Bus Lane Green Light

Joaquin223

This might be a very daft question (and probably has been asked before). If I'm at a traffic light in a bus lane, outside of the signposted hours Mon-Sat 7am-7pm, and the bus lane/ bicycle green light comes on (the small green cyclist), do I go? Or do I wait for the "main" green light to go on?

I presume the answer is yes, I do go, but it feels strange to me that the person next to me in the normal traffic lane still has to wait for the main green light while I can proceed before them.

hoodie6029

I always went once it came on on the basis that the light is for that lane. Not sure what the Rules of the Road say.

It doesn’t make sense to me to stay out for the other light as there could be a bus or taxi behind you that needs to go.

In a perfect world, out of hours, both lights would go green at the same time. My experience of trying to reason with councils, even for small changes to light sequences, is far from a perfect world!

Joaquin223

Ah, good to know! Yes, both lights coming on simultaneously out of hours would make the most sense. Interestingly, I tried to do a bit of googling earlier to see what the rules of the road officially say about it, but couldn't find anything

Vic_08

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058274641/bus-lane-green-light

A Green light with a bike in it is for bikes only.

Bus only lights have "BUS" in the lens.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119959603#Comment_119959603

In some cases the bus light allows buses to serve a stop before the lights and then cross over lanes for a right turn that they would be unable to easily do otherwise so they still have a purpose after bus lane operational hours.

Joaquin223

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119961326#Comment_119961326

You know what? I've seen buses/taxis so often drive through once with the green bicycle light goes that I never even stopped to think that they'd be in the wrong for doing that. Makes perfect sense now, thanks!

Wishbone Ash

The bicycle green is to allow cyclists to get a head start for safety. You should wait for the 'BUS' green light if you're not cycling.

DaveyDave

Some of the bike lights along the quays go green the same time as the regular lights, it's comical how bad we are at anything remotely related to cycling.

kirving

ie: Does the "Bus" light refer to the lane, or the vehicle type.

whomitconcerns

If it referred to the vehicle type, how should you ever get a green light if using the bus lane out of hours? You would be there all day

crosstownk

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119968263#Comment_119968263

It refers to vehicle type. I don't see any ambiguity.

kirving

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119981908#Comment_119981908

Do you have any link to legislation or anything official which states vehicle type, and not lane?

crosstownk

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119984681#Comment_119984681

A quick Google returned the reference below. It's from the ROTR and not an SI so you'll need to search for the SI if you want legal clarification.

kirving

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119985199#Comment_119985199

That refers to cyclists, but you quoted my post about "Bus" lights.

From the thread linked in the OP, one poster said that they were pulled by the Gardai about it, but it was subsequently dismissed.

magicbastarder

i was a little confused and thought there were bus lane specific lights being discussed; but the lights are specifically for cyclists. you wait for the general green, the cyclist light is for cyclists.

DaveyDave

So if there's a bus light like there is on the north side quays in Dublin, a car using the lane outside of bus hours can't go? I thought the bus light was for the bus lane, not actual buses?

magicbastarder

the OP stated he was talking about 'the bus lane/ bicycle green light comes on (the small green cyclist)'

so i am assuming it's the cyclist light being asked about, which is not a bus light.

rameire

The posted light I think is the type being talked about.

It has from Top.

Red, Amber, Green Full Circle, Green Bus.

Cycle Red, Cycle Amber, Cycle Green.

When the Green Bus comes on the Green cycle comes on at the same time.

So if in the bus lane, can you move on Green Bus / Green Cycle?

Seth Brundle

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120014900#Comment_120014900

There are some junctions along the North Quays in Dublin where there are traffic lights with the word BUS written on the green light and a bike light below it. On the right of the road, you have the normal traffic lights. Sometime the BUS light goes green slightly after the bicycle light and the normal lights go green after a few seconds. On other junctions, the BUS and bike light come on together but both a few seconds before the normal traffic lights

kirving

I'm not sure how the light is triggered, but from experience I think the bus has got to actually pass it in order to give the car lane a green.

So say I'm in the lane out of hours, and a bus comes behind me and activates the light. Am I entitled to drive on (as I'm in the bus lane), or do I stop (as I'm not a bus)?

IMO, it can only refer to the lane.

https://www.google.com/maps/@53.311155,-6.2785138,3a,44.9y,238.72h,84.24t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sVUPGlIebFZd_Xrt17fw_lQ!2e0!7i16384!8i8192

Arnout

Not completely unrelated: sometimes the buslane is interrupted by a lane to turn left. Of course buses can go straight there, can we go straight as well after hours?

Such as here: https://www.google.com/maps/@53.3260062,-6.2239162,3a,28.1y,325.13h,81.38t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sRWxZ3HNBxp06sOiWpd5Yng!2e0!7i16384!8i8192

(here it even has the text 'Except buses' painted on the road, but that's not everywhere I think)