Grrr pulled over by guards this morning!

Cyrus

driving along the n11, 200 metres from the left turn up to sandyford so i pull into the bus lane to take the left and i get pulled in. guard takes my details but he said no points,

apparently i pulled in left too early im supposed to leave it til right up at the junction, mmmmm so what if a bus is to your left, you hold up the whole lane trying to turn left then?

he said no points just a fine, is this correct, how much of a fine?

Pataman

Guards there most mornings. you are lucky not to get points, no idea of the fine. Generally the bus will let you in. No sympathy though, you shouldnt be in the bus lane.

mikemac

Zero sympathy to be expected here.
You're lucky not to get not penalty points

You make a fair point, but what's worse is when people drive down the bus lane, see a checkpoint and then indicate right and stop until someone lets them in.
Of course noone lets them in, they were jumping the queue after all.

So the bus behind them with 50-60 people is stuck due to some inconsiderate person who wanted to save time.

Happens quite a lot outside Donnycarney Church.
Mainly moms in SUV's driving their kids the 1km to the local school

Anan1

Cyrus wrote:

driving along the n11, 200 metres from the left turn up to sandyford so i pull into the bus lane to take the left and i get pulled in. guard takes my details but he said no points,

apparently i pulled in left too early im supposed to leave it til right up at the junction, mmmmm so what if a bus is to your left, you hold up the whole lane trying to turn left then?

he said no points just a fine, is this correct, how much of a fine?

The end of the bus lane is clearly marked before that junction, and there's more than enough room to allow cars to turn left even with a bus at the lights. The danger in what you did is that cars moving into the turn left lane at the correct point will have to deal with you already in the bus lane. Be honest, you did it to jump the queue. I did it myself one morning when I was late for a wedding, got caught, paid the fine and didn't whine about it afterwards.;)

elivsvonchiaing

Got cautioned by a Garda at jcn Alfie Byrne Road - Clontarf road. I could see ahead the left turn arrow - but I was turning before it. Because I had no choice - everyone else turns before this.

When there are no gardaí at this junction - at 8:30am - often this bus-lane does not work.

At peak times motorists are forced to disobey road markings - simply because there are too many other road users willing to do so.

While joggers/joe public would object - this road could be modified from at least 300m back to allow traffic turning left to cross the bus-lane. This will happen when Dublin has its own underground metro.

I will likely also be underground (6ft) too at this stage!

Cyrus

Pataman wrote:

Guards there most mornings. you are lucky not to get points, no idea of the fine. Generally the bus will let you in. No sympathy though, you shouldnt be in the bus lane.

why am i lucky not to get points?

what bus drivers do you have, most of them are ignorant asses that will hardly let other bus drivers pass much less motorists

and its not as if i wanted to drive in the bus lane i was turning left, by me getting into that lane it allows traffic move more freely in the lanes going into town

just because rules are there doesnt make them right,

anyway i looked it up fine of 60quid, it must be like shooting fish in a barrel

Thomas_S_Hunterson

Cyrus wrote:

why am i lucky not to get points?

Insurance companies will use points as an excuse to double your premium

Sleipnir

sean_keevey wrote:

Insurance companies will use points as an excuse to double your premium

Oh balls. They don't care for the first two points at least.

OP, I know the junction and so many cars turn there they really should have a filter lane further back in my opinion. There's room for about two cars in the filter lane as it is.

Cyrus

sean_keevey wrote:

Insurance companies will use points as an excuse to double your premium

i know that, what he meant i was lucky not to get points for that particular offence, if they start giving points for something like that we'll all be off the road in no time

i actually wasnt even skipping a queue, i am working at a clients in sandyford this week, id say its the first time i ever used that junction, normally if im turning left i do it after the sign about 200m or so from the junction, and i agree with the last poster, the space legally given at the junction to go left isnt enough

Thomas_S_Hunterson

Cyrus wrote:

i actually wasnt even skipping a queue, i am working at a clients in sandyford this week, id say its the first time i ever used that junction, normally if im turning left i do it after the sign about 200m or so from the junction, and i agree with the last poster, the space legally given at the junction to go left isnt enough

you have the option to plead your case in front of a court

blastman

Sleipnir wrote:

Oh balls. They don't care for the first two points at least.

