Dividing lines?

[31 Model A]

Curious......when did streets start using dividing lines and where first?

Ed

[SeaSlugs]

Wikipedia:
In the United States, the first documented use of a painted center line was in 1911 along Trenton's River Road in Wayne County, Michigan.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Road_surface_marking

if you want to be technical it was actually ancient civilizations used to use white bricks down the middle of the streets, but since the automobile it looks like the above is correct

for our european friends:
In England, the idea of painting a center white line was first experimented with in 1921 in Sutton Coldfield, Birmingham. Following complaints by residents over reckless driving and several collisions, the Sutton Coldfield Corporation decided to paint the line on Maney Corner in the area of Maney.[17]

[Charlville]

Between 1914 - 1918 over our side of the pond it would appear?

http://www.trafficsignsandmeanings.c...-designed.html

[2manycars]

When I was a kid, the center lines were white. These days the center lines are yellow and the lines at the edges of the road are white. This is supposed to be an indication of traffic flow. Yellow indicates opposing traffic, white the edge of the lane. White is used on multiple lane roads to separate lanes of traffic traveling in the same direction. Out here in the country, we usually only have a single line in the center of the road, or none, but lately I have seen double lines, which is a waste of space on these narrow roads.

[Bulligen]

The white lines at the edge of the road were first used here in Illinois and were then called "Illinois Lines" I believe that was in the 20s.

[goodoldvic]

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Keep em between the mayo and mustard. In jersey the right white line is called a fog line.

[BILL WILLIAMSON]

I lived in a neighborhood where pedestrians walked in the middle of the street, instead of using the sidewalks. YES, and when they drove, the IDIOTS drove in the MIDDLE of the street ALSO?????
Bill W.

[Elcastor]

Here in Mexico, where I live, they use only a single yellow line down the middle on 2 lane roads. It is a dashed line where it is considered safe to pass, and a solid line when it is considered unsafe to pass. That works fine until you crest the hill and can see for miles, but it is still a solid line for the oncoming traffic. Mexico still believes that the driver must use common sense! A novel idea!

[SeaSlugs]

In IL the road markings are suggestions and not laws. you can pass in a no passing zone if its safe to do so. IE overtaking a tractor going 20mph VS overtaking a car going 55 is going to take ALOT longer distance to do so so it may be safe to pass in a no passing zone if the circumstances are right.

[DougVieyra]

The most famous road in ancient Rome, The Appian Way, was a divided road - built about three centuries before Christ.

[DougVieyra]

P.S. - this has not been verified, but also along ancient Rome's Appian Way, were the first use of 'Berma Shave' signs.

Also, in investigating the actual building of the Appian Way, Archaeologists have discovered the first use of "KillRoy Was Here".

[CarlG]

We have lines on the streets about 3 months of the year. They start painting them early summer, and by the time snow gets here they are all gone again. The highways aren't quite that bad, but the city streets might as well not have any markings at all.

[SeaSlugs]

ours they paint maybe once every 15 years, after about 5 they are cracked and missing chunks. the highway department paint truck is an old early 60's ford cabover.

[Rex_A_Lott]

I would have guessed in Bristol, where half of it is Tennessee and half is Virginia.

[Ted Duke]

On back roads in Virginia there are No Lines, and we all drive down the middle. Some of us move to the right for oncoming traffic, but some don't, and those that do have to move a little fuuuuuurther over!

Occasionally a northerner moves down here and it takes them a SCARE or two before they catch on.

[31 Model A]

I asked because I've watched old time movies and period film and there are no lines anywhere on the streets, people going in every which direction they want.

[SeaSlugs]

Originally Posted by 31 Model A

I asked because I've watched old time movies and period film and there are no lines anywhere on the streets, people going in every which direction they want.

well it probably took quite awhile for things to catch on and for everyone to go "hey thats a good idea" not to mention funding and creating a way to paint straight lines for long distances. prolly was a guy sitting on the back of a truck with a spray gun

[eagle]

If you want a scare right in your armchair at home, go to utube and look at some of these videos. https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Y8bfNplEmfo