# British road lanes--why the zig-zag stripe on Abbey Road? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [August 8, 2009, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/british-road-lanes-why-the-zig-zag-stripe-on-abbey-road/505759 "2009-08-08T18:19:46Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Rayne\_Man](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/df705f/32.png) [@Rayne\_Man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rayne_Man)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2009, 2:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/british-road-lanes-why-the-zig-zag-stripe-on-abbey-road/505759/21 "2009-08-09T14:01:14Z")
Oh yes, the old misinform the tourist ploy. Other ones are “it’s customary to shake hands will all the other passengers when entering a tube carriage or a bus”, “the number of yellow lines at the side of the road denotes the number of hours you can park for free” and “the best way to stop a London bus is to jump out into the middle of the road and frantically wave your arms at it” ---
**Author:** ![mhendo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mhendo/32/3159_2.png) [@mhendo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mhendo)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2009, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/british-road-lanes-why-the-zig-zag-stripe-on-abbey-road/505759/22 "2009-08-09T15:48:50Z")
> [@GuanoLad](#): > > [Here’s one](http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=sydney&sll=-37.814251,144.963169&sspn=0.090589,0.15295&ie=UTF8&ll=-33.860819,151.17705&spn=0.000372,0.000597&t=h&z=21&layer=c&cbll=-33.860734,151.177113&panoid=xFA2XnjKfOgooIdDz35qnw&cbp=12,208.24,,0,5) in Google Maps street view. Good idea. I never even thought of that. ---
**Author:** ![Ximenean](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/aca169/32.png) [@Ximenean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ximenean)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2009, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/british-road-lanes-why-the-zig-zag-stripe-on-abbey-road/505759/23 "2009-08-09T16:33:51Z")
> [@Rayne\_Man](#): > > Oh yes, the old misinform the tourist ploy. > > Other ones are “it’s customary to shake hands will all the other passengers when entering a tube carriage or a bus”, “the number of yellow lines at the side of the road denotes the number of hours you can park for free” and “the best way to stop a London bus is to jump out into the middle of the road and frantically wave your arms at it” That last one is actually true sometimes. ---
**Author:** ![boytyperanma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4491bb/32.png) [@boytyperanma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/boytyperanma)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2009, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/british-road-lanes-why-the-zig-zag-stripe-on-abbey-road/505759/24 "2009-08-09T20:11:07Z")
I thought it was to symbolize there may be oncoming traffic and you may have to swerve. All those crazy Brits driving on the wrong side of the road and all. ---
**Author:** ![Mk\_VII](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Mk\_VII](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mk_VII)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2009, 9:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/british-road-lanes-why-the-zig-zag-stripe-on-abbey-road/505759/25 "2009-08-09T21:34:59Z")
These markings were added to crossings some time in the 1970s (IIRC) which is why they don’t appear in the iconic photo for the Abbey Road album. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2009, 10:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/british-road-lanes-why-the-zig-zag-stripe-on-abbey-road/505759/26 "2009-08-09T22:04:52Z")
> [@mhendo](#): > > So, the lines do serve as a No Parking instruction, but by their very nature they seem also to serve as a warning that the crossing is coming up. I can’t really imagine any circumstance in which the lines would be especially apparent before the crossing itself was already clearly visible. If they serve as a warning that a crossing is coming, then they do so to drivers who have poor attention for seeing crossings. ---
**Author:** ![Rayne\_Man](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/df705f/32.png) [@Rayne\_Man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rayne_Man)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2009, 10:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/british-road-lanes-why-the-zig-zag-stripe-on-abbey-road/505759/27 "2009-08-09T22:16:51Z")
> [@Mangetout](#): > > I can’t really imagine any circumstance in which the lines would be especially apparent before the crossing itself was already clearly visible. If they serve as a warning that a crossing is coming, then they do so to drivers who have poor attention for seeing crossings. No, the reason those lines are there is to provide a clear zone each side of the crossing so that approaching drivers can see anyone wanting to cross the road. If they weren’t there you could have cars parked right up to the crossing, thus blocking the view of drivers, and the very real possibility of a pedestrian suddenly emerging from behind one of those parked cars. Also they warn that you must not overtake on the crossing. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2009, 10:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/british-road-lanes-why-the-zig-zag-stripe-on-abbey-road/505759/28 "2009-08-09T22:42:19Z")
That’s right. They mean “no parking here _at all_ at all.” - not “look out, here comes a crossing” ---
**Author:** ![Rigamarole](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/77aa72/32.png) [@Rigamarole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rigamarole)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2009, 11:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/british-road-lanes-why-the-zig-zag-stripe-on-abbey-road/505759/29 "2009-08-09T23:09:21Z")
> [@FilmGeek](#): > > I find it very amusing that the volume control on the embedded video on the BBC site goes to 11. That is awesome. I wonder if it’s intentional. ---
**Author:** ![SciFiSam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/47e85d/32.png) [@SciFiSam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SciFiSam)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2009, 12:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/british-road-lanes-why-the-zig-zag-stripe-on-abbey-road/505759/30 "2009-08-10T00:58:42Z")
You have to bear in mind that, on the streets of London and many other cities, it’s actually very easy to for drivers to notice markings on the road. This is because the traffic is moving at about 2 miles an hour. You have time to look at _everything_. Course, when it comes to markings for stopping to let people off or for parking, the drivers will always be on the look-out for road markings anyway - single vs. double yellow lines, and so on. They’re not something you have to look for all the time when you’re driving, only when you’re doing something that is prohibited in some parts of the road. Abbey Rd itself is apparently a complete arse to drive across because of all the people doing Beatles reenactments with a camera-holding friend standing in the traffic. ---
**Author:** ![Ximenean](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/aca169/32.png) [@Ximenean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ximenean)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2009, 9:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/british-road-lanes-why-the-zig-zag-stripe-on-abbey-road/505759/31 "2009-08-10T09:39:13Z")
> [@Rigamarole](#): > > That is awesome. I wonder if it’s intentional. Oh, there’s no way it’s an accident. I don’t remember them ever publicising it, they just allow people to discover it for themselves. Great, isn’t it? I wonder how many people don’t get the reference and just think “11? That’s weird.” ---
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2009, 1:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/british-road-lanes-why-the-zig-zag-stripe-on-abbey-road/505759/32 "2009-08-10T13:24:49Z")
> [@Ximenean](#): > > Oh, there’s no way it’s an accident. I don’t remember them ever publicising it, they just allow people to discover it for themselves. Great, isn’t it? I wonder how many people don’t get the reference and just think “11? That’s weird.” That reminds me of some software I came across years ago. The prompt said “press almost any key to continue”. ---
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2009, 1:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/british-road-lanes-why-the-zig-zag-stripe-on-abbey-road/505759/33 "2009-08-10T13:31:02Z")
> [@ianzin](#): > > Could everyone please stop giving accurate information about this? Or at least can we close this thread and lock it? > > There are always a few tourists near Abbey Road. If they notice the zig-zag lines, we (Londoners) prefer to keep a straight face and say these very rare and special markings are used by the National Heritage Association to denote one of four things: the site of an historical battle, any site where the Queen has slept, anything associated with Jane Austen or a site known to be associated with the Beatles. > > The tourists always go away perfectly satisfied with this ‘information’. That is hilarious. I’m picturing John Cleese delivering these words as a BBC news anchor. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/british-road-lanes-why-the-zig-zag-stripe-on-abbey-road/505759.md?page=1)