Bus lane fine?

jojo2

Just a question on getting fined for driving in a bus lane...i was turning left and pulled into the bus lane about 500m from my turn (maybe a bit too soon), taxi driver behind me starting pointing at the bus lane and then took down my reg no.
The question is if he does tell the guards (do people do this?!) is it possible to get a fine or points even if a guard didn't witness it?

Thanks!

Shield

I'd say you're perfectly safe jojo. Gardaí have far better things to be doing than following up a complaint from an aggrieved taxi driver that someone else was chancing it in a bus lane.

Now if you're caught in a bus lane... different story...

jojo2

Thought that! did make me wonder though, if it's possible to get a fine for something the guards didn't witness?

Shield

I'll leave that question for a serving member to answer, but I'd be quietly confident that you won't get a fine.

jojo2

jojo2 wrote: »

Thought that! did make me wonder though, if it's possible to get a fine for something the guards didn't witness?

It depends whether the taxi driver is prepared to be a witness if it goes to court. Thats how the Traffic Watch scheme works.

So if the taxi driver makes a complaint and agrees to be a witness then you will be contacted by gardai

silverharp

someone might want to tell taxi drivers that they dont switch the traffic lights off after midnight:pac:

silverharp

silverharp wrote: »

someone might want to tell taxi drivers that they dont switch the traffic lights off after midnight:pac:

And that they need to put their headlights on when it is dark and that they must be in working order.

timmywex

foreign wrote: »

And that they need to put their headlights on when it is dark and that they must be in working order.

And that speed limits also apply to them

jojo2

foreign wrote: »

It depends whether the taxi driver is prepared to be a witness if it goes to court. Thats how the Traffic Watch scheme works.

So if the taxi driver makes a complaint and agrees to be a witness then you will be contacted by gardai

well i hope angry taximan wouldn't go to those lengths! was hardly dangerous driving! thanks for the info though...

PCPhoto

I like the way this seems to have changed into a lets point out the number of different ways taxi drivers "bend" the rules of the road - which annoys the poster.

Personally - I hate them - but have learned that its simply a case of ignorance mixed with the feeling that since they are on the roads they simply must own it and have a right to do whatever they want. (for some of them - not all....lets be fair.)

I've been caught driving in a bus lane (6.45pm and I was running late for football 7pm) ...not giving an excuse just explaining why I did it - €70 fine.... I think its worth the risk....likelyhood of getting caught is fairly slim (but then again I'm a gambling man)

as for the OP - the actual chances you'll be fined are slim - as others have pointed out -if the taximan is willing to goto court ....no one wants to waste a couple of hours or even a day in a district court.

Traumadoc

timmywex wrote: »

And that speed limits also apply to them

Or that when turning they are permitted to use indicators.

Shield

Enough taxi driver bashing please. It has nothing to do with the OP's question.

Trojan911

OP,

When you were driving in the bus lane, what time of the day was it? In Cork bus lanes are only restricted during certain times of the day i.e. rush hour peroids in the morning & evening. Check the sign posts against the time you were in the lane.

Trojan911

Trojan911 wrote: »

OP,

When you were driving in the bus lane, what time of the day was it? In Cork bus lanes are only restricted during certain times of the day i.e. rush hour peroids in the morning & evening. Check the sign posts against the time you were in the lane.

I'd say if they are worried about it then the bus lane was in operation. In Dublin the lanes are 3hr 12hr and 24hr. The 24hr ones work brilliantly for the 24hr bus service that we have. Especially for beating the traffic jams, you think rush hour is bad?:rolleyes:


And maybe lock thread? The question has been answered.

Shield

Agreed. OP seems happy. Thread closed.