Pass Either Side

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jcpren
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Pass Either Side

Post by jcpren »

For years, I've seen the following sign being used inappropriately:

Image

As I understand it, the sign means that you can pass either side to reach the same destination. However, it has often been used where you would end up at a different destination depending on which side you chose; most notably at roadworks on major roads, where the sign would be positioned at a temporary gore for an off-slip. I have also seen the sign installed permanently at a T-junction, where according to the road markings, left-turning traffic really should pass on the left, and right-turning traffic should pass on the right.

Lately, however, I've seen a new temporary sign at some roadworks, which consists of a "keep left" sign mounted side-by-side with a "keep right" sign, on the same backing plate. I wonder if these have been manufactured in response to the problem of the "pass either side" being misused so often.

Having thought about the new sign, however, I'm starting to wonder if it's any better. How can you follow positive instructions to pass the obstacle on its left-hand side and its right-hand side? Would it be better just to re-define the meaning of "pass either side" so that it's not supposed to convey anything about the destination(s) you may or may not reach?

This is another case where drivers manage just fine, and most probably won't notice that anything's amiss. But as ever on SABRE, Pedants-R-Us, and I was just wondering what everyone else thought. ;)
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Mark Hewitt
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Post by Mark Hewitt »

I've never thought it meant pass either side to reach the same destination, just simply that it is safe to pass either side of the obstacle, as opposed to the keep left sign which usually means if you go to the right you'll end up in the opposing traffic flow, which in general is a Bad Thing(tm)
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jcpren
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Post by jcpren »

Mark Hewitt wrote:I've never thought it meant pass either side to reach the same destination, just simply that it is safe to pass either side of the obstacle
According to the Highway code, "Vehicles may pass either side to reach same destination".
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Johnathan404
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Post by Johnathan404 »

I always thought it meant pass either side to reach same destination, and I'm sure I've read that in the Highway Code. That's why it's used most at toll booths, but I too have seen it used in the wrong places.

EDIT: Too slow!
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SubaruImprezaWRX
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Post by SubaruImprezaWRX »

Whatever the sign is, it needs to be 'urgent' enough to prevent folk from driving head-on into the obstacle!

I really do hate one-way systems with pass-either-side islands down them (like Tottenham Court Road, London). Feels so unnatural driving down the right hand side.
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jcpren
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Post by jcpren »

SubaruImprezaWRX wrote:Whatever the sign is, it needs to be 'urgent' enough to prevent folk from driving head-on into the obstacle!
True!

If I were in charge of deciding what sign to put up, though, I wouldn't have a clue what to use. I think they need to get rid of the official "same destination" requirement for the "pass either side" sign, as it would be a lot more useful without that restriction.
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Post by sgill77 »

SubaruImprezaWRX wrote:I really do hate one-way systems with pass-either-side islands down them (like Tottenham Court Road, London). Feels so unnatural driving down the right hand side.
There is an island like this on Ladywell Walk (just outside the Arcadian) in Birmingham. It always had "pass both sides" sign on the bollard; however, I passed it last week and the bollard just has a blank white circle on it now. I think that when the Bull Ring was being rebuilt Ladywell Walk became either a two-way road, or became one-way in the opposite direction, or something! I assume the bollard was change then and never changed back.
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Paul
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Post by Paul »

SubaruImprezaWRX wrote:I really do hate one-way systems with pass-either-side islands down them (like Tottenham Court Road, London). Feels so unnatural driving down the right hand side.
tbh, that's the only place I recall them being used properly: big, one-way avenues in Central London.
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sotonsteve
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Post by sotonsteve »

There is one of these signs on the A335 iin Eastleigh, heading northbound approaching the roundabout where the two A335 sections seperate. You should pass to the left to turn left or go straight on, or pass to the right to go to Lidl or to Fair Oak.

