Bus Lanes

jjohnson1984

What is the point when the Garda do not enforce them, yesterday I was stuck on Gardner street for bloody ages as cars were blocking the full length of the bus lane whilst some Traffic Corp sat in his car munching away on lunch? If they are not going to do their jobs why should they be being paid with taxpayers money?

MugMugs

jjohnson1984 wrote: »

What is the point when the Garda do not enforce them, yesterday I was stuck on Gardner street for bloody ages as cars were blocking the full length of the bus lane whilst some Traffic Corp sat in his car munching away on lunch? If they are not going to do their jobs why should they be being paid with taxpayers money?

He was having his lunch !

Do you continue to work when eating your sandwich ? I do actually so bad example....

I had a great argument with a Garda a while back over a related topic over dinner.....

I was sitting in traffic by Blanch IT where the traffic was backed up to the Dolly heffernans roundabout ( quite far ) The left lane was heavily clogged as everyone wanted to turn off for Finglas and the relief exit further down the road was closed and the right lane was clogged for people going on straight cos there were a load of muppets jumping the left hand Q and clogging the right one up....

Anyway, some goon is sitting on the round about indicating left in the right lane in a box junction when a Motorcycle Garda comes along, see's whats happening, negotiates around yer man and drives off...

I went mad BUT the guy who I was having a go at over dinner said that he was probably out to report on all traffic issues and not to take action.


Effectively, his job was to report back to somewhere else ( harcourt street or the Depot in the park ) where somebody ELSE can do absolutely nothing about it !

Gotta love this country !!! )

jjohnson1984

I didn't have any lunch today! :S But if I see something like that and it was me I'd do something.

Sorry I should have been clearer. The guy was having his lunch, with the car parked IN the bus lane so we had to go round the outside, And then go back in the bus lane when we got round him. and sit in the traffic for a few minutes. It happened a year ago too, driver asked traffic corp why he was allowing it to happen, traffic corp asks "What do you want me to do about it" isn't that their job?

One thing I also hate. People who drive with 25% of their car in one lane and the other 75% of the other which means he then blocks both lanes.

Wishbone Ash

jjohnson1984 wrote: »

traffic corp asks "What do you want me to do about it" isn't that their job?

He may have already radioed for the tow truck.

What else did you expect him to do? Placing a ticket on the car won't get rid of the blockage.

jjohnson1984

Well on a normal day there would be someone keeping an eye on the place on roaming patrols. You know how it works, if one person does it, it then makes another person think, well if he did it I will, and so on. But if they see traffic corps are there they don't do it. A tow truck is no use though when there are 100 cars there the whole length of the street.

There needs to be some kind of penalty for drivers who do this, at the moment it's like, Don't drive in the bus lane, but we won't do anything if you do, and if the Garda are not their these drivers are playing on that.

Steviemak

I believe in other countries buses take pictures of cars in Bus lanes and the driver gets sent out a fine in the post. Definitely something dublin bus should look into.

jjohnson1984

Steviemak wrote: »

I believe in other countries buses take pictures of cars in Bus lanes and the driver gets sent out a fine in the post. Definitely something dublin bus should look into.

Yes, bingo, thats exactly what should happen unless there is a very good reason (The other lane was closed for example)

AlekSmart

Traffic Law enforcement is a matter for the Garda Siochana and Dublin Bus can look into On Board Cameras until they turn as yellow as their new BusStops all to no avail.

The topic was raised before in differing fora and one odd element to be revealed was a difference in outlook between the City Council and the Gardai in how Junction Monitoring Cameras would work.

There is also the rather important aspect of quite a large chunk of the judiciary being unwilling to convict on photographic evidence alone (no matter how graphic or clear it may be).
Many Judges will insist on a Member of the Gardai or other statutorily empowered person actually having to give evidence of detection and caution etc etc ad nauseum...Yawnnnnn.

The London situation is also interesting in that I understand some elements of the Law were changed to downgrade the Bus Lane infringement to breaking a Bye Law or some other CIVIL stricture which reduced the burden of proof required to secure a conviction......Now THAT is highly unlikely to happen here ... :eek:

paulm17781

I find it incredible how there is all this hysteria about road deaths lately meanwhile the Gardai do NOTHING about minor traffic offenses. If people actually thought they would get punished for bad driving, the road fatalities would drop considerably.

Davidth88

It's worse than this.

Yesterday the Garda were enforcing the bus lane in the Nangor Road ( a joke of a bus lane because there are hardly any buses run down it )

But what were they doing .. pulling people and yes you have it ... blocking the bus lane while they did the paperwork.

