white, and that situation in Australia is just plain dangerous.  They should be forced to use something else for the bus lane (perhaps a UN resolution standardizing pavement markings?).

[NJ]

Ditto.  I have no clue how people in other parts of the world manage with all the lines being white, and that situation in Australia is just plain dangerous.  They should be forced to use something else for the bus lane (perhaps a UN resolution standardizing pavement markings?).

They know by seeing this.... as well as knowing by the opposite traffic signs, but obviously yellow making it easier to distinguish.

[Pink Jazz]

Ditto.  I have no clue how people in other parts of the world manage with all the lines being white, and that situation in Australia is just plain dangerous.  They should be forced to use something else for the bus lane (perhaps a UN resolution standardizing pavement markings?).

They know by seeing this.... as well as knowing by the opposite traffic signs, but obviously yellow making it easier to distinguish.

Actually, this is Australia's two way traffic sign:


Australia's road signs are heavily inspired by the American MUTCD.

[Kacie Jane]

Australia uses white for all lines, with the exception of yellow for bus lanes. An American tourist got into a fatal crash a while back because he thought he was on a dual carriageway when he wasn't.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-08-07/us-tourist-jerome-rubin-jailed-after-crash-killed-wife-toddler/6681618

Crazy... Wish it was yellow worldwide or at least double white

But it is double white.  That article doesn't have a photo, but if you click either of the "related story" links, it shows a photo of the accident site, with one solid and one broken line.

And regardless, if you're going to drive, it's your responsibility to know the rules of the road where you are.

[Jet380]

But it is double white.

Not always! Australia's MUTCD now allows single solid lines to separate traffic going in opposite directions, having a less restrictive meaning than double lines. And the broken lines are always single of course.

Take this bridge for example: the middle lane is for cars going towards the camera. All the lanes are separated by single lines to allow for reconfiguration as needed.

https://goo.gl/AbjzBw

Sometimes you can tell which lanes are which from the cat's eye markers, which are colour-coded the same as lane lines in America.

[jakeroot]

This is exactly why North America has gone to yellow center lines.  I've seen photos of European and Australian roads, and without proper signage, how the hell can you tell which side is which?  IMHO, it's substandard.

This used to be my opinion as well, but when you actually drive in Europe, it's a lot more obvious. First, they tend to use arrows on the pavement a lot more than we do. Most of the US only uses arrows if said lane is leaving the roadway (thusly showing a left or right arrow), with the thru-lane blank. Most of Europe uses arrows in each lane, which drastically reduces confusion at junctions. Second, the markings themselves, though white, tend to be slightly different. Some countries use longer dashed lines, others use thicker lines, still some others use two normal white lines with hash marks (i.e. a flush median). Wider roads tend to have flush medians in place of extra-wide lanes. The flush medians clearly indicate the central divider in these cases: https://goo.gl/t7ZwTN

If you want to get into the "substandard" argument, yellow lines have poorer reflectivity than their white counterparts, which results in poorer night-time visibility. This creates a potential safety hazard that wouldn't necessarily exist with all-white lines.

[realjd]

Ditto.  I have no clue how people in other parts of the world manage with all the lines being white, and that situation in Australia is just plain dangerous.  They should be forced to use something else for the bus lane (perhaps a UN resolution standardizing pavement markings?).

We're in the minority with our yellow markings. All white seems to work well elsewhere. As for Australia, they have a lower road fatality rate than the US both measuring per capita and per km traveled.

[Jet380]

As for Australia, they have a lower road fatality rate than the US both measuring per capita and per km traveled.

You can thank our rigid speed and red light camera enforcement for that 

[NJ]

Ditto.  I have no clue how people in other parts of the world manage with all the lines being white, and that situation in Australia is just plain dangerous.  They should be forced to use something else for the bus lane (perhaps a UN resolution standardizing pavement markings?).

We're in the minority with our yellow markings. All white seems to work well elsewhere. As for Australia, they have a lower road fatality rate than the US both measuring per capita and per km traveled.

Yellow is common in North and South America, few countries in Asia and in Norway. Still many countries though but majority of the world uses all white.
White would have worked fine if opposite traffic was painted with double or solid white lane, not dashed just like two-way road.

[realjd]

Ditto.  I have no clue how people in other parts of the world manage with all the lines being white, and that situation in Australia is just plain dangerous.  They should be forced to use something else for the bus lane (perhaps a UN resolution standardizing pavement markings?).

