overtaking in bus lane

gvgdhar

Hi,
if the car in front is waiting to take right turn, can we take it as obstruction and overtake on left side in the bus lane (provided bus lane is clear).

Umpalumpa

im pretty sure thats classed as undertaking.You would also be crossing a continuous white line

paddy147

gvgdhar wrote: »

Hi,
if the car in front is waiting to take right turn, can we take it as obstruction and overtake on left side in the bus lane (provided bus lane is clear).

Its called "undertaking" as you would be pasing by the car to the left hand side/inner lane.;)

Also you cant undertake into a bus lane as you are crossing into the contineous white line bus lane.

You can however use a bus lane to drive in before 7am and after 7pm Monday-Saturday and all day Sunday,provided that its not a "24 hour bus lane".

**Timbuk2**

Only if the bus lane is inactive (outside of the times specified on the signs).

In fact, if the bus lane is inactive, then you should be using this as the normal driving lane - the rule keep left unless overtaking applies here!

ADIDriving

It's absolutely fine to pass a vehicle waiting to turn right by using the bus lane.

Andrew33

Umpalumpa wrote: »

im pretty sure thats classed as undertaking.You would also be crossing a continuous white line

The continuous white line rule does not apply to bus lane markings. If that was the case, buses and taxis would be continuously breaking the law using them. If you read the rules of the road, there are instances (3 I think) where/when you ARE allowed "undertake". One of these is if vehicle in front is turning right.

gvgdhar

So, the conclusion is we can overtake on the left in buslane. Thanks all.

Are you serious about the word "undertaking". I went through ROR and could find it (it's called overtaking on the left).

Alanstrainor

gvgdhar wrote: »

So, the conclusion is we can overtake on the left in buslane. Thanks all.

Are you serious about the word "undertaking". I went through ROR and could find it (it's called overtaking on the left).

Undertaking is the correct term alright.

And the thick continuous white line that separates a bus lane, is NOT the same as a continuous white line separating two opposing lanes.

Joe10000

Undertaking is an English term, here it still means burying people.

Wishbone Ash

gvgdhar wrote: »

Hi,
if the car in front is waiting to take right turn, can we take it as obstruction and overtake on left side in the bus lane (provided bus lane is clear).

If the bus lane is operational it is illegal to do so.

**Timbuk2** wrote: »

Only if the bus lane is inactive (outside of the times specified on the signs).

In fact, if the bus lane is inactive, then you should be using this as the normal driving lane - the rule keep left unless overtaking applies here!

+1

ADIDriving wrote: »

It's absolutely fine to pass a vehicle waiting to turn right by using the bus lane.

Not according to the Statute Instrument 182/1997 Road Traffic (Traffic and Parking) Regulations 1997 which clearly indicates that one may only enter an operational bus lane to gain access.

32. (1) A bus lane shall be indicated by means of traffic sign number RUS 028 or traffic sign number RUS 029 used in association with traffic sign number RRM 024, and a contra flow bus lane shall be indicated by means of traffic sign number RUS 030 used in association with traffic sign number RRM 024.

(2) A person shall not enter a bus lane with a vehicle other than an omnibus or a pedal cycle during the period of operation of the bus lane which shall be indicated on an information plate.

(3) A person shall not enter a contra flow bus lane with a vehicle other than an omnibus.

(4) A person shall not enter a bus only street with a vehicle other than an omnibus except for the purpose of access.

(5) ( a ) Sub-articles (1) and (2) shall not apply to a vehicle crossing a with flow bus lane or a contra flow bus lane solely for the purpose—

(i) of entering or leaving premises or property adjacent to such a bus lane, or

(ii) of entering or leaving a road inset adjacent to such a bus lane in order to load or unload goods.

( b ) Sub-article (2) shall not apply to a taxi or a wheelchair accessible taxi which is being used in the course of business.

Andrew33 wrote: »

The continuous white line rule does not apply to bus lane markings

+1 (and that is why it differs in width from a standard continuous white line).

paddy147 wrote: »

Its called "undertaking"

Alanstrainor wrote: »

Undertaking is the correct term alright.

You won't find it used anywhere in legislation. "Overtaking on the left" is the correct term.

loobylou

Andrew33 wrote: »

The continuous white line rule does not apply to bus lane markings. If that was the case, buses and taxis would be continuously breaking the law using them.

