What is the difference between a turnout lane and an emergency parking strip?
2 Answers
Turnout lanes are used on single-lane roads to allow vehicles to yield to oncoming traffic, while emergency parking strips are provided on highways or first-class roads for vehicles to park temporarily in emergencies such as traffic accidents or mechanical failures while awaiting rescue. Below are detailed explanations: 1. Emergency parking strip: Refers to a temporary parking area on highways and first-class roads, designated for vehicles experiencing sudden malfunctions or other emergencies. On highways, it is distinguished from the main traffic lanes and is located on the far right near the roadbed, similar to the non-motorized lanes on regular roads. 2. Turnout lane: A designated area for emergency parking or vehicle repairs, marked within yellow lines. On single-lane roads, it is a widened section of the road within a visible distance, used for vehicles to pass each other. On Class IV roads with a 4.5m single-lane roadbed, turnout lanes are widened sections set at appropriate intervals to facilitate passing.
When driving on national highways, I often come across pull-off lanes. These are extra spaces provided at intervals along the side of the road, primarily to allow vehicles behind to overtake. For example, if I'm driving slowly, I proactively move into the pull-off lane when I see one, letting the vehicle behind pass first. Emergency stopping lanes, however, are different. They are only found on expressways, separated by a solid line on the far right, specifically for emergencies like tire blowouts or smoke coming from the vehicle. Last month, when my car's temperature warning light came on, I quickly pulled into the emergency stopping lane, turned on the hazard lights, and placed a warning triangle. But parking in a pull-off lane is not acceptable, as it's meant for passing, not parking. Regular national highways don't have emergency stopping lanes, and expressways generally don't have pull-off lanes either.
