Bus lanes and turning left

AugustusMaximus

Just need quick clarification on this one.

Just say there is a bus lane to your left and if up ahead, you want to turn left. I'm I right in guessing that you are allowed to enter the bus lane before the junction in order to turn left.

My reasoning behind this, is that if the lights were red, you could be stuck in the lane outside of the bus lane, with the bus lane clogged with buses, stopping you from turning left.

No road markings indicating lane usage on this one btw.

seamus

Letter of the law, you should wait in the lane for a sufficient gap in the bus lane to allow you to enter the left-hand lane and turn left.

In reality, you should aim to facilitate the movement of traffic and pulling in behind a bus in a bus lane is the action will have the least impact on traffic flow.

I've heard of people failing their driving tests for not entering the bus lane behind a bus.

AugustusMaximus

seamus wrote: »

Letter of the law, you should wait in the lane for a sufficient gap in the bus lane to allow you to enter the left-hand lane and turn left.

In reality, you should aim to facilitate the movement of traffic and pulling in behind a bus in a bus lane is the action will have the least impact on traffic flow.

I've heard of people failing their driving tests for not entering the bus lane behind a bus.

So I'm allowed to enter the bus lane but must do my utmost to not pull in in front of a bus ?


THe main reason I'm posting this is because tonight I was in the bus lane turning left and a person in the driving lane beside me also decided to turn left. Musn't have seen me in the bus lane at all.

seamus

No, strictly speaking you're not permitted to enter the bus lane.

The person in the lane beside you would be required to yield to you in the left-hand lane, regardless of whether or not you're supposed to be there.

bazzer

If there's provision for turning left across a bus lane, then this will be marked by broken white lines near the end of the bus lane with a left-turn arrow. Bus drivers are supposed to make allowances for such traffic attempting such manoeuvres.

Don't try turning left until you reach the broken white lines and don't queue in the bus lane, like many ignorant and selfish motorists.

Vic_08

bazzer wrote: »

If there's provision for turning left across a bus lane, then this will be marked by broken white lines near the end of the bus lane with a left-turn arrow. Bus drivers are supposed to make allowances for such traffic attempting such manoeuvres.

Only as much as any driver is supposed to make allowances for people trying to change lanes, the priority in this case is with the bus continuing on in the lane over the car changing lanes.

bazzer wrote: »

Don't try turning left until you reach the broken white lines and don't queue in the bus lane, like many ignorant and selfish motorists.

I have seen two incidents (one collision and one road rage) as well as numerous near misses where one motorist shortcuts the bus lane to get to the turning lane with another sticking to the road markings who waits to the end of the bus lane to change.

A far more common scenario than the OPs is motorists accelerating ahead of a bus in order to cut in front only to sit blocking the bus lane as they queue to enter a congested turning lane or side road.