Bus gate penalty notice
Discussion
So ive just got home to find the Mrs has been sent a PCN for driving in a bus lane when we went to see her family in a town we don't often frequent.
On closer inspection the bus lane is in fact a bus gate, which untill today neither of us have ever heard of.
Said bus gate is on an otherwise straight section of road through a large new housing estate and is the natural route you'd take if going from one end to the other.
I'll put a picture below, but do we have anything we can appeal? Ignorance is not a defence I'm sure but is the signage correct? We never passed a solid line only the markings on the road and the signs doesn't state no cars it just says buses and bicycles.
Its one of those things where we feel it's really unfair that it was a genuine mistake and not actually knowing what a bus gate is, we weren't trying to get away with anything.
Frustratingly a quick google search suggsts bus gates give buses a quicker way through the traffic,there wasnt another car on the road let alone traffic!
On closer inspection the bus lane is in fact a bus gate, which untill today neither of us have ever heard of.
Said bus gate is on an otherwise straight section of road through a large new housing estate and is the natural route you'd take if going from one end to the other.
I'll put a picture below, but do we have anything we can appeal? Ignorance is not a defence I'm sure but is the signage correct? We never passed a solid line only the markings on the road and the signs doesn't state no cars it just says buses and bicycles.
Its one of those things where we feel it's really unfair that it was a genuine mistake and not actually knowing what a bus gate is, we weren't trying to get away with anything.
Frustratingly a quick google search suggsts bus gates give buses a quicker way through the traffic,there wasnt another car on the road let alone traffic!
Edited by Cakey_ on Wednesday 14th May 20:02
Edited by Cakey_ on Wednesday 14th May 20:02
Cakey_ said:
So ive just got home to find the Mrs has been cent a PCN for driving in a bus lane when we went to see her family in a town we don't often frequent.
On closer inspection the bus lane is in fact a bus gate, which untill today neither of us hsbe ever heard of.
Said bus gate is on an otherwise straight section of road through a large new housing estate and is the natural route you'd take if going from one end to the other.
I'll put a picture below, but do we have anything we can appeal? Ignorance is not a defence I'm sure but is the signage correct? We never passed a solid line only the markings on the road and the signs doesn't state no cars it just says buses and bicycles.
Its one of those things where we feel it's really unfair that it was a genuine mistake and not actually knowing what a bus gate is, we weren't trying to get away with anything.
Frustratingly a quick google search suggsts bus gates give buses a quicker way through the traffic,there wasnt another car on the road let alone traffic!
This probably won’t go well….On closer inspection the bus lane is in fact a bus gate, which untill today neither of us hsbe ever heard of.
Said bus gate is on an otherwise straight section of road through a large new housing estate and is the natural route you'd take if going from one end to the other.
I'll put a picture below, but do we have anything we can appeal? Ignorance is not a defence I'm sure but is the signage correct? We never passed a solid line only the markings on the road and the signs doesn't state no cars it just says buses and bicycles.
Its one of those things where we feel it's really unfair that it was a genuine mistake and not actually knowing what a bus gate is, we weren't trying to get away with anything.
Frustratingly a quick google search suggsts bus gates give buses a quicker way through the traffic,there wasnt another car on the road let alone traffic!
I don't want to be too hard on you OP, as we all make mistakes and hopefully learn as we go along, but admitting you don't know what a bus gate is and not understanding a perfectly normal 'buses only' sign, is not a good image and certainly not good grounds for an appeal.
Maybe a few hours swatting up on the highway code might be a good idea in case you find something else you've never come across before.
Maybe a few hours swatting up on the highway code might be a good idea in case you find something else you've never come across before.
This one was on a main road in Southampton. Absolute joke shutting the main road for cars during certain times only. Nobody wanted it and it seems a complete waste of money.
https://www.dailyecho.co.uk/news/25162781.southamp...
https://www.dailyecho.co.uk/news/25162781.southamp...
Yellow Lizud said:
I don't want to be too hard on you OP, as we all make mistakes and hopefully learn as we go along, but admitting you don't know what a bus gate is and not understanding a perfectly normal 'buses only' sign, is not a good image and certainly not good grounds for an appeal.
Maybe a few hours swatting up on the highway code might be a good idea in case you find something else you've never come across before.
Be as hard as you like, in over 15 years of driving I've never seen nor come across one, I'm a big boy and can take it on the chin, I just wanted to make sure it was signed correctly and no grounds for appeal. Maybe a few hours swatting up on the highway code might be a good idea in case you find something else you've never come across before.
The natural flow of the road is through there, it's not obvious (other than the signs I know) that you shouldn't go through there.
We weren't from the area, the Mrs used to be and it used to be a normal bit of the road, it's now a bus gate for no reason at all when you look at the road.
We all make mistakes, this one will cost us 35 quid it seems, but why wouldn't I check it's all above board before parting with my hard earned cash because we made a mistake.
