Road rule baffles drivers: Can you cross a painted line while turning?

Motorists have been left scratching their heads after being quizzed over a road rule by the Queensland Department of Transport and Main Roads.

Motorists have been left scratching their heads after being quizzed over a road rule by the Queensland Department of Transport and Main Roads.

The department posed the scenario – which showed a car travelling in the far right hand lane, preparing to turn right – to their followers on social media, resulting in more than a few confused responses.

In order to enter the right-turn lane, the car drove over a painted island.

“You know your road rules, now’s your chance to prove it,” the department wrote.

“The orange car wants to turn right. Are they allowed to drive over the painted island to enter the turning lane?”

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You know your road rules, now's your chance to prove it.

The orange car is wants to turn right. Are they allowed to drive over the painted island to enter the turning lane?

Need a hint? Visit https://t.co/s2Ezyze7w0 pic.twitter.com/2t88UBcck6

— Transport and Main Roads Queensland (@TMRQld) July 5, 2020

A number of drivers who responded to the post immediately said the move wasn’t allowed, “but people do it anyway”.

Others used the post as an opportunity to air their grievances about Queensland’s drivers, saying whether a motorist follows the road rules “depends on whether one lives in Brisbane or Logan”.

“Some drivers still have the rear of their car hanging out of the turning lane because they have forgotten how to enter a turning lane,” one man wrote.

A large number of motorists got the answer right – responding that yes, the move is permitted in certain circumstances.

“If they didn’t want you to (drive over the painted island) then it’s made out of concrete,” one commented.

And then there were those who agreed it was allowed, but deemed the rule as unnecessary or “stupid”.

Some commenters deemed the rule as unnecessary or “stupid”.

“Stupid rule, what’s the point of the island then? Why not just mark it as two lanes earlier,” one wrote.

Another echoed the sentiment, asking what the use of having painted islands was if drivers are allowed to cross them.

“Yes. So why have them? So many confusing rules around painted lines, solid, dotted, broken, broken on a solid line. I think we are well overdue for some revision on all road markings/signage.”

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The department confirmed that yes, drivers are allowed to drive on a painted traffic island – as long as you take into account a couple of factors.

“You can drive on a painted traffic island that’s surrounded by a single continuous line for up to 50m to enter a turning lane that begins immediately after the island, to enter or leave a road and to overtake a cyclist,” they explained.

“When driving on a painted island to enter a turning lane, you must give way to traffic already in, or entering the turning lane.”

It’s not, however, possible to drive over a painted island if it’s surrounded by double continuous lines or if it separates traffic travelling in the same direction – like where an onramp merges onto a motorway.