These guys honestly havn't got the brains they were born with.

If you are pulling people for using the bus lane , DON'T BLOCK THE BUS LANE , pull them into an area that does not block the traffic.

Dohhhhhhhhhhhhhh

AlekSmart

Sometimes however the Gardai are in a non win situation.....

I once witnessed a fierce row on the St Stephens Green East Bus Lane between a Motorcycle Garda and a Lady Cyclist.
The Garda had spotted the Lady wobbling into the Bus Lane at the Shelbourne Hotel and heading in nthe direction of Leeson St.
It`s a stretch of Bus Lane which is constantyly populated by Cycles despite the fact that it is CLEARLY signposted as a BUS ONLY lane.

Our Cycling dame was having none of this oppressive policing lark and was giving the Garda as good as she got....and then some !!
Whilst I was sitting behind the feuding duo,the Garda was finally forced to dismount and walk the woman back to THE REGULATORY SIGN and point,in his best schoolteacher mode, to the illustrative plate.....it made no difference as the lady simply drew second wind and began to share even more of her views with the member........at that point I had to leave but I often wonder if the Maria had to be called to remove her and her bicycle to the safety of Harcourt Tce.

Yet again however,it does show how Regulatory Signage in Ireland really does need to be as Simplistic and attention grabbing as possible....of course the Lady in question may well have been "Well Connected" and had the signage amended in the interim....in addition to having the Garda transferred to an Schellig Mhòr...

markpb

I'm not sure that's a problem of the format of the sign, more that the sign and regulation are senseless. There are advantages to bus-only lanes in some places but a congested and short street in the city centre is not one of those places. Common sense should come into play and if we can't expect it from the city council, we should expect it from the gardai.

ardmacha

I once witnessed a fierce row on the St Stephens Green East Bus Lane between a Motorcycle Garda and a Lady Cyclist.

Many cyclists are a law unto themselves, who have no respect for the laws the rest of us have to follow.

paulm17781

ardmacha wrote: »

Many cyclists are a law unto themselves, who have no respect for the laws the rest of us have to follow.

As are many truck, taxi, bus, car and motorcycle drivers. The problem is no one enforces the rules of the road.

trellheim

Regarding Alek S post I find it insane that we have

Bus but not Cycle Lanes [ ie SSG East ]

The alternative route for cyclists [ Baggot St/Pembroke St/Leeson St ] is 100 times more dangerous due to the massive amount of lane changes and high speeds by motor traffic on Leeson St.

Therefore I will cycle down the bus only lane. Yes, I see the sign. It is safer for me to use SSG.

lamaq

Regarding SSG East its worth pointing out that the 'Bus only' lane turns left onto a bus lane with a bike lane (Leeson St), the only other way I can think of getting onto to that bike lane is turning right from Earlsford Terrace which I can't imagine anyone needing to do. Call me a cynic but probably a case of DCC not bothering to think of cyclists when the traffic changes were made for the LUAS. As was pointed out already it's also a lot safer than other routes.

Getting back to the original point I don't think the fine is even that much if (and that's a big if) you get a ticket hence the current situation. Gardai don't do enough enforcement IMO.

bazzer

Davidth88 wrote: »

Yesterday the Garda were enforcing the bus lane in the Nangor Road ( a joke of a bus lane because there are hardly any buses run down it )

Are you for real? The 151 has an average 10 minute frequency.

http://www.dublinbus.ie/your_journey/viewer.asp?route=151

SickCert

ardmacha wrote: »

Many cyclists are a law unto themselves, who have no respect for the laws the rest of us have to follow.

As bad as that sounds, were all not too far behind. Ive seen almost every type of road user bend the rules and go for it when they think no one in power is watching.

MugMugs

I think that Bus Lanes are illegal....

Do the rules of the road not state that one may only "under take" on the left hand side should traffic be turning right ?

Also, any Garda that sits in a bus lane and nabs people deserves to be kicked back to Templemore via Cork...... when we have a transport system that can justify wasting a vital part of our over crowded roads then they should be enforcing the law.... Not now !

markpb

If you've ever been on a bus stuck going nowhere because a stupid car driver is blocking the bus lane, you'll understand why the gardai enforce them. One of the ways of improving our transport system are gardai enforced bus lanes - you can't have it both ways.

