Meaning of sidewalk lines

There are many different opinions about this type of line, related to both stopping, parking and roadway limits. So what do these lines really mean?

According to standard 41/2019 on road signs, this type of solid line is called line 3.1, when drawn close to the sidewalk it has the effect ofouter edge of the roadwayIn addition, this type of line is also used in other cases such as separating motor vehicle lanes and non-motor vehicle lanes, however, in that case, the line will be drawn at least 1.5m away from the curb.

Regarding drawing specifications, the line is 15 cm wide, with the outer edge of the line drawn 15 - 30 cm from the outer edge of the roadway. In the city, this line often appears close to the sidewalk, while on national highways and expressways, this line also appears on the left side, close to the median strip. Only roads with a roadway width of 7 m or more or when necessary are painted with this line.

Solid white line next to the sidewalk.

So why is this line needed, when the driver can clearly see the road? This line will help the driver see when it is dark (it is painted with reflective paint), and when stopping or parking. In the city, there may be a manhole cover next to the sidewalk, so if the car is parked too close to the sidewalk, it can fall into the manhole cover, blocking the cover or risking the cover falling off. In addition, this line also helps the driver to align the wheels, avoiding driving onto the sidewalk.

If the line on the left is close to the median strip on the highway, it will help the driver limit his wheels when driving at high speed. If the wheel goes over the line, the risk of the car crashing into the median strip will be very high.

Many readers believe that the solid white line in the photo above prohibits stopping and parking, but this is incorrect. There is no law in Vietnam that stipulates this.Line 3.1 does not prohibit stopping or parking.On streets where stopping and parking are prohibited, there will be clear signs.

Another opinion that if this line is white, parking is not prohibited, but if it is yellow, parking is prohibited is also an opinion without legal basis. In fact, line 3.1 is not yellow, only white. If there is a yellow line somewhere, it is not drawn according to standards.

The most common yellow line is the middle line, used to separate two directions of traffic. This line can be solid or broken. If the line is solid, the vehicle cannot cross the line, the broken line will be.

In short, the solid white pavement markings are only for guidance purposes to help drivers recognize them, and are not related to any prohibitions on stopping or parking. Drivers can drive over the lines when necessary, as long as they ensure safety and do not violate other regulations in traffic laws.