They also don't care what you get them for. I can understand why they would want to load your premium for speeding points, but (IMO) driving 50 yards in a bus lane and getting two points for it shouldn't come into play. It wouldn't be that hard to collect points for offences that don't really make you a more dangerous driver, yet this would, I presume, affect your insurance.

delly

You can't get points for driving in the buslane, so theres no lucky about it, it doesn't qualify. It amazes me that people still don't know what you can gets points for, despite the amount of press coveage :rolleyes:.

layke

elivsvonchiaing wrote:

At peak times motorists are forced to disobey road markings - simply because there are too many other road users willing to do so.

Aye this seems to be the case everywhere. Some ignorant tosser decides "Why should I have to sit in traffic". So the person hops into a bus lane and drives to the front of the queue and forces his way out. All smug and chuffed with himself he drives on saving 15 mins in traffic.

However Monkey see, monkey do. Then it's pretty much a case of if you don't do it your stuck in traffic for much longer.

Personally I make it my business to block people like that from getting out as much as possible. It's kinda satisfying to see them have a hissey fit when they get cut off.

jhegarty

layke wrote:

Personally I make it my business to block people like that from getting out as much as possible. It's kinda satisfying to see them have a hissey fit when they get cut off.

I do the same , if they want to hit me good luck to them.... but they are not getting my lane i qued fairly for....

blorg

Cyrus wrote:

i know that, what he meant i was lucky not to get points for that particular offence, if they start giving points for something like that we'll all be off the road in no time

... OR, maybe you'd all stop trying to skip the queue using the bus lane? Just a thought...

MercMad

At peak times motorists are forced to disobey road markings - simply because there are too many other road users willing to do so.

..........thats drivel !

nobody can "force" you to do anything you dont want to with your own car ! You are responsible for your actions !

"If you cant do the time, dont do the crime "

MrPudding

MercMad wrote:

..........thats drivel !

nobody can "force" you to do anything you dont want to with your own car ! You are responsible for your actions !

"If you cant do the time, dont do the crime "

This is what I love about drivers in Ireland, no personal responsibility.

"It's not my fault I ran the red light, the sequence is too long. It is the fault of whoever set them up."

"It's not my fault I was speeding, the limit is too slow. It is the fault of whoever decided on the limit."

"It's not my fault I got a ticket for being in the bus lane. Everyone else does it. It is the fault of the person who designed the junction."

"It's not my fault I drive unaccompanied and on the motorway, have you seen how long the waiting list fo the test is."

Of course, the chance of getting punished for any of this behaviour is so slim a lot of drivers think the risk is worthwhile.

MrP

TempestSabre

While I take the point that too many people don't obey the rules and that causes many problems. Stupid rules are equally bad. Where traffic is not likely to backup into the bus lane people should be able to use the bus lane earlier to turn left. A bit like turning right on a red in the States. Obviously if traffic turning left backs up into the bus lane, then thats the problem the bus lane is there for.

whippet

The idea of a bus lane is so that the bus can always be first at the lights when they change.

For people turning left on all the bus lanes I am familiar with there is ample space allocated to move into the bus lane to turn left. Anyone doing so before the allocated spot is 'jumping the queue'. The OP said it was about 200 yards before the junction when he moved in to the bus lane, that is about 175 yards of queue skipping.

TempestSabre

The OP was wrong no question. But there are bus lanes in Dublin that go right to the lights and you have to enter them to turn left. On a busy road you its almost impossible to do this at the lights, you have to filter into the lane before the lights.

SonOfPerdition

Cyrus wrote:

i know that, what he meant i was lucky not to get points for that particular offence, if they start giving points for something like that we'll all be off the road in no time

delly wrote:

You can't get points for driving in the buslane, so theres no lucky about it, it doesn't qualify. It amazes me that people still don't know what you can gets points for, despite the amount of press coveage :rolleyes:.

you can get one penalty point for

"Failure to comply with Traffic Lane Markings"

AlienGav

Don't cross continuous white lines!!!