Potential-Monke

Ye do know that if a Garda does indeed fine someone for doing any of the above mentioned, he will not be congratulated or thanked for his work, no, he'll get abuse from EVERYONE that he should be out catching the "real" criminals. I'm against Gardai thinking that because they can enforce the law that they can make it to suit themselves, but there just isn't enough manpower in An Garda Siochana to satisfy everyone! Also, the job of the Garda is 20 times harder now than it was even 10 years ago!

MugMugs

markpb wrote: »

If you've ever been on a bus stuck going nowhere because a stupid car driver is blocking the bus lane, you'll understand why the gardai enforce them. One of the ways of improving our transport system are gardai enforced bus lanes - you can't have it both ways.

I drvoe down the last 200 metres of a bus lane on the Navan road approaching the Southbound slip to the M50 some time back with no buses, Taxi's or any other service vehicles behind me ( or so I thought )

Mondeo pops out, lights up like a christmas tree and pulls me over....

Despite my observations that there were no Buses or Taxi's around and I had only cut into the last 200 metres of the Bus Lane in light traffic the Guard booked and fined me but his fall back was " Ah ye wont get points ! "

Whoop De Doo !

markpb

It's fine if one car does it. What about two, three or more? Then suddenly the lights change and the bus has to queue at the next junction instead of getting the priority it deserves. One hundred people sitting waiting because you think the gardai have better things to do.

Sarn

Saw a merc driver driving down my local bus lane (Stillorgan road) past all the law abiding commuters with his hazard lights on while talking on his mobile phone (I lost sight of him after a km). Drives me mad. I must say bus lanes when operated efficiently are a godsend.

Keith186

MugMugs wrote: »

I think that Bus Lanes are illegal....

Do the rules of the road not state that one may only "under take" on the left hand side should traffic be turning right ?

No you can overtake on the left when the queue in the right hand lane is moving slower.

As for motorcyclist using the bus lanes, it's safer than having them legally filtering down in the middle lane of the cars in opposite directions. It's now legal to drive in bus lanes in NI and possibly it will be legal here soon also. It's not like they block the bus from going anywhere like cars do so most Gardai do nothing about them and cyclists which is only right.

Spook_ie

MugMugs wrote: »

I drvoe down the last 200 metres of a bus lane on the Navan road approaching the Southbound slip to the M50 some time back with no buses, Taxi's or any other service vehicles behind me ( or so I thought )

Mondeo pops out, lights up like a christmas tree and pulls me over....

Despite my observations that there were no Buses or Taxi's around and I had only cut into the last 200 metres of the Bus Lane in light traffic the Guard booked and fined me but his fall back was " Ah ye wont get points ! "

Whoop De Doo !

If it was light traffic why did you feel the need to cut in 200m ahead of where you were allowed?

I mean you would not expect to pull onto the hard shoulder of a motorway at the 200m marker to exit at the next junction, or would you?

paulm17781

MugMugs wrote: »

I drvoe down the last 200 metres of a bus lane on the Navan road approaching the Southbound slip to the M50 some time back with no buses, Taxi's or any other service vehicles behind me ( or so I thought )

Mondeo pops out, lights up like a christmas tree and pulls me over....

Despite my observations that there were no Buses or Taxi's around and I had only cut into the last 200 metres of the Bus Lane in light traffic the Guard booked and fined me but his fall back was " Ah ye wont get points ! "

Whoop De Doo !

So you were only in the last 200m. That is in the bus lane is it not. It doesn't matter where, the point is you were in the bus lane.

The attitude of "Ah I was only..." is the problem. This is the sort of thing that should be clamped down on.

ojewriej

MugMugs wrote: »

I drvoe down the last 200 metres of a bus lane on the Navan road approaching the Southbound slip to the M50 some time back with no buses, Taxi's or any other service vehicles behind me ( or so I thought )

Mondeo pops out, lights up like a christmas tree and pulls me over....

Despite my observations that there were no Buses or Taxi's around and I had only cut into the last 200 metres of the Bus Lane in light traffic the Guard booked and fined me but his fall back was " Ah ye wont get points ! "

Whoop De Doo !

He was dead right to fine you. You should get points too.

You say 200 meters, so it was probably 500, and even if it was only 200, the rules are there for a reason. It's not only about blocking the traffic, but about drivers who are following the law and changing the lanes when they are supposed to. It's really annoying to be stuck in traffic and seeing i'm-better-than-everybody-else a***holes flying by on the bus lane.

I hope you at least learned your lesson

Stark

MugMugs wrote: »

I drvoe down the last 200 metres of a bus lane on the Navan road approaching the Southbound slip to the M50 some time back with no buses, Taxi's or any other service vehicles behind me ( or so I thought )

Mondeo pops out, lights up like a christmas tree and pulls me over....

