Bus Lane Queuing Etiquette
Discussion
Ok, I have a question on how to handle a bus lane. Not sure if this technically counts as advanced driving, but I regard it more as an etiquette thing than a legal question.
Specifically, I am talking about a s
tty design of bus lane. It used to stop just before a junction, and only be active a couple of hours a day. Now it's buses-only 24/7, and has been extended maybe a hundred feet farther along. Unfortunately, this extension goes over the junction (minor coming onto the major holding the bus lane) and a pedestrian crossing, and the road markings for these take precedence over the bus lane marking (signs are still there) until it reappears briefly after the crossing for its official new ending point - so on first approach, it's not that obvious it does extend that far, especially if you have more than a decade of being used to it ending at the old position. This is all another hundred feet-ish short of a second junction. The outer lane is a regular lane, but following it all the way down drops you into a right-turn-only position, and so you must get over at some point to carry on ahead (the most common direction for traffic).
People queuing for the second junction back up to the point where they reach the new ending point of the bus lane, but then people joining the queue back up into the bus lane itself, often pretty much to where it used to end before.
So if you come along in the outer lane, wanting to get in that inner lane, you have these options:
1) Wait like a melon in the "correct" lane for, parallel with the end of the queue of traffic, so you can follow it along when it starts to move and only pull in once the bus lane ends - legal, polite to people queuing in the bus lane, but impedes innocent traffic wanting to just carry on in that normal lane.
2) Queue in the bus lane behind everyone else. Best for traffic flow and means you're queuing behind those who arrived before you, but illegal and subject to a fine - if the plod decide they want to ruin your day, of course (no bus lane cameras, thank fk. Yet.)
3) Follow the "legal" lane to where the bus lane ends, and cut in there. This is what strikes me as the most correct legal manoeuvre, should not really mess up traffic flow, but makes the people already queuing in the bus lane (who should not be there, mind) think you're a complete dick bullying your way in, with the resultant attempts to block you coming in and/or expressing their opinions on your parentage and onanistic habits. Note that this doesn't really block the people wanting to stay in that right lane, as the road is open enough by that point that they can get around you.
Leaving aside that it is a bloody stupid bit of road design, and was far better before they changed it (very rare to have traffic flow issues or buses getting blocked), what say you for best technique to navigate it?
I go with option 1) if it's clear enough I'm not going to hold up people behind me who do want to get to that right-only filter, or option 3) if it's busier. I don't like feeling like I'm "pushing in", but the fact other people ignore bus lanes should not force me to also break the law just because they get upset about being "cut up by some wker who won't queue (illegally) like the rest of us".
Thoughts?
Specifically, I am talking about a s
tty design of bus lane. It used to stop just before a junction, and only be active a couple of hours a day. Now it's buses-only 24/7, and has been extended maybe a hundred feet farther along. Unfortunately, this extension goes over the junction (minor coming onto the major holding the bus lane) and a pedestrian crossing, and the road markings for these take precedence over the bus lane marking (signs are still there) until it reappears briefly after the crossing for its official new ending point - so on first approach, it's not that obvious it does extend that far, especially if you have more than a decade of being used to it ending at the old position. This is all another hundred feet-ish short of a second junction. The outer lane is a regular lane, but following it all the way down drops you into a right-turn-only position, and so you must get over at some point to carry on ahead (the most common direction for traffic).People queuing for the second junction back up to the point where they reach the new ending point of the bus lane, but then people joining the queue back up into the bus lane itself, often pretty much to where it used to end before.
So if you come along in the outer lane, wanting to get in that inner lane, you have these options:
1) Wait like a melon in the "correct" lane for, parallel with the end of the queue of traffic, so you can follow it along when it starts to move and only pull in once the bus lane ends - legal, polite to people queuing in the bus lane, but impedes innocent traffic wanting to just carry on in that normal lane.
2) Queue in the bus lane behind everyone else. Best for traffic flow and means you're queuing behind those who arrived before you, but illegal and subject to a fine - if the plod decide they want to ruin your day, of course (no bus lane cameras, thank f
k. Yet.)3) Follow the "legal" lane to where the bus lane ends, and cut in there. This is what strikes me as the most correct legal manoeuvre, should not really mess up traffic flow, but makes the people already queuing in the bus lane (who should not be there, mind) think you're a complete dick bullying your way in, with the resultant attempts to block you coming in and/or expressing their opinions on your parentage and onanistic habits. Note that this doesn't really block the people wanting to stay in that right lane, as the road is open enough by that point that they can get around you.
Leaving aside that it is a bloody stupid bit of road design, and was far better before they changed it (very rare to have traffic flow issues or buses getting blocked), what say you for best technique to navigate it?
I go with option 1) if it's clear enough I'm not going to hold up people behind me who do want to get to that right-only filter, or option 3) if it's busier. I don't like feeling like I'm "pushing in", but the fact other people ignore bus lanes should not force me to also break the law just because they get upset about being "cut up by some w
ker who won't queue (illegally) like the rest of us".Thoughts?
Google maps link?
The bus lanes ends where the upright is. I generally stay out of bus lanes and try to enter where I can. It's of no concern to me where the traffic in the bus lane came from at that point or whether it was there legally -- I yield to traffic established in lane when I change lanes. I ask it to let me in with an indication of my intent.
The bus lanes ends where the upright is. I generally stay out of bus lanes and try to enter where I can. It's of no concern to me where the traffic in the bus lane came from at that point or whether it was there legally -- I yield to traffic established in lane when I change lanes. I ask it to let me in with an indication of my intent.
It's here, but the Google view is out-of-date now:
https://www.google.co.uk/maps/place/52°36'11....
I would normally agree with you on giving way to the traffic already in-lane, but my issue is mainly that the road layout means doing so will likely cause me to block people wanting to continue to the right turn (who are in their correct lane) in order to give way to the people coming in via the bus lane (who are not). I would rather upset someone who is in a lane they shouldn't be in, than impede someone who is - which, before any infants claim so, is not the same as policing the traffic myself. I am unconcerned by people choosing to violate a bus lane which I readily agree should not be there, save for them putting me in that position.
https://www.google.co.uk/maps/place/52°36'11....
I would normally agree with you on giving way to the traffic already in-lane, but my issue is mainly that the road layout means doing so will likely cause me to block people wanting to continue to the right turn (who are in their correct lane) in order to give way to the people coming in via the bus lane (who are not). I would rather upset someone who is in a lane they shouldn't be in, than impede someone who is - which, before any infants claim so, is not the same as policing the traffic myself. I am unconcerned by people choosing to violate a bus lane which I readily agree should not be there, save for them putting me in that position.
InitialDave said:
wanting to continue to the right turn (who are in their correct lane) in order to give way to the people coming in via the bus lane (who are not). I would rather upset someone who is in a lane they shouldn't be in, than impede someone who is - which, before any infants claim so, is not the same as policing the traffic myself. I am unconcerned by people choosing to violate a bus lane which I readily agree should not be there, save for them putting me in that position.
The guys in the right lane are stuck in traffic. They'll have to cope with that. Don't do anything dangerous to help them with their problem.Gassing Station | Advanced Driving | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff