Contesting A Bus Gate Ticket
Discussion
Managed to get nabbed by one of the many Bristol bus gates while trying to find a customers address.
Yes I was there, no disputing that, but 2 possible defences.
1, The left lane was deliberately blocked and thus I was "steered" into the bus gate.
2, Ticket didnt arrive within 14 days. It was actually posted on day 14.
Will any of these hold up as a defence?
Yes I was there, no disputing that, but 2 possible defences.
1, The left lane was deliberately blocked and thus I was "steered" into the bus gate.
2, Ticket didnt arrive within 14 days. It was actually posted on day 14.
Will any of these hold up as a defence?
808 Estate said:
1, The left lane was deliberately blocked and thus I was "steered" into the bus gate.
Looking at Google Streetview it seems the whole bridge is restricted to busses, taxis, motorbikes and bicycles so whatever lane you were in you were in the wrong.https://www.google.com/maps/@51.453226,-2.5907633,...
d had me, I just filed an appeal explaining I had never been to Bristol ever before and had no idea what a bus gate was explained I lived in the countryside and rarely drive in big cities, they dropped it as I hadn't heard anything backBristol's bus gates are absolutely absurd.
I've not been ticketed but I ended up at one bus gate (by a bridge) that quite literally had no lawful exit.
I would warn anyone thinking of visiting the city to proceed with extreme cautions. The signs are often very small and unclear, as much as a quarter of a mile before the bus gate and with other roads in between.
I've not been ticketed but I ended up at one bus gate (by a bridge) that quite literally had no lawful exit.
I would warn anyone thinking of visiting the city to proceed with extreme cautions. The signs are often very small and unclear, as much as a quarter of a mile before the bus gate and with other roads in between.
I empathise.
When you are in unfamiliar surroundings and trying to find your way around, it can be sensory overload with too many signs to process. Suddenly, you have a ticket. Not because you tried to beat the system, but because the system is unclear.
Guy at work in Nottingham laughed at me for getting a bus lane ticket when I went around a queue of traffic, not realising my error until 2 seconds after I crossed into the bus lane. He then also got a ticket two weeks later. Easily done but no points.
When you are in unfamiliar surroundings and trying to find your way around, it can be sensory overload with too many signs to process. Suddenly, you have a ticket. Not because you tried to beat the system, but because the system is unclear.
Guy at work in Nottingham laughed at me for getting a bus lane ticket when I went around a queue of traffic, not realising my error until 2 seconds after I crossed into the bus lane. He then also got a ticket two weeks later. Easily done but no points.
808 Estate said:
Managed to get nabbed by one of the many Bristol bus gates while trying to find a customers address.
Yes I was there, no disputing that, but 2 possible defences.
1, The left lane was deliberately blocked and thus I was "steered" into the bus gate.
2, Ticket didnt arrive within 14 days. It was actually posted on day 14.
Will any of these hold up as a defence?
Bang to rights I'm afraid. But, is it £35? Yes I was there, no disputing that, but 2 possible defences.
1, The left lane was deliberately blocked and thus I was "steered" into the bus gate.
2, Ticket didnt arrive within 14 days. It was actually posted on day 14.
Will any of these hold up as a defence?
We've got one in Nottingham that generates £1m+ per annum.
Imho they should be forced to make a bit more of an effort when creating a "bus gate" vs some road markings and coloured barriers. Given how confusing the roads can be these days I can see how it must be a licence to print money for them. When lost in London I accidently went through one, luckily spotted it within a short distance so did a U turn.
TX.
TX.
Panamax said:
Bristol's bus gates are absolutely absurd.
I've not been ticketed but I ended up at one bus gate (by a bridge) that quite literally had no lawful exit.
I would warn anyone thinking of visiting the city to proceed with extreme cautions. The signs are often very small and unclear, as much as a quarter of a mile before the bus gate and with other roads in between.
No lawful exit.......really ?I've not been ticketed but I ended up at one bus gate (by a bridge) that quite literally had no lawful exit.
I would warn anyone thinking of visiting the city to proceed with extreme cautions. The signs are often very small and unclear, as much as a quarter of a mile before the bus gate and with other roads in between.
Sounds like you were already well inside a Bus Only area.
Terminator X said:
Imho they should be forced to make a bit more of an effort when creating a "bus gate" vs some road markings and coloured barriers. Given how confusing the roads can be these days I can see how it must be a licence to print money for them. When lost in London I accidently went through one, luckily spotted it within a short distance so did a U turn.
TX.
I counted the signs on the approach to the one in Nottingham. There were 22 of them. The trouble is all the satnavs direct drivers down there, and unfortunately most folk rely on tech rather than reading signs.TX.
ziggy328 said:
Same in Brighton. Lived there 5 years and there were no bus gates. Went back 4 years after we'd left and got caught in one. It wasn't clear by any stretch on the imagination.
Thar's surprising. The Buses Only lanes around Brighton seem particularly clear. It looks quite difficult to go along them.Vasco said:
ziggy328 said:
Same in Brighton. Lived there 5 years and there were no bus gates. Went back 4 years after we'd left and got caught in one. It wasn't clear by any stretch on the imagination.
Thar's surprising. The Buses Only lanes around Brighton seem particularly clear. It looks quite difficult to go along them.Panamax said:
Bristol's bus gates are absolutely absurd.
I've not been ticketed but I ended up at one bus gate (by a bridge) that quite literally had no lawful exit.
I would warn anyone thinking of visiting the city to proceed with extreme cautions. The signs are often very small and unclear, as much as a quarter of a mile before the bus gate and with other roads in between.
That could well be the one that the OP has encountered but from the opposite direction. By the time you get to the bus gate in front of you ,the sign Telling you about the bus gate were a quarter mile back and buried amongst a plethora of other signage. The bail out option is about 150 yards back before you get to the bridge. I've not been ticketed but I ended up at one bus gate (by a bridge) that quite literally had no lawful exit.
I would warn anyone thinking of visiting the city to proceed with extreme cautions. The signs are often very small and unclear, as much as a quarter of a mile before the bus gate and with other roads in between.
I worked in central Bristol for quite a few years and the first time I encountered that bus gate not having been to town for quite a while I v nearly caught a cold.
808 Estate said:
Managed to get nabbed by one of the many Bristol bus gates while trying to find a customers address.
Yes I was there, no disputing that, but 2 possible defences.
1, The left lane was deliberately blocked and thus I was "steered" into the bus gate.
2, Ticket didnt arrive within 14 days. It was actually posted on day 14.
Will any of these hold up as a defence?
I don’t think any of those lanes are accessible by private car-the bail out option is just before your picture on the left down redcliffe streetYes I was there, no disputing that, but 2 possible defences.
1, The left lane was deliberately blocked and thus I was "steered" into the bus gate.
2, Ticket didnt arrive within 14 days. It was actually posted on day 14.
Will any of these hold up as a defence?
For many years Bristol council has hated the driving commuter and drivers in general beyond that. Thank goodness I don t have to drive there now unless it’s a hospital visit or summat like that.
My last work contract I was going in by motorbike -quicker and much more efficient. Door to door in 32 mins as a opposed to journeys of up to 1hour and 45 mins for the same trip.
My last work contract I was going in by motorbike -quicker and much more efficient. Door to door in 32 mins as a opposed to journeys of up to 1hour and 45 mins for the same trip.
tt601 said:
For many years Bristol council has hated the driving commuter and drivers in general beyond that. Thank goodness I don t have to drive there now unless it’s a hospital visit or summat like that.
My last work contract I was going in by motorbike -quicker and much more efficient. Door to door in 32 mins as a opposed to journeys of up to 1hour and 45 mins for the same trip.
Most cities are the same.My last work contract I was going in by motorbike -quicker and much more efficient. Door to door in 32 mins as a opposed to journeys of up to 1hour and 45 mins for the same trip.
They don’t want you driving. They are creating a hostile environment so that you don’t.
You are dealing with people who HATE cars and the freedom they bring. If they could put you in prison, they would.
zarjaz1991 said:
tt601 said:
For many years Bristol council has hated the driving commuter and drivers in general beyond that. Thank goodness I don t have to drive there now unless it’s a hospital visit or summat like that.
My last work contract I was going in by motorbike -quicker and much more efficient. Door to door in 32 mins as a opposed to journeys of up to 1hour and 45 mins for the same trip.
Most cities are the same.My last work contract I was going in by motorbike -quicker and much more efficient. Door to door in 32 mins as a opposed to journeys of up to 1hour and 45 mins for the same trip.
They don’t want you driving. They are creating a hostile environment so that you don’t.
You are dealing with people who HATE cars and the freedom they bring. If they could put you in prison, they would.
When the Redcliffe Bridge was closed earlier this year, the official diversion to reach Queens Square was Redcliffe Road then Bristol Bridge, but the Council never covered over any of the No Left Turn or Bus Gate signs, so I was waiting for the envelopes to drop through the letter box. Fortunately nothing came.
zarjaz1991 said:
Most cities are the same.
They don’t want you driving. They are creating a hostile environment so that you don’t.
You are dealing with people who HATE cars and the freedom they bring. If they could put you in prison, they would.
To be fair, most cities now need to restrict private car use. There's too many cars, often with just one person in it, on roads that are already congested - causing delays to ambulances, delivery trucks, buses etcThey don’t want you driving. They are creating a hostile environment so that you don’t.
You are dealing with people who HATE cars and the freedom they bring. If they could put you in prison, they would.
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