London buses and hazard lights. Stop it!

[Kermit power]

I've noticed lately that more and more London buses are putting their hazard lights on when they're pulled into bus stops.

No doubt they think they're being helpful by showing other road users that they're not about to pull away from the stop, but I can only assume that the hazard light switch also activates some sort of immensely powerful electromagnet which specifically attracts other London buses to the back bumper of those with their hazards on.

Whatever the reason, I have lost count of the times I've started to slow down on my commute so that a bus indicating right can pull out in front of me, only to then get to enough of an angle to see that the left indicator is also flashing because the driver has helpfully applied his hazard lights.

Who would one write to in order to try and get a missive sent round to all London bus drivers to tell them this is an annoying mis-use of hazard lights which they need to stop forthwith?

[NR91]

Letting people out in London? You're doing it wrong.

[Pondered Scrotum]

Get out of London.

HTH.

[mgtony]

Always thought hazzard lights should be some sort of double flash to differentiate from the indicator flash.

[vit4]

Must confess the only places I've seen this are outside bus stations, presumably during a driver change?

[swamp]

This is what busses do when they break down (which happens often).

Or when the driver wants to stop for a cup of tea (which happens more often).

[McSam]

What the hell's wrong with their left indicator?!

[someday]

We put our hazards on when we're going to be there for a while so that buses behind don't pull up too close and get stuck. We'll often be told to hold for a couple of minutes if there's a big gap behind or to let a wheelchair on or the bus has broken down etc etc.

[groomi]

mgtony said:

Always thought hazzard lights should be some sort of double flash to differentiate from the indicator flash.

Good idea.

[rswift]

Talking of London Buse, twice last week I was stuck in traffic mayhem caused by bendy buses taking a wring turning, and then (unsuccessfully) trying to reverse out. The bus just works like reversing a trailer, but reversing seemed to be missed from the driver training. One bus just abandoned with its back half at an ackward angle sticking out along Regents ST.. With it's hazards on.

[Kermit power]

NR91 said:

Letting people out in London? You're doing it wrong.

I'm doing it on a push bike, so vulnerability breeds courtesy in my case!

someday said:

We put our hazards on when we're going to be there for a while so that buses behind don't pull up too close and get stuck. We'll often be told to hold for a couple of minutes if there's a big gap behind or to let a wheelchair on or the bus has broken down etc etc.

Cheers for that. I'd discounted them being broken down, as they often enough do start moving to think there has to be another reason, but I hadn't thought of the notion of evening back out the schedule.

Still annoying though!

[louiebaby]

Kermit power said:

Whatever the reason, I have lost count of the times I've started to slow down on my commute so that a bus indicating right can pull out in front of me, only to then get to enough of an angle to see that the left indicator is also flashing because the driver has helpfully applied his hazard lights.

This is something that bugs me on a daily basis. If I'm on a bike, other car and road users wonder why I'm pulling right out to let the bus pull out. In a car, I end up sat waiting for a bus that doesn't want to pull out.

One day, I'll be wrong on the bike and get flattened.

[angusc43]

louiebaby said:

Kermit power said:

Whatever the reason, I have lost count of the times I've started to slow down on my commute so that a bus indicating right can pull out in front of me, only to then get to enough of an angle to see that the left indicator is also flashing because the driver has helpfully applied his hazard lights.

This is something that bugs me on a daily basis. If I'm on a bike, other car and road users wonder why I'm pulling right out to let the bus pull out. In a car, I end up sat waiting for a bus that doesn't want to pull out.

One day, I'll be wrong on the bike and get flattened.

Don't worry. The one that will kill you will just pull out without indicating.

[EDLT]

Kermit power said:

NR91 said:

Letting people out in London? You're doing it wrong.

I'm doing it on a push bike, so vulnerability breeds courtesy in my case!

You're definitely doing that wrong, you are supposed to put your life in other people's hands then complain when they nearly kill you.