Despite my observations that there were no Buses or Taxi's around and I had only cut into the last 200 metres of the Bus Lane in light traffic the Guard booked and fined me but his fall back was " Ah ye wont get points ! "

Whoop De Doo !

Delighted to hear that. As other posters have said, typically one car does it, then all the other sheep decide "me too" and whatever cars have waited until the legally turning in point find themselves having to force their way into a queue of cars flying down the bus lane or wait for the bus lane to finally clear again so they can make their turn.

A friend of mine was saying on a quiet day, a Garda friend of hers waits for someone to abuse the bus lane and if nothing happens, he pulls into it himself and then all the sheep coming flocking after him I do like that he's imposing a "moronic sheep" tax on people

bk

MugMugs wrote: »

I think that Bus Lanes are illegal....

Do the rules of the road not state that one may only "under take" on the left hand side should traffic be turning right ?

Re-read your rules of the road, you are allowed to undertake on the left if the traffic on the right is stationary or very slow.

mrplop

Didn't you know it's legal to drive in bus lanes if you own a 5 series BMW or a Mercedes? It's also a well known fact that crime doesn't actually occur when the Gardai are on lunch.

MugMugs,

My heart bleeds for you, it really does - what's going on the world when you're not allowed to break the law when you it suits you?

LXFlyer

Why bring back a zombie thread 4 years after the last post?

mrplop

lxflyer wrote: »

Why bring back a zombie thread 4 years after the last post?

Why respond to a reply in a Zombie thread after 4 years?

BrianD

Keith186 wrote: »

No you can overtake on the left when the queue in the right hand lane is moving slower.

As for motorcyclist using the bus lanes, it's safer than having them legally filtering down in the middle lane of the cars in opposite directions. It's now legal to drive in bus lanes in NI and possibly it will be legal here soon also. It's not like they block the bus from going anywhere like cars do so most Gardai do nothing about them and cyclists which is only right.

bus lane is clearly marked with a solid white line. You are not supposed enter or leave the lane until the line is broken. Bus lanes can also have a separate maximum speed.

I can't see how any cyclist could view the bus lane on St. Stephens Green as safe to use. I've tried it myself. You have no room to manoeuver and you are holding up buses in the lane. To move out of the way of a bus you either mount the pavement or cross into oncoming traffic. How is that safer than the alternative route?

Run_to_da_hills

paulm17781 wrote: »

As are many truck, taxi, bus, car and motorcycle drivers. The problem is no one enforces the rules of the road.

As a biker (Motorcyclist) it is often safer to use the bus lane than ride down the medium between oncoming traffic. A lot of roads have tightened up space for motorcyclists when they incorporated bus and bicycle lanes, In the UK its encouraged.

Rock of Gibraltar

Back on OT i've often wondered why Dublin doesn't isolate out different traffic lanes like in Paris for the wider city centre streets and those parts of streets where the temptation to drive on the bus lane is greatest.
Westmoreland St comes to mind, a kerb or median blocking the bus lanes from private traffic might be useful.
Some photo's from Paris here
http://www.humantransit.org/2010/07/paris-the-street-is-ours.html
Just noticed they have much wider bus lanes than in Dublin.

mrplop

lxflyer,

It's ALIVE!!!

Didn't realise it was an old thread until you kindly informed me.
I experienced the joy of another motorist jumping in to the bus lane in his 2006 Mercedes SLS 350 thus stopping me from entering it legally -when I gave him a toot he threatened to hit me and accused me of being jealous prick. It's true - I wish I had spent almost 100k on a car with a 3.5 litre engine that was only worth 15 grand now. It does seem like the drivers of luxury viehicles have a sense of over entitlement.

It's been 4 years since anyone posted in this thread and with all the advancements in society and technology, motorists are still dicking each other over -

what a shocker!

mrplop

Rock of Gibraltar wrote: »

Westmoreland St comes to mind, a kerb or median blocking the bus lanes from private traffic might be useful.
Some photo's from Paris here
http://www.humantransit.org/2010/07/paris-the-street-is-ours.html
Just noticed they have much wider bus lanes than in Dublin.

I would imagine a great deal of the roads aren't wide enough plus it would cost money which we don't have anymore.

TD's are legally able to use bus lanes since last year - they don't really give a damn about how these everyday occurences effect us 'little people'.

Markcheese

Are you serious about the TD thing. ? Even if you aren't it makes me so mad that I could grumble and complain to myself....repeatedly....