Opinion on this incident...

kirving

So here's something that happened today and I'd be interested in hearing peoples views.

Pink cars represent traffic, and then we have the blue and green cars representing only a single car each. (Thin line - Path, Thick line = Stopped)

24hr, Mon-Sun bus lane on the right side.
Pink cars static throughout.

1. Blue car stops at orange marker, is waiting to turn right.
2. Green car is beginning to brake, but would have to brake heavily for yellow box.
3. Green car decides not to stop and use bus lane instead to get past traffic.
4. Blue car expects the green car to stop due to yellow box and bus lane, and so moves forward slightly to turn. Then brakes quickly when green isn't stopping.
5. Green car gets a fright, and slams on the brakes and comes to a dead stop.

Screaming match ensues....
Green: WTF are you at, you should have seen me, ******, etc.
Blue: I did see you, Yellow box, 24hr bus lane, etc. You should have stopped.

Who's right?

My take on it is that the green car was driving badly, and blue rightly expected green to stop. But we can't drive on assumptions, and so blue should have stayed put.

Dev1234

I'm going with green car in the right. Blue car was crossing lanes in to oncoming traffic and shouldn't assume anything

bee06

Green car should have stopped but the blue car shouldn’t have assumed either. Both in the wrong really.

drunkmonkey

Blue car shouldn't have moved until the green car had stopped. Green was right to hoof him out of it.

James 007

I blame the fellow in the front pink car he had no reason to be stopped, no traffic ahead of him, and he caused the traffic to back up, plus he was also on the phone too.

Larbre34

Blue car should've stayed put. No assumption can ever be made that others will obey yellow box rules, bus lanes etc. The green car could just as easily be an emergency vehicle moving through in a bus lane.

kirving

I guess it comes down to what is a fair assumption to make. In an ideal world nothing is assumed.

A second question, but related I think.

A pedestrian is standing at a Zebra crossing, a car approaches and begins to slow. Is it fair for the pedestrian to assume the car will continue to brake, and then stop?

DaveyDave

Blue car is in the wrong because of the whole crossing paths argument, although I see their point. Green car shouldn't have gone to use the 24hr bus lane etc. Frustrating I know. There's times where I want to turn left but have to wait because some gimp is in the 24hr bus lane going marginally faster. Trust me, I'd love to cut them off to make my turn but if they were to crash into me it'd be my fault.

Just because someone is doing something wrong doesn't make blue car right. I've been cut off a few times when in a bus lane legally. They'll either swerve in with a last second indicator (I'd give them space if they were to indicate sooner) or just do the gradual slow move over beside me to force their way in. All because they think they're right and I'm in the wrong.

Always best to play it safe, even if you're right.