Just a heads up for those that might not be aware - just by driving under a red Cross, or joining that lane after a red cross has been displayed, on a motorway is now an offence (since 2022?), punishable with 3 points and £100 fine.
I've ust got one through and couldn't work out what it was for as I was doing 41mph in a temporary 40mph zone. I then read it again and it stated "
fail to comply with lane closure"
Comments
Lol oks like another one for the Khan coffers.
Khan won't be happy until every motorist is bankrupt.
Edited to add: Came into being in the 1970s it seems with camera enforcement in place since 2014 on some motorways and more since 2019.
https://www.theaa.com/driving-advice/legal/merge-in-turn#:~:text=What%20does%20the%20Highway%20Code,do%20not%20change%20lanes%20unnecessarily.
FYI - Been driving for 30 years and never had any type of crash or had any points added to my licence. I can't recall this incident tbh, but convinced that I would've obeyed the initial red cross, then maybe moved over into that lane too soon at the end of the lane closure, once the cones had been removed.
Everyone surely knows Khan isn't the Mayor of the M4?
There was literally a sign up saying "Use both Lanes... Merge in Turn"
Yet still cars queued for a mile or two in the left hand lane, whilst leaving the right one (the one closing) almost clear - The British approach to queuing really is too strong, but I never get the approach of getting over into a lane as early as possible with that logic, simply because you know the other lane will eventually close... I mean, what's the point of sitting in that lane at all, if that's the case?
For me though, I've always gotten over as early as possible, mainly because I don't want the hassle of not being let in further down the road.
As far as jumping a red cross; the temporary signs put out with the cones give a distance of where the lane closes and where you have to merge, so I'm going with this being another stick to beat the motorist with and a stealth tax to raise more funds to help fund the £2.5b payments we keep sending overseas.
If I see a Red Cross, I'll get over as soon as possible to make sure I dont go through it.
Dont blame people for equally getting over as soon as possible - Unfortunately because many dont seem to know about the advised zip merging (a campaign from those who run the roads might be a good idea to resolve this, and so ease traffic), you get the idiots who deliberately sit on the bumper of the car in front, because they think the merging car is taking the piss, rather than being the one doing what should be done.
Ironically its that approach (along with the rubber necking at what ever has closed the lane), that creates the traffic in the first place.
Ironic thing was, the "workers in the road" were putting signs out on the hard shoulder, so the drivers were being directed to move over and drive in the closest lane to where the workers were. The rest of the carriageway was empty of any workers or any cones etc.
Probably brought in a few quid though