what is the point of bus lanes?
what is the point of bus lanes?
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Discussion

jesta1865

Original Poster:

3,453 posts

239 months

Thursday 6th October 2011
quotequote all
if the fecking buses don't use them?

i live near the a13 in Essex and we have had weeks of roadworks as they put bus lanes in on the single carriage way bits near me. last night i am heading towards a bus as it signals to pull out, no worries i think its right at the start of the bus lane, he will stay in there and i can get past him in the other lane, not swerving or breaking the limit.

oh no knobhead bus driver swings out across the start of the lane and proceeds into my lane making me break sharpish (not emergency but not gentle) and trundles nearly a mile in my lane at 20mph (till the lane runs out at lights).

i didn't go in the bus lane as it was in force and i might get caught on cctv, but why spend all that flipping money for them to ignore it.

yes in the grand scheme of things its a little thing, but it really riled me and still makes me irritated.

trashbat

6,307 posts

183 months

Thursday 6th October 2011
quotequote all
Where did he go before the bus lane ended? Right turn/fork/exit from a roundabout?

I've seen buses trapped for a very long time in the bus lane waiting to move right so maybe he took the opportunity to move to the right before this became an issue.

The other thing is that the bus lane divider is a solid white line that (whilst in operation) neither you can cross to enter nor him to exit - http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?t=103... - so if he wanted to leave it later and there was no break to permit it, I believe he's technically right not to enter.

thinfourth2

32,414 posts

234 months

Thursday 6th October 2011
quotequote all
Mostly to annoy car drivers

Snowboy

8,028 posts

181 months

Thursday 6th October 2011
quotequote all
Sounds to me like he was getting ready to turn right at the lights to had to be in the right.
The bus lane may have only allowed him to go left or straight on.

rich_b

694 posts

276 months

Thursday 6th October 2011
quotequote all
Especially annoying when they build a bypass with a bus lane the whole length of it, and then don't use it as a bus route mad (A23 Coulsdon if anyone knows it)

At least they had a shred of decency to let motorbikes and anything over 3.5t use it. Doesn't make it right though!

Edit:
http://www.croydonguardian.co.uk/news/localnews/48...

That 'temporary' bus stop is utterly pointless as its at the end of the bypass right by the town!

jesta1865

Original Poster:

3,453 posts

239 months

Thursday 6th October 2011
quotequote all
the bus lane ends at the lights, and it merges into the lane we were both in, he went straight on at the lights and there was only one car behind me for ages so i can't see that he was worried about being boxed in.

i think he was just being an arse.

a mate teaches them to drive (PGV instructor) and reckons most of them have difficulty with walking through a doorway without banging into the sides.

johnnyreggae

3,164 posts

190 months

Thursday 6th October 2011
quotequote all
Bus lanes exist to massively reduce road capacity in the hope that the additional congestion will persuade car drivers to get the bus

Jasandjules

72,606 posts

259 months

Thursday 6th October 2011
quotequote all
thinfourth2 said:
Mostly to annoy car drivers
This.

Froomee

1,501 posts

199 months

Thursday 6th October 2011
quotequote all
Jasandjules said:
thinfourth2 said:
Mostly to annoy car drivers
This.
+2

MitchT

17,129 posts

239 months

Thursday 6th October 2011
quotequote all
johnnyreggae said:
Bus lanes exist to massively reduce road capacity in the hope that the additional congestion will persuade car drivers to get the bus
No, they don't actually want us to use the bus, they just want to make driving a car as 'stop-start' as possible so we'll burn more fuel, thus buying more fuel, thus paying more tax.

Zod

35,295 posts

288 months

Thursday 6th October 2011
quotequote all
johnnyreggae said:
Bus lanes exist to massively reduce road capacity in the hope that the additional congestion will persuade car drivers to get the bus
This is the truth.

sklar

1,491 posts

246 months

Thursday 6th October 2011
quotequote all
Froomee said:
Jasandjules said:
thinfourth2 said:
Mostly to annoy car drivers
This.
+2
Yes, and those lanes too biggrin Sorry 2+

martin84

5,366 posts

183 months

Thursday 6th October 2011
quotequote all
Bus Lanes certainly dont exist to improve the bus service, that much we do know. Its there to turn two good lanes into one to force car traffic to bottle, increase congestion and journey times on purpose in an attempt to force motorists to get the bus. And when we dont, they then say its our fault for using the car on the road and causing the congestion (which they caused) to justify taxing us more for the privilage. We all know towns and cities with these bus lanes, as many as four buses an hour go on that piece of road! Well thats certainly justification for shutting off 50% of the roadspace isnt it.

The idea is to have motorists stuck in a massive que, staring at the empty lane beside them, knowing if motorists could use both the congestion would be halved instantly, less fuel would be used, journey times would decrease, emissions would fall, dolphins would be saved, our childrens future would return and the planet would finally cool down. Tempted by this prospect of course alot will 'illegally' use the Bus Lane which generates some more cash for councils obviously.

In short, they're completely pointless. Why does 6% of the commute need 50% of the road?

jbi

12,700 posts

234 months

Thursday 6th October 2011
quotequote all
Social engineering at its worst

k-ink

9,070 posts

209 months

Thursday 6th October 2011
quotequote all
I always use bus lanes if I cannot see a bus in sight. Saved me half an hour sailing past a two mile que the other week. Never been caught.

All on private roads of course.

essexplumber

7,756 posts

203 months

Thursday 6th October 2011
quotequote all
k-ink said:
I always use bus lanes if I cannot see a bus in sight. Saved me half an hour sailing past a two mile que the other week. Never been caught.

All on private roads of course.
What about the static cameras? What about all the other drivers obeying the rules that you just sailed past? I'm no stickler for rules but here in Harlow/Lagos we have miles of mostly unused bus/benefit scrounger lanes and to sail past 30+ cars would be on a par with ignoring the que in a bank.

ZeeTacoe

5,444 posts

252 months

Thursday 6th October 2011
quotequote all
It's spelt queue.

essexplumber

7,756 posts

203 months

Thursday 6th October 2011
quotequote all
ZeeTacoe said:
It's spelt queue.
Thanks. I have just been asking "what?" in Spanish haven't I!

*Al*

3,830 posts

252 months

Thursday 6th October 2011
quotequote all
I love bus lanes as long as motorbikes can use them too. smile

Mr Gear

9,416 posts

220 months

Thursday 6th October 2011
quotequote all
I was filtering through solid traffic on my motorbike teh other day, and then was stopped because there was no room to get through... two buses were side by side.

THE S WERE HAVING A CHAT WITH EACH OTHER whilst the whole of South West London had to wait for them to finish their chinwag.