We're in the minority with our yellow markings. All white seems to work well elsewhere. As for Australia, they have a lower road fatality rate than the US both measuring per capita and per km traveled.

Yellow is common in North and South America, few countries in Asia and in Norway. Still many countries though but majority of the world uses all white.
White would have worked fine if opposite traffic was painted with double or solid white lane, not dashed just like two-way road.

The dash length is usually different for center lines vs lane dividers. Commonly, lane dividers are short lines spaced far apart, with center lines being longer with shorter gaps. It's rare everywhere though to find a multi-lane road with a dashed center line. Usually if there are multiple lanes on each side, there is a double line or median in the middle.

[on_wisconsin]

I believe Thailand, Cambodia, and some parts of Laos also use yellow lines.

[jakeroot]

Ditto.  I have no clue how people in other parts of the world manage with all the lines being white, and that situation in Australia is just plain dangerous.  They should be forced to use something else for the bus lane (perhaps a UN resolution standardizing pavement markings?).

We're in the minority with our yellow markings. All white seems to work well elsewhere. As for Australia, they have a lower road fatality rate than the US both measuring per capita and per km traveled.

Yellow is common in North and South America, few countries in Asia and in Norway. Still many countries though but majority of the world uses all white.
White would have worked fine if opposite traffic was painted with double or solid white lane, not dashed just like two-way road.

The dash length is usually different for center lines vs lane dividers. Commonly, lane dividers are short lines spaced far apart, with center lines being longer with shorter gaps. It's rare everywhere though to find a multi-lane road with a dashed center line. Usually if there are multiple lanes on each side, there is a double line or median in the middle.

Within the UK's urban areas, AFAIK, double-solid white lines are pretty unusual. Most four lane roads have hard central dividers, but some use dashed lines. There does not appear to be a limit on the number of lanes when a dashed central line is used.

[Brandon]

Within the UK's urban areas, AFAIK, double-solid white lines are pretty unusual. Most four lane roads have hard central dividers, but some use dashed lines. There does not appear to be a limit on the number of lanes when a dashed central line is used.

At a quick glance, and if it had no vehicles, I'd have thought that street was one-way.

[jakeroot]

Within the UK's urban areas, AFAIK, double-solid white lines are pretty unusual. Most four lane roads have hard central dividers, but some use dashed lines. There does not appear to be a limit on the number of lanes when a dashed central line is used.

At a quick glance, and if it had no vehicles, I'd have thought that street was one-way.

The central line is clearly different from the others.

[Brandon]

Within the UK's urban areas, AFAIK, double-solid white lines are pretty unusual. Most four lane roads have hard central dividers, but some use dashed lines. There does not appear to be a limit on the number of lanes when a dashed central line is used.

At a quick glance, and if it had no vehicles, I'd have thought that street was one-way.

The central line is clearly different from the others.

Not so much that it provides a clear difference.  I've seen sloppy striping in the US on one-way streets done like that.  Typically when some morons forget to remove the construction dashes.

[realjd]

Within the UK's urban areas, AFAIK, double-solid white lines are pretty unusual. Most four lane roads have hard central dividers, but some use dashed lines. There does not appear to be a limit on the number of lanes when a dashed central line is used.

At a quick glance, and if it had no vehicles, I'd have thought that street was one-way.

Because you're not used to looking for those visual cues. After driving in the UK for a bit you'd be more used to it. And if you were new to driving over there, you'd be doing more than giving it a quick glance.

In all of these cases, when in doubt, stay left and you'll be fine. As long as you're not going backwards on a one way road (which are very well marked), the left-most lane is always yours.

[briantroutman]

Using white for both the centerline and lane lines makes about as much sense as using red for both brake lights and turn signals.

Americans got centerlines right (yellow), and Europeans got turn signals right (amber).

[jakeroot]

Using white for both the centerline and lane lines makes about as much sense as using red for both brake lights and turn signals.

In both situations, they work because the group using them understands how they work. Instead of relying on color alone to delineate lane lines, Europe uses a system of white lines with varying length and width. The drivers there understand how they work, and yellow is simply an additional cautionary measure that most European countries have deemed unnecessary (the vast majority of Europe has much lower traffic fatality numbers than the US).

As I stated before, there is advantages to using white, namely that white is far more reflective than yellow at night.