I thought these signs were pass either side to reach the same destination, but they obviously have another use for letting people pass either side of a traffic island.
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Post by Gareth »

jcpren wrote:If I were in charge of deciding what sign to put up, though, I wouldn't have a clue what to use. I think they need to get rid of the official "same destination" requirement for the "pass either side" sign, as it would be a lot more useful without that restriction.
You're right, it does mean pass either side to reach the same destination and I also agree that it's be better without that requirement as the diagram on the sign makes no hint that that's what should happen. To me, it merely shows a traffic island which you can pass either side.
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Matthew
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Post by Matthew »

There's one of the eastbound on the A456 Manor Way in Halesowen, just as you approach the M5, junction 3.

With the very layout of the road here, it makes perfect sense.
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Post by AndrewH »

I think there is one (or there should be) on the City Centre Loop in Leeds, the bit where the road goes under the railway viaduct near the Bus Station
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Post by Ian198 »

There's something counter-intuitive about the downward arrows, as most signs pertaining to direction have arrows going up or across. Better may be a pair of upward arrows close together at the bottom, widening to pass something blob shaped (possibly with "Pass either side" in it), then coming close again to show that both lead to the same place.

But whatever the sign, someone's going to put it in the wrong place (or the wrong way up) somewhere.
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Paul
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Post by Paul »

Ian198 wrote:There's something counter-intuitive about the downward arrows, as most signs pertaining to direction have arrows going up or across. Better may be a pair of upward arrows close together at the bottom, widening to pass something blob shaped (possibly with "Pass either side" in it), then coming close again to show that both lead to the same place.
Smacks of US design: Image
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explo
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Post by explo »

Ian198 wrote:But whatever the sign, someone's going to put it in the wrong place (or the wrong way up) somewhere.
I actually spotted a wrong way up one of these in the past few weeks. It looks to have fallen down and as a very quick fix, has been nailed back on.
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Post by SubaruImprezaWRX »

I have seen the sign shown in the first post of this thread on the A2 going eastbound for the Eltham turnoff.

It was shown on the HALDO pillar.

Clearly therefore its usage is wrong. It should be the 'empty' sign I guess.

Better anyway than what it used to be - a keep left sign!
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Post by michael769 »

jcpren wrote: True!

If I were in charge of deciding what sign to put up, though, I wouldn't have a clue what to use. I think they need to get rid of the official "same destination" requirement for the "pass either side" sign, as it would be a lot more useful without that restriction.
In situations where "pass either side" is needed without "same direction", the correct options are, depending on the layout.

A standard illuminated bollard with no sign at the top,
A black and white marker post
The black and white checkerboard sign.
A suitably located direction sign

Blue circular signs are meantto give instructions to drivers (eg. you must go this side). If drivers are free to go either side there is no requirement for any mandatory signs, just some way to warn drivers of the obstruction.

IMHO this sign is a bit of anomaly as it really means "you can" rather than "you must", it's not really a mandatory sign. It would make more sense for it to be rectangular.

Still if we did not have these oddities we'd have a lot less to talk about!
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Re: Pass Either Side

Post by TRT »

You can also use the "bee stripes" on the ends of crash barriers that meet at an apex where vehicles can take a slip road etc.

I've wondered about the wording of the YOU MUST and YOU MAY with these signs too. "You must keep left or right but it doesn't matter which".
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Re:

Post by Chris5156 »

michael769 wrote: Sat Jul 29, 2006 13:30IMHO this sign is a bit of anomaly as it really means "you can" rather than "you must", it's not really a mandatory sign. It would make more sense for it to be rectangular.
And, indeed, that is how it appears in the Worboys Report. One of the changes that were made when the new 1964 TSRGD was published, contrary to the committee's recommendations, was for "pass either side" to become circular.
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Re: Re:

Post by Bryn666 »

Chris5156 wrote: Mon Jan 17, 2022 22:06
michael769 wrote: Sat Jul 29, 2006 13:30IMHO this sign is a bit of anomaly as it really means "you can" rather than "you must", it's not really a mandatory sign. It would make more sense for it to be rectangular.
And, indeed, that is how it appears in the Worboys Report. One of the changes that were made when the new 1964 TSRGD was published, contrary to the committee's recommendations, was for "pass either side" to become circular.
It was almost certainly changed to a circle because new traffic bollards were all designed to use a moulded circle, really in most cases the simple plain face bollard serves the exact same purpose so I'm not even sure why it's still a sign to be honest.
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