In message , at
17:45:57 on Thu, 3 Nov 2011, Nick Finnigan remarked:
You could argue that you're not forced to use the lanes for any given
direction. So long as a leftwards arrow is lit and you drive with
appropriate care, you can turn left from any lane.

Even if that means passing a red light (because the middle lane in question
isn't yet showing a "straight ahead" green arrow)?

Yes, provided the lanes are just white lines, not kerbs.

The one I'm thinking of has a small traffic island, but you could turn left
past it; in other words you are saying the silver hatchback here could
immediately turn left (despite being in the wrong lane and facing a red
light): http://tinyurl.com/6kkff8b

No, because there are separate stop lines for the two sets of lights.

Does it require a physical barrier like the traffic island to create
*separate* stop lines - or could paint achieve it as well?
--
Roland Perry