Buses and taxis are continuously breaking the law the way they use them.
They are only meant to enter or leave a buslane at the start or end, ie where there is a diagonal broken line.

cactus10

ADIDriving wrote: »

It's absolutely fine to pass a vehicle waiting to turn right by using the bus lane.

For what its worth, I had an instructor from a very big school of motoring instruct me last week to wait behind a car turning right and not to use the bus lane as this would be crossing a continuous white line.

ADIDriving

Wishbone Ash et al: I can't argue against that in a legal sense. But many laws are over-simplified. What if there is a crash in the driving lane? Are you going to wait for the tow truck to remove the obstruction? Does the tow truck need to come from the opposite direction?
Imagine you are the first car at a red pedestrian crossing light. A fire engine, overtakes the traffic behind you on the wrong side of the road. You are blocking its way back to the correct side. Wait for the light or carefully move forward and out of the way? (And then see what the reply would be in the Blue lights forum)
Try take this https://maps.google.ie/maps?hl=en left turn from the Howth Road onto All Saints Road without using a few extra metres of the bus lane.
The gov. will not add the exemption for common sense as it is too hard to quantify. Is it ok to pass two, three, four cars? Two Smart cars versus one Hummer? Personally, I would say one or two cars is ok. After that I would wait.
It did come up in a conversation before. Another sucessfull and experienced instructor said he would recomend people to pass a car waiting to turn right. I checked this with a Tester once. They said they would prefer drivers to "use the road" and pass on the left. It seems to have been fine in lots of tests so far.

Wishbone Ash

loobylou wrote: »

Buses and taxis are continuously breaking the law the way they use them.
They are only meant to enter or leave a buslane at the start or end, ie where there is a diagonal broken line.

That's not the case at all. PSVs are perfectly entitled to move out from the bus lane when traffic conditions necessitate it. The continuous white line on a bus lane is 250mm wide to differentiate it from a "no overtaking" white line which is 150mm.

If PSVs are not permitted to come out of the bus lane how would a taxi gain access to a road/house/premises on the right? How would an express bus pass a service bus or how would any bus pass another bus waiting at a stop? How would they pass non PSVs who are permitted to use the bus lane such as bicycles, road sweepers etc.

ADIDriving wrote: »

What if there is a crash in the driving lane?
..........................It seems to have been fine in lots of tests so far.

A crash would be an emergency situation and a totally different scenario to a vehicle waiting to turn right.

I know some testers don't mind it and most of use do it regularly but that doesn't make it legal. I think the OP wanted to know the legal situation.

ADIDriving

Wishbone Ash wrote: »

A crash would be an emergency situation and a totally different scenario to a vehicle waiting to turn right.
I don't mean the crash happens right infront of you. A mere fender bender, a minute before hand.
I know some testers don't mind it and most of use do it regularly but that doesn't make it legal. I think the OP wanted to know the legal situation.
I was answering from the point of view of a driving test situation. It is illegal. But as I said the law is incomplete.

PS I would expect a Garda would be more likely to do someone for dangerous driving if they did not move into the bus lane to slow down for the turn shown and instead 'cut' across it.
PPS According to those laws, I can legally herd some tortoise's along the road. Where does reason and common sense begin? I say, safely using a large empty space to drive past a vehicle that could be waiting for a minute while twenty other cars queue behind would be well within the realms of reason.

gvgdhar

It is turning into interesting discussion and I infer that there is no hard rule (it is up to the discretion of the instructor and the tester). My query was in relation to driving test in particular and to know the correct way (not sure if it is same as legal) in general.

gubbie

*

gubbie

paddy147 wrote: »

Its called "undertaking" as you would be pasing by the car to the left hand side/inner lane.;)

You're allowed overtake on the left hand side for 3 reasons:

1) If you're in the left lane and it is moving faster then the right
2) The driver is going straight on and you're turning left
3) The driver is turning right and you are going straight.

**Timbuk2**

gubbie wrote: »

You're allowed overtake on the left hand side for 3 reasons:

1) If you're in the left lane and it is moving faster then the right

This only applies if traffic is moving in slow moving queues, and the left lane is going faster than the right lane. There is an important difference. For example, overtaking a car who's doing 80km/h in the right lane on the left would not be legal.