48k said:
Cakey_ said:
Ignorance is not a defence I'm sure
You know deep down this is the correct answer.Edit: Highway code piccy:
Edited by 48k on Wednesday 14th May 15:23
What is a defence though is incorrect signage and road markings hence asking it's all kosher.
I think the signage (in the second pic) could be better. There seems to be three ways to sign a bus lane:
1
2
3
I don't mind admitting I learned something from this thread. The blue signs, which display what's permitted (buses and cycles in the above example) also forbid other kinds of traffic, implicitly. The second variation is more clear and the no entry sign is more widely found. And the third variation (I know its a bad example with a time limit too) is pretty clear and likely to be more widely understood too.
1
2
3
I don't mind admitting I learned something from this thread. The blue signs, which display what's permitted (buses and cycles in the above example) also forbid other kinds of traffic, implicitly. The second variation is more clear and the no entry sign is more widely found. And the third variation (I know its a bad example with a time limit too) is pretty clear and likely to be more widely understood too.
Cakey_ said:
So ive just got home to find the Mrs has been cent a PCN for driving in a bus lane when we went to see her family in a town we don't often frequent.
On closer inspection the bus lane is in fact a bus gate, which untill today neither of us hsbe ever heard of.
Said bus gate is on an otherwise straight section of road through a large new housing estate and is the natural route you'd take if going from one end to the other.
I'll put a picture below, but do we have anything we can appeal? Ignorance is not a defence I'm sure but is the signage correct? We never passed a solid line only the markings on the road and the signs doesn't state no cars it just says buses and bicycles.
Its one of those things where we feel it's really unfair that it was a genuine mistake and not actually knowing what a bus gate is, we weren't trying to get away with anything.
Frustratingly a quick google search suggsts bus gates give buses a quicker way through the traffic,there wasnt another car on the road let alone traffic!
This is why / how they rake in £Millions a year though.On closer inspection the bus lane is in fact a bus gate, which untill today neither of us hsbe ever heard of.
Said bus gate is on an otherwise straight section of road through a large new housing estate and is the natural route you'd take if going from one end to the other.
I'll put a picture below, but do we have anything we can appeal? Ignorance is not a defence I'm sure but is the signage correct? We never passed a solid line only the markings on the road and the signs doesn't state no cars it just says buses and bicycles.
Its one of those things where we feel it's really unfair that it was a genuine mistake and not actually knowing what a bus gate is, we weren't trying to get away with anything.
Frustratingly a quick google search suggsts bus gates give buses a quicker way through the traffic,there wasnt another car on the road let alone traffic!
TX.
Totally agree. Bus gates should have a No Entry sign together with "except buses, bicycles or whatever".
Bristol is full of the darned things and they're very tricky to spot if you're not familiar with the town, not least because so much traffic will be driving through them. i.e. buses, motorcycles, bicycles and taxis. I'm pleased to report that Bristol council lost a number of court cases and was forced to improve their signage after raking in a huge pot of fines.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c4grvnyj130o
Bristol is full of the darned things and they're very tricky to spot if you're not familiar with the town, not least because so much traffic will be driving through them. i.e. buses, motorcycles, bicycles and taxis. I'm pleased to report that Bristol council lost a number of court cases and was forced to improve their signage after raking in a huge pot of fines.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c4grvnyj130o
paul_c123 said:
I think the signage (in the second pic) could be better. There seems to be three ways to sign a bus lane:
1
2
3
I don't mind admitting I learned something from this thread. The blue signs, which display what's permitted (buses and cycles in the above example) also forbid other kinds of traffic, implicitly. The second variation is more clear and the no entry sign is more widely found. And the third variation (I know its a bad example with a time limit too) is pretty clear and likely to be more widely understood too.
To be fair, he wasn’t talking about a bus lane.1
2
3
I don't mind admitting I learned something from this thread. The blue signs, which display what's permitted (buses and cycles in the above example) also forbid other kinds of traffic, implicitly. The second variation is more clear and the no entry sign is more widely found. And the third variation (I know its a bad example with a time limit too) is pretty clear and likely to be more widely understood too.
Id like to know, which town thinks this is sensible signage.
Id certainly get caught, and if I was a magistrate I'd find that style of signage guaranteed to cause confusion. In 40 years of driving,I've never seen such inappropriate signage.
The No entry sign ,Accept Buses is appropriate signage.
I have to assume it's been signed this way to guarantee an income stream.
I feel angry and sorry for the OP.
Id certainly get caught, and if I was a magistrate I'd find that style of signage guaranteed to cause confusion. In 40 years of driving,I've never seen such inappropriate signage.
The No entry sign ,Accept Buses is appropriate signage.
I have to assume it's been signed this way to guarantee an income stream.
I feel angry and sorry for the OP.
Edited by astonman on Wednesday 14th May 17:09
Speed Matters | Speed, Plod & the Law | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff