Baker's Corner Bus Lane

SeanCF1

Hi,

I've always wondered why people do this. If you're approaching Baker's Corner in Kill O' The Grange from Abbey Road, there's a short bus lane on the left, which ends just before the lights. If people are going straight through the junction, they always queue up in the bus lane, leaving the right lane empty.

In my opinion, the bus lane should be empty and you should move to the left lane at the end of the bus lane. There's a yield marking at the end of the bus lane, so if I do that, I should have the right of way over queuing traffic.

Could someone clear this up please? If I haven't explained it well, you should be able to see it here:

http://maps.google.ie/maps?q=bakers+corner&ll=53.281432,-6.158288&spn=0.007364,0.01929&oe=utf-8&client=firefox-a&fb=1&gl=ie&hq=bakers+corner&hnear=0x48670e80ea27ac2f:0xa00c7a9973171a0,Dublin,+Co.+Dublin&cid=0,0,8203097871551793130&t=h&vpsrc=0&z=16&layer=c&cbll=53.281691,-6.158447&panoid=16tGo-7MhwZO-X16vMSFcQ&cbp=12,162.2,,0,2.4

LXFlyer

Those cars are breaking the law but it is not enforced enough.

There are numerous examples of this all over the city - Conyngham Road inbound (traffic waiting to go onto Infirmary Road generally blocks the bus lane), Rathfarnham Road approaching Bushy Park Road inbound, etc. etc.

I could go on and on.

Basically if you did what those drivers are doing when sitting your driving test, you would fail.

lil5

This bus lane is only a bus lane from 7-9 am Mo-Sat. I'd say the people should queue up in that lane if the bus lane isn't active. The right lane leads into the right turn lane.
Not sure how the yield marking (or any other markings, e.g. left turn only on Rock Road bus lane inbound) takes effect outside those hours.

the groutch

I think the reason people do it is that if they acted to the letter of the law, and stayed in the right hand side lane til they reach where the "bus lane" ends, they could end up being stuck waiting behind several right turning cars, and would have to wait til the cars in front get the arrow to turn right before being able to go into the left lane, by which point the light for going straight on or left would be red.
So they'd end up taking at least two goes to get through the lights. And with everyone else breaking the rules anyway, abiding by the rule and turning into the left lane at the last second is going to be nearly impossible.
Btw, I've repeatedly seen Garda doing it, so they don't seem to have a problem with it.

RichieD

SeanCF1 wrote: »

Hi,

I've always wondered why people do this. If you're approaching Baker's Corner in Kill O' The Grange from Abbey Road, there's a short bus lane on the left, which ends just before the lights. If people are going straight through the junction, they always queue up in the bus lane, leaving the right lane empty.

In my opinion, the bus lane should be empty and you should move to the left lane at the end of the bus lane. There's a yield marking at the end of the bus lane, so if I do that, I should have the right of way over queuing traffic.

Could someone clear this up please? If I haven't explained it well, you should be able to see it here:

http://maps.google.ie/maps?q=bakers+corner&ll=53.281432,-6.158288&spn=0.007364,0.01929&oe=utf-8&client=firefox-a&fb=1&gl=ie&hq=bakers+corner&hnear=0x48670e80ea27ac2f:0xa00c7a9973171a0,Dublin,+Co.+Dublin&cid=0,0,8203097871551793130&t=h&vpsrc=0&z=16&layer=c&cbll=53.281691,-6.158447&panoid=16tGo-7MhwZO-X16vMSFcQ&cbp=12,162.2,,0,2.4

It wouldnt make a difference in the end, actually it might be worse if they stayed in the right lane.

If all the cars stayed in the right lane then it would be backed up to well before the bus lane starts, and end up being slower overall for buses and everyone else.

Cookie_Monster

the groutch wrote: »

I think the reason people do it is that if they acted to the letter of the law, and stayed in the right hand side lane til they reach where the "bus lane" ends, they could end up being stuck waiting behind several right turning cars, and would have to wait til the cars in front get the arrow to turn right before being able to go into the left lane, by which point the light for going straight on or left would be red.
So they'd end up taking at least two goes to get through the lights. And with everyone else breaking the rules anyway, abiding by the rule and turning into the left lane at the last second is going to be nearly impossible.
Btw, I've repeatedly seen Garda doing it, so they don't seem to have a problem with it.

The letter of the law says you should be in the left lane. Outside of the bus lane times it is the left lane and all those cars are in it correctly if indeed it was outside 7-9 times

LXFlyer

I assumed in my post the OP was referring to the hours when the bus lane was operational.

As the other posters state outside of those hours that you can legally drive in it.

Practically people are just ignoring it for the reasons other posters give above. It does not mean they are right though in what they are doing.

coylemj

the groutch wrote: »

I think the reason people do it is that if they acted to the letter of the law, and stayed in the right hand side lane til they reach where the "bus lane" ends, they could end up being stuck waiting behind several right turning cars, and would have to wait til the cars in front get the arrow to turn right before being able to go into the left lane, by which point the light for going straight on or left would be red.
So they'd end up taking at least two goes to get through the lights. And with everyone else breaking the rules anyway, abiding by the rule and turning into the left lane at the last second is going to be nearly impossible.
Btw, I've repeatedly seen Garda doing it, so they don't seem to have a problem with it.

+1 Exactly the same happens down the hill at Deansgrange Cross with traffic coming down Kill Lane from Foxrock Church and heading straight through the junction to go up the hill towards Bakers Corner.

You come down the hill from the N11 with a bus lane on your left, as you come level with the library (on the right) you have a choice, either observe the bus lane and stay in the right lane in which case a whole load of cars will illlegally come up your left in the bus lane thereby blocking your access to the left lane when the bus lane finishes at which stage you will end up behind traffic turning right into Clonkeen Road and you'll have to wait for two or three cycles of the lights to clear them before you get to go through the lights.

A lot of the time the traffic observes the bus lane but at busy times with a long queue all it takes is one car or van to drive up the bus lane at which stage everyone piles in.

New Haven

Answer: I've looked at the link you posted to Google Street View. The vehicles in this picture are not breaking any traffic regulation in regard to using the Bus Lane because the is no sign at the beginning of the bus lane stating "Bus Lane" and there is no time plate present either. In other words "this bus lane is not in use."

lil5

New Haven wrote: »

Answer: I've looked at the link you posted to Google Street View.

The Street View image was taken before the bus lane sign was installed.
The bus lane sign together with 'Mon-Sat 7:00-9:00' is in place now.