Penalty for traffic along tram ways in a passing direction

This issue raises much controversy, even among experienced motorists. Many of them are sure that this is absolutely forbidden. There are no extenuating circumstances. In fact, there are permissible traffic rules that allow unimpeded traffic along the tram routes of a passing direction.

Allowed cases

The current traffic regulations of the Russian Federation indicate the following situations in which movement along tram rails is not punished:

- the paths pass on the left,

- the rails are at the level of the roadway,

- all the bands of passing traffic are occupied,

- The tram rails and the motor road go in the opposite direction.

All other cases, in accordance with the traffic regulations of the Russian Federation, traffic on tram routes in the passing direction is prohibited.

Existing prohibitions

The Rules give a clear explanation of the fact that the location of tramways is of great importance. On the rails located below the roadway or higher, the car has no right to call in. If there is a track, then it should be perceived by the driver as a dividing strip, which is known to be forbidden to cross.

Also, the taboo is imposed on traffic along the tram routes of the passing direction, if they pass to the right of the moving vehicle.

It is forbidden to cross the intersection if it is preceded by a sign 5.15.1 or another sign - 5.15.2.

Some indulgences

In the Rules of the Road, they really are. And they concern maneuvers. So, for example, it is allowed to drive along the tram routes of a passing direction (2016-2017 year, SDA) with:

- making a left turn,

- crossing the street at the intersection,

- detour,

- spread.

The last maneuver is permitted in the absence of a double solid between the tramway and the sign 4.1.1, which directs the movement only directly. And also there should be no obstacle to the advancement of the tram car and departure to the rails of the oncoming destination.

Detour is allowed only at a high density of the associated flow. Most often, if the distances between vehicles are minimal for road safety, driving the car along tram routes in a passing direction for possible overtaking, it is unlikely to return to its lane (as indicated in the traffic rules, paragraph 11.4). Therefore, paragraph 9.6 of the current Rules slightly broadens the relaxation of paragraph 11.4, the part that relates to the inability to return to the lane previously occupied. It consists in permitting the use of tramways that run with the roadway in a passing direction. Nevertheless, the rule, which states that rail transport has an advantage over the car, no one cancels. Consequently, these reliefs can be applied only without interfering with the movement of the tramcar.

To the driver for a note

It is strictly prohibited to make maneuvers on tram rails located on the right hand of a motorist. Non-compliance is fraught with serious consequences.

In places with intense traffic, a special marking on the roadway is applied and special prohibiting road signs are installed. That is, on such a segment will always be:

- a pointer with the words "lane"

- a sign prohibiting the entry of any motor vehicle,

- solid white line on the asphalt.

The driver is obliged to understand that the tramway is not an additional lane for the traffic of vehicles.

Any maneuver must be accompanied by rotary signals, which are switched off only after its termination.

Employees of traffic police recommend paying attention to making turns. If there is no special sign, then the maneuver must pass at a right angle. There are times when drivers ignore this and turn, moving on rails. Inspectors of the State Traffic Safety Inspectorate regard this as driving on the tramway tracks of the opposite direction, which, naturally, is taken for leaving to the opposite direction and is punishable by a fine of 1,500 rubles or, more rarely, loss of the driver's license.

If marked

On some city highways there can be a continuous strip of marking. This topic raises many questions in driving schools and debates in specialized forums.

On the one hand, according to the traffic rules, traffic along tram routes of a passing direction is not prohibited, and on the other, as indicated in the same norm in paragraph 1.1, it is impossible to cross a continuous one.

On repeated requests to clarify the situation, officially the traffic police said that this line of marking shows the edge of the roadway. Penalties for ignoring these requirements, prescribed by road marking, this year are one thousand and one and a half thousand rubles.

There are situations when tram tracks are isolated from the roadway by a curb. SDA equate it to a solid line.

Maneuvers at the crossroads

Each driver should remember that it is allowed to drive along the tram routes of the passing direction only if all the lanes of the roadway are occupied. And it has nothing to do with parallel movement.

The intersection of the tram track at an unregulated intersection is permitted in the following episodes:

- the vehicle is moving with the tram in one direction, the latter being from the car to the right, public transport, if any, continues to move straight;

- when moving in one direction, the tram going to the right of the car and the vehicle will make a left maneuver;

- The tram, located on the right hand of the driver of the car, can make a left turn while the car continues straight ahead.

Sometimes on city highways before a crossroads it is possible to see signs 5.10, 5.15.1, 5.15.2 informing on movement on strips or about the road with reversive movement. In this case, penalties for going to the rails will be required. When entering the road with the indicated reverse movement, it must be taken into account that the sign indicates movement only along the rightmost strip of the roadway. Rebuilding can be done only if advisable signs or special road markings permit such a movement.

Left turn

According to the SDA, this maneuver is allowed only if the following conditions are met:

- there is no markup on the roadway,

- the tram track is to the right of the vehicle moving along the extreme lane.

The driver must remember that this turn must be made in accordance with paragraph 8.5 of the SDA. That is, if there are no signs 5.15.1, 5.15.2 and 1.18.2 marking on the turn, the tramway rails running to the left and on the same level as the roadway allow them to turn to their left. The main thing is not to forget that the car should not be an obstacle for the tramcar.

Penalties

Many violations that involve movement along tram routes in the passing direction are considered very rude. But the deprivation of the driver's license is not provided.

The most modest of them is the intersection of a continuous strip separating the rails from the road. In accordance with paragraph 12.16 of the SDA, this driver error is punishable by a fine of 500 rubles. Also, it will be collected from the violator who makes traffic along the tram ways of the passing direction, the penalty for stopping on the rails. For today it is one and a half thousand rubles.

Secondary and subsequent non-observance of the Road Traffic Rules may result in the loss of a driving license for a period of at least a year. If this violation was recorded by a video camera, the penalty increases to five thousand rubles.

Accidents on the tramway

The main thing to remember is that the traffic control of the settlement will recover the lost profits from the culprit of the incident through the court. After all, while waiting for the inspectors of traffic police, analysis and registration of an accident on the route will not run trams. And these are losses for the electric transport fleet. They can make tens of thousands of rubles. Courts, by the way, almost always take the side of representatives of the administration. Therefore, the car should be removed as soon as possible from the tracks.

Even if the traffic along the tramways of the passing direction provoked an accident in which the tram did not participate, it is necessary to draw a road accident chart as soon as possible, take photographs from different angles, record the telephone numbers of witnesses and take the vehicle off the rails. Then both the victim and the culprit should appear in the nearest department of the State Traffic Safety Inspectorate for registration and signing of the protocol. Or, if there is no discrepancy between the participants in the accident, you can resort to the growing scheme of registration of the transport incident on the euro-protocol.

If an accident occurs with the participation of a tram, the tractor driver can only be guilty of two cases:

- the car continued to move on the prohibiting traffic light signal,

- The tram was leaving the depot at that moment.

In all other cases, the driver should remember that any authorized maneuver on tram rails should not interfere with the movement of electric vehicles.