Electric overhead gantry markings prior to a red X when they advise you change lane ahead. At what point do you act on them as opposed to treating them as advisory?
My question is really prompted by ■■■■■■■ miles of red X prior to the M25 closure Jct 25 to 27 last night.
They were being ignored by millions, so lane one was almost not moving, having to let in all the queue jumpers. Yet it was the only lane without a red X.
When it’s an arrow saying whichever lane is closing, you can still use it.
When its a red x it means closed, do not use. From that point onwards even if its not obvious as to why. It’s an instruction at that point.
I would absolutely support the ability to dish out automated fixed pens with three points and £100 fine using the existing camera network for this.
As an ex driving instructor, I told all my pupil to ask themselves a question. Can I drive in that lane? and then follow the flashing lights. Amber lights go up and down, so you are nodding Yes. Red lights go side to side, so you are shaking your head, No. Simples
I cannot understand why most want to queue in one lane when two are safely/legally available
toonsy:
When it’s an arrow saying whichever lane is closing, you can still use it.When its a red x it means closed, do not use. From that point onwards even if its not obvious as to why. It’s an instruction at that point.
I would absolutely support the ability to dish out automated fixed pens with three points and £100 fine using the existing camera network for this.
As it was a red X , I complied with it until I saw the manual signs at the side of the road. At which point I was able to ignore them and rely on the new information.
images.app.goo.gl/PEg5CLLgNoRAzk6R8
Most people seem to stay in the lane they are in, until they see the gantry with the actual red 'x’s on it.
The usual “carve-up at the cone taper” then happens.
There’s often a 40mph speed limit in lane 4 on the M25 where this applies…
Slow down to signed 40mph in lane four for the final taper of cones, and theres ALWAYS some chump who’ll want to undertake to beat you to it…
BUT… “Instant Karma” applies when they think they are being clever going under the last gantry before the one with Red ‘x’ on it in lane 3… Only to get double-flashed by the speed cameras for going under said gantry at 50mph+ when the limit clearly says 40… 
stu675:
Electric overhead gantry markings prior to a red X when they advise you change lane ahead. At what point do you act on them as opposed to treating them as advisory?
My question is really prompted by [zb] miles of red X prior to the M25 closure Jct 25 to 27 last night.
They were being ignored by millions, so lane one was almost not moving, having to let in all the queue jumpers. Yet it was the only lane without a red X.
I act on them when the next gantry I’m coming to is a red X because passing that is an offence. I’m not going to sit in a mile long queue with open empty lanes ahead with an advisory arrow over it because of the British obsession with queuing for no reason whatsoever. And what I’m doing is actually what is in the guidelines in the Highway Code - use all open lanes then merge in turn. And I’m very good about the merging, I’ll just slow down, stick my indicator on and wait for a gap to open up which it pretty much always does when you’re not trying to force your way in.
Empty lanes with a red X above them though they’re closed no matter the fact there’s nothing there. I wonder how much revenue could be earned by having cameras on the gantries that photograph those infringing the red X? Maybe there are, I guess the drivers will find out in the next 14 days.
The problem with the M25 is they stick a load of red X’s up to protect the roadworkers whilst they’re coning out the closure. The problem is they then forget to lift them once the coning off has been done so you end up with what you had last night.
Post deleted so I can put it on the correct topic 
I see it as Orange is Advisory, Red is Mandatory.
23 to 25 is ALR and as such most of the electronic signs / gantries have cameras, that’s a lot of fines being dished out for ignoring the red X.
wilkina:
I see it as Orange is Advisory, Red is Mandatory.
23 to 25 is ALR and as such most of the electronic signs / gantries have cameras, that’s a lot of fines being dished out for ignoring the red X.
There were no camera flashes at all. So I just don’t think the technology is there yet.
I know it’s difficult for you all to equate as most of you would be driving on an hourly rate, but if you were driving in your own time, almost stationary in lane one with thousands of vehicles overtaking to cut in ahead of you, all traveling through multiple red X, but before the cones start. what would be your breaking point that you would join them?
ok this is one of my pet hates so i will try to be polite.
Yes techniucaly you can drive in a lane with an amber arrow over it as it is advisory meaning they are advising you to plan ro move over into the aproptiate lane. they do this so that you dont end up with 4 lanes of stationary traffic where people are too dang stupid to allow the traffic flow and insist on driving up to the last possible point and ten haveing to stop dead with the inevitable knock on affect that blocks all 4 lanes of the m25 and takes nearly 2 hours to do a mile by the dartford bridge.
same as with the metal temp signs saying that a perticular lane or lanes are going to be closed in 800 then 600 then 400 then 200 yards even if you are compleatly inept at looking beyound the end of your bonnet that gives you just over half a mile to get into the appropriate lane rather than trying to squeeze in at the last possible nano second.
This is why once you get to the cones the traffic starts flowing freely because all the selfish gits that were holding up everyone else so they can get a few feet further have finaly got the plot and got in the correct lane.
stu675:
wilkina:
I see it as Orange is Advisory, Red is Mandatory.
23 to 25 is ALR and as such most of the electronic signs / gantries have cameras, that’s a lot of fines being dished out for ignoring the red X.There were no camera flashes at all. So I just don’t think the technology is there yet.
I know it’s difficult for you all to equate as most of you would be driving on an hourly rate, but if you were driving in your own time, almost stationary in lane one with thousands of vehicles overtaking to cut in ahead of you, all traveling through multiple red X, but before the cones start. what would be your breaking point that you would join them?
A red x is a red x.
Would you have done a similar move if there was a cop car (yes I know haha very little chance but go with it) sat in a refuge area?
If you would then fair do. But what would your explanation be if they stopped you for it? How far do you go? Do you just Bob on through a red traffic light if you can see there’s nothing coming from other directions?
I know it’s frustrating but a red x takes priority above all. Even the highway code says you must not pass a red x.
gov.uk/guidance/the-highway … 73#rule258
I’m not preaching, none of us are perfect and yes it’s hugely frustrating and something where enforcement of the rules via the issuing of camera based fixed penalties might over time change people’s opinions.
But I doubt it because nobody knows how to zip merge or merge in turn, because everyone thinks they’re losing out 
End of the day we are professional drivers, day rate, hourly rate, whatever. It shouldn’t matter. And for reference I traverse that closure a lot and just tend to avoid it altogether, so I know full well what you’re on about.
Coming down the M1 I’ll either go round the A406 and come back out on the A13 or of I’m double decker hauling I’ll cut across further up. For instance this morning the M1 was closed J9 to J6 and the M25 was closed in fits and starts so I did DIRFT to Dagenhem via the A14 and M11 and it took an extra 15 mins compared to normal.
The last company I worked for, had a driver go through a red x twice in a week on the M6 and got fined for both he was a night trunk driver, so there are cameras monitoring red x infringements 24/7!!
He thought he could blag his way out of the fine because he’s Polish and his english wasn’t good, although when it was pay related his english was alot better!!!