There's a copy of the Rules Of The Road somewhere here on boards...

Cyrus

blorg wrote:

... OR, maybe you'd all stop trying to skip the queue using the bus lane? Just a thought...

there was no queue

Anan1

Cyrus wrote:

there was no queue

So why did you do it?

elivsvonchiaing

AlienGav wrote:

Don't cross continuous white lines!!!

There aren't any of these in Ireland which is why most such convictions are thrown out in court (I've been led to believe - and have observed myself!)

If the points system is ever going to work - serious work needs to be done on roads. I.e. markings...

TempestSabre

elivsvonchiaing wrote:

There aren't any of these in Ireland which is why most such convictions are thrown out in court (I've been led to believe - and have observed myself!)

If the points system is ever going to work - serious work needs to be done on roads. I.e. markings...

What do you mean. Theres continuous white lines everywhere.

\m/_(>_<)_\m/

whats this no continuous white lines...

one should keep eyes open when driving...:rolleyes:

Nuttzz

an american friend of mine got away with a smile from a cop when she told him she didnt know what "lana bus" was susposed to mean, it could have been no buses for all she knew....

Cyrus

Anan1 wrote:

So why did you do it?

because i was turning left

Anan1

Cyrus wrote:

because i was turning left

OK, I'll rephrase my question. Why did you pull into the bus lane 200 yards before the left turn when there was no queue?

Cyrus

i like to get into lane before the last second?

Anan1

Cyrus wrote:

i like to get into lane before the last second?

With all due respect, this has got to be one of the most lame excuses I have heard to date. We're talking about 200 yards here!! You deliberately and for no good reason drove in the bus lane, and you got caught. Pay the fine and move on.

Hotblack Desiato

Sleipnir wrote:

Oh balls. They don't care for the first two points at least.

Hibernian do. They dress it up as a "points-free discount", but in reality it means loading people with one point. There's no possible justification for this on the basis of risk, it's just profiteering.

Anan1

ninja900 wrote:

Hibernian do. They dress it up as a "points-free discount", but in reality it means loading people with one point. There's no possible justification for this on the basis of risk, it's just profiteering.

There kind of is a justification on the basis of risk, as it gives their existing customers an added incentive not to do things that might get them points.

Cyrus

Anan1 wrote:

With all due respect, this has got to be one of the most lame excuses I have heard to date. We're talking about 200 yards here!! You deliberately and for no good reason drove in the bus lane, and you got caught. Pay the fine and move on.

thank you father sorry i have sinned please pray for me so that i can become perfect like you

FX Meister

delly wrote:

You can't get points for driving in the buslane, so theres no lucky about it, it doesn't qualify. It amazes me that people still don't know what you can gets points for, despite the amount of press coveage :rolleyes:.

Failure to comply with traffic lane markings. 1 Point
Failure to comply with prohibitory traffic signs. 1 Point
Gardaí have the choice.
It amazes me that people still don't know what counts as either traffic lane markings or prohibitory traffic signs. :rolleyes:

Cyrus

i doubt gardai have a choice, why should they, the law is the law, they just enforce it.

http://www.transport.ie/upload/general/7424-1.pdf

this appears to suggest that there is a fixed fine for driving in a bus lane, and i owuld imagine if one were to get points for such an offence, bringing the attached to court would get you off pretty quickly

Anan1

Cyrus wrote:

thank you father sorry i have sinned please pray for me so that i can become perfect like you

If you were to actually read my posts before replying to them then you'd be aware that I've been caught there myself. Difference is, I didn't try to defend the indefensible.;)

Cyrus

i know im only pulling your leg! ive gotten over my original indignation at this stage anyway

seriously tho i was honestly just taking the left, i dunno if i have ever used that jn before, i certainly wasnt aware of how little of the lane you are allowed use, i know now tho!

TempestSabre

Theres a few odd junctions around where the bus lane doesn't really end and there practically no break for turning left. With the inconsistancy of the road markings its easy to get caught out if you are not familar. We all make mistakes.
That said 200yrs is a long way down. To quote the bard...

"...doth protest too much, methinks."

No points so really not much to complain about in fairness.