Penalty for driving in bus lanes?

[tsteenholdt]

Can anybody reliably tell me the penalty for driving in bus lanes.

I drive into Northampton every day and I’m thoroughly fed up with sitting in a huge queue next to a completely empty bus lane, on what used to be a 2 lane road until the morons in local government got their mits on it

The bus lane’s been there for over a year. So far I have seen a bus actually using it on only 13 occasions! (Yes I know it’s sad to count buses, but it passes the time while you’re stuck in the queue caused by the fing bus lane).

This morning I just couldn’t put up with it any longer and overtook the queue by driving down the entire length of the bus lane, probably shortened my journey time to work by 20%.

If spotted, will I get points or just a fine?

[Podie]

Mate of mine got spotted by a camera... and got a request for £80 in the post... no points though.

[Simonelite501]

The real penalty is : you blast past a line of stationary traffic grinning to yourself, only to come to a halt behind a broken down bus, and no one will let you back into the,oh so very slow, flow of traffic!

[CarZee]

There's always a numpty that is either too slow closing a gap or can be intimidated to let you back in - the key to making good progress in cities is to be able to identify and exploit these people

>> Edited by CarZee on Monday 15th July 10:44

[craigw]

£80, reduced to £40 if paid within 2 weeks. No points.

[tallchris99]

Have you considered getting the bus?

[JMorgan]

quote:
Have you considered getting the bus?

Or buying one?

[craigalsop]

quote:
Have you considered getting the bus?

Hmmm, at about 1 bus a month I guess he'll be waiting a while.....

[Neil Menzies]

quote:
Or buying one?

Can minibuses use the bus lane? Might be worth
investing in one and putting on a suitable
livery and go merrily on your way

[grevlinggott]

can't taxi's use bus lanes? some "AAA-Cabs" stickers for the side of the doors to help beat that morning traffic may not be amiss.....

[Tabs]

Only Hackneys can use bus lanes, private hire vehicles cannot. In reply to tsteenholdt, I presume you are referring to the Wellingborough Road in Northampton? If you are be careful, a plod on a motorcycle often cruises around there, and can often be seen at the Crown and Cushion pub, scanning tax discs.

[tsteenholdt]

quote:
Have you considered getting the bus?

I have considered it – for about a millisecond.

According to the timetable I would be able to get into work on time, although my journey would take at least 4 times as long. Unfortunately, if I wish to do a full day’s work, I’d have to camp out in the office as during the week there’s no bus to take me home until 10:15am the next day!

Don’t forget everybody, Tony says he’s making public transport “a viable option”

[tsteenholdt]

quote:
In reply to tsteenholdt, I presume you are referring to the Wellingborough Road in Northampton? If you are be careful, a plod on a motorcycle often cruises around there, and can often be seen at the Crown and Cushion pub, scanning tax discs.

Tabs,

It's the Weedon road in from the west. But I imagine that bus lane on the Wellingborough road is just as frustrating.

[Simonelite501]

quote:
Only Hackneys can use bus lanes, private hire vehicles cannot. .

I heared the other day that Prince Philip has a black cab for zipping around London in.

[350matt]

Bear in mind that the bus lane will have 'opening times' for that lane ( I too suffer this journey) I think its only 7.30 am to 9 am then you can treat it like a normal road, probably doesn't help you going into work tho'.

Matt

[spnracing]

Have you considered just waiting in the queue like everyone else has to?

The people that push in at the front of these queues cause traffic jams - the car they cut in front of has to brake, then there is a ripple effect as every car behind over compensates, and everyone else who has waited patiently in the queue waits even longer.

If the bus lane isn't working or isn't used then contact your local council and complain to them. As a regular driver in central London I'm all for more bus lane camera's and increasing the penalty to three points and a bigger fine when caught.

[philshort]

I recently had the chance of a 6 month contract in Cambridge. I live in Rugby, so thats quite a hike. I had a test run, and was ever so pleased to find that after a 90 minute trip up the A14 I was faced with a sit in a queue alongside an empty bus lane getting into Cambridge itself.

This turned a 90 minute trip into a 2 hour one; too long for me.

[big rumbly]

"sit in a queue alongside an empty bus lane getting into Cambridge itself."

You'll be pleased to know that Cambridge's bus lanes are perpetual, even though the buses stop at about 7pm

[spnracing]

The bus lanes in London seem to be fairly sensible - most are 07:00 to 10:00 only, some also 16:00 to 19:00. (Though the drive from Croydon to the City can get confusing because they seem to change times every 50 metres).

Anyway the posted times don't seem to bother the countless arrogant tossers who use the lanes anyway and cut everyone else up.

[manek]

..though the plus points are that numpties can't read and avoid bus lanes even outside the times when they're active. Oooh, do they get upset if you -- quite legally -- use them!

I even had a black cab give me a hard time once till I pointed to the sign showing that, at that time -- between 10am and 4pm -- I was quite within my rights to be there.

>> Edited by manek on Wednesday 17th July 09:52