Hard shoulder
From Wikinfo
A hard shoulder or simply shoulder is a reserved area alongside the verge of a road or motorway. It is usually slightly smaller than the width of a full traffic lane. In Britain and Ireland, the hard shoulder is demarkated by road markings in the form of a single dashed yellow line, possibly with the addition of cat's eyes.
Generally the hard shoulder is kept clear of all traffic. In the event of an emergency or breakdown, a motorist can pull into the hard shoulder. Thus the hard shoulder offers some element of safety for stalled vehicles. A hard shoulder also allows some extra flexibility should a motorist need to take evasive action, it is a buffer area between the main thoroughfare and the edge of the road. This is particularly true for two-lane roads; for example, slower vehicles may drift into the hard shoulder to allow more room for those who wish to overtake.
It is extremely unsafe, as well as illegal, to abuse the hard shoulder by 'undertaking' (an apt term); passing out vehicles that are nearer the centre of the road.
References
- Adapted from the Wikipedia article, "Hard_shoulder" http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hard_shoulder, used under the GNU Free Documentation License
