How many car drivers in the UK don't know you can drive in bus lanes?

Question

I'm a driving instructor and i can't beleive the number of people who don't know that cars can drive in bus lanes at certain times. People seem to jump out of bus lanes like their life depends on it and it seems no older drivers know that it's perfectly legal to drive in them.

Just to explain, the blue sign at the start of the bus lane tells you when it IS a bus lane so if it's outside these times you can drive in it! Yes you can, honestly!

Answer 1

...except where the bus lane is in operation 24-hours a day, of course...

Answer 2

Hi Shadow.  Yes, I've noticed this too.  The other thing that gets to me is that no one seems to know how to use a roundabout.  They either pull out in front of you, or everyone waits, seemingly afraid to move: especially with mini roundabouts.

The worse occasion, although understandable, was when I was driving in Hereford.  Near the college there are two mini roundabout very close together.  The day the new road opened with them on, a saw a driver drive onto the first roundabout and just stop, blocking all the busy traffic.  She was an elderly lady who had frozen, not knowing what to do.  Others started hooting their horns at her, and she looked like she was going to cry.  I got out of my car, asked her where she was trying to go and told her how to proceed.  She was very grateful.

Answer 3

I think the question is how come loads of car drivers in the UK do not know the highway code, where their indicators are, the middle lane is not a cruising lane and that it's illegal to use a mobile whilst driving - let alone the bus lane thing..

Answer 4

Somewhat arrogant to assume it's only you who can read signs, isn't it? Surely you teach your pupils about this . . .

Answer 5

Good question. I believe It is a lack of current highway code knowledge.  How many times does average Joe buy and read an updated code book? Unfortunately it's not just bus lanes that people are confused about, there are a myriad of common 'faults' that could be rectified by updating or perhaps just re-reading their current book.

Answer 6

It is ignorance, hardly anyone looks at road signs anymore.

Like at traffic lights that have a normal green light and a filter to turn right, if the filter isn't on they won't turn yet there is no red light, education is needed

Answer 7

I know that

Answer 8

Yes, but even though you can, many people, myself included, feel that jumping in the bus lane results in people undertaking.  The ones that do it, tend to zoom past, cut it at the last minute and that is what cuase the hold ups.

If everyone drove in 1 lane, the traffic would move quicker than the two lanes, but people cutting in when then lanes merge.  

As a driving instructor, I'd have thought you would have known this.

Answer 9

That's very true.

The reason many people don't realise this is due to the anti-car lobby over-emphasising the rights of way that public transport have, and if they had their way, no cars would be allowed on city roads.  At all.  Never mind in bus lanes outside of rush hour!

Answer 10

in short... TOO MANY dont know *smile* regularly getting agro from people when i come up to a traffic light via the buslane (when allowed) and someone not looking and cutting in front of me... very annoying !

Answer 11

But the trouble is when they are not in use people park in them so its best to stay out of them,We should be more worried about the prats that do not know there cars have indicators if they do someone please show them where the indicator stalk is.

Answer 12

I do so but I well understand those who do not. There are that many rules and regulations that they wisely follow if in doubt don't.

In any case how many drivers coming onto a bus lane at a junction only look for a bus and do not see a car?

Answer 13

I new that as well.

Answer 14

count me in the didn't know's.

but then, i don't know where my nearest bus lane is either.

but thanks.

Answer 15

It's probably because they can't read - road signs seem to be a bit of a waste of money in this country. A bit like the Highway Code - it's useless if you and I are the only ones reading it.

Answer 16

People don't do the bus lanes because of the £80 fine.

If they get their timimg wrong or miss the blue sign then they would rather not risk the dreaded letter in the letter box. I've been done for straying over by a wheel width and believe me, you just want to chuck a brick at ken the first chance you get.

BUT

When I see the lane is empty, and not active it feels great to zip up the inside when everyone else is thinking about doing the same thing. It's amazing how many cars you see in the rear view suddenly realise it's ok and pile into the free space...

Answer 17

The government has changed the way the UK roads look and are enforced. It is often very difficult to see when a bus lane can or cannot be driven in. For example were I live there is a bus lane that used to have time limit on cars, the local authority then decided to make the lane bus only 24/7. The sign that tells the driver the times of the bus lanes being open has been replaced by an equally small hard to read sign.

As long as I am unsure about being able to drive in a bus line, I won't.

Ja.

Answer 18

i knew that because of my amazing ability to read road signs!