Bus lane fine - the law's an ass!
Discussion
A few weeks ago I pulled out of a side road onto the A4 London Road heading towards Reading town centre.
For those who don't know it the route bordering Palmer Park is one narrow lane inbound, one narrow lane outbound plus a bus lane.
That struggles with traffic at the best of times and is constantly changing thanks to Reading Borough Council (RBC) fiddling with the bus lane rather than addressing the overall problem.
As I pulled out there was an Emergency Ambulance heading towards me out of town making slow progress due to all-but static traffic outbound.
Unusually for that situation it was not only on blue lights but also using its siren.
Assuming it was on a life or death mission I indicated left and moved into the bus lane.
Two weeks later I receive a PCN for entering the bus lane.
There were no buses taxis or other vehicles in said lane so no risk to other road users.
Despite an appeal fully explaining the circumstances RBC Parking Services have rejected my appeal.
So the question is should I have let the Ambulance, which I assumed was on a life or death call out, struggle by sticking to my lane and let him/her deal with it or do what I did and help ease its passage?
Thoughts?
For those who don't know it the route bordering Palmer Park is one narrow lane inbound, one narrow lane outbound plus a bus lane.
That struggles with traffic at the best of times and is constantly changing thanks to Reading Borough Council (RBC) fiddling with the bus lane rather than addressing the overall problem.
As I pulled out there was an Emergency Ambulance heading towards me out of town making slow progress due to all-but static traffic outbound.
Unusually for that situation it was not only on blue lights but also using its siren.
Assuming it was on a life or death mission I indicated left and moved into the bus lane.
Two weeks later I receive a PCN for entering the bus lane.
There were no buses taxis or other vehicles in said lane so no risk to other road users.
Despite an appeal fully explaining the circumstances RBC Parking Services have rejected my appeal.
So the question is should I have let the Ambulance, which I assumed was on a life or death call out, struggle by sticking to my lane and let him/her deal with it or do what I did and help ease its passage?
Thoughts?
Mammasaid said:
Same as moving over the stop line at red lights, you're not supposed to do it unless directed by a police officer. Banged to rights, I'm afraid.
Why couldn't the ambulance use the bus lane anyway?
You're right "banged to rights" - I have paid their penalty.Why couldn't the ambulance use the bus lane anyway?
It was a spur of the moment decision to try and help.
I didn't even contemplate the Ambulance using the bus lane, albeit against its flow.
By coincidence I saw a fire engine at full chat using the bus lane against its flow at the same spot last week.
Lord know what would have happened if a bus, taxi or delivery rider wasn't awake as it approached!
pewe said:
Mammasaid said:
Same as moving over the stop line at red lights, you're not supposed to do it unless directed by a police officer. Banged to rights, I'm afraid.
Why couldn't the ambulance use the bus lane anyway?
You're right "banged to rights" - I have paid their penalty.Why couldn't the ambulance use the bus lane anyway?
It was a spur of the moment decision to try and help.
I didn't even contemplate the Ambulance using the bus lane, albeit against its flow.
By coincidence I saw a fire engine at full chat using the bus lane against its flow at the same spot last week.
Lord know what would have happened if a bus, taxi or delivery rider wasn't awake as it approached!
It's not like a traffic light, there are situations where the public may enter bus lanes (e.g. turning). Consider also solid hatchings - do not enter except in an emergency.
My inclination in that scenario would be to refuse to pay and let them take it to court.
[quote=
Why couldn't the ambulance use the bus lane anyway?
[/quote]
Apparently some emergency vehicle operators now have a policy of not using bus lanes, presumably because they think, or know, some dim-witted cretin will hear a siren and immediately collide with the emergency vehicle that is whizzing past in the same bus lane.
In the past I would certainly have used the bus lane in those circumstances, but with all the cameras around now, I will not.
I was the leading vehicle in lane 1 at a three lane traffic light contolled roundabout a while ago. In lane 2 at the stop line is a v. big truck. I can't see anything much at all to my right past the front of it.
An ambulance makes its way through heavy traffic from my right, which is on green. And only using blue lights, which is what they are supposed to do.
Unfortunately, as it's approaching the lights they must have turned red some time before it got there, as my lights turn green before the ambulance gets through. I only know it's there as I saw it approaching from BEHIND the back of the vehicle to my right.
I'm not one to launch myself when I can't see to my right in these circumstances. Which is just as well, as the ambulance sailed through the red without bothering with a siren. Maybe they didn't know there were three lanes entering from their left.
Bad assumption. Could have needed another ambulance...
Why couldn't the ambulance use the bus lane anyway?
[/quote]
Apparently some emergency vehicle operators now have a policy of not using bus lanes, presumably because they think, or know, some dim-witted cretin will hear a siren and immediately collide with the emergency vehicle that is whizzing past in the same bus lane.
In the past I would certainly have used the bus lane in those circumstances, but with all the cameras around now, I will not.
I was the leading vehicle in lane 1 at a three lane traffic light contolled roundabout a while ago. In lane 2 at the stop line is a v. big truck. I can't see anything much at all to my right past the front of it.
An ambulance makes its way through heavy traffic from my right, which is on green. And only using blue lights, which is what they are supposed to do.
Unfortunately, as it's approaching the lights they must have turned red some time before it got there, as my lights turn green before the ambulance gets through. I only know it's there as I saw it approaching from BEHIND the back of the vehicle to my right.
I'm not one to launch myself when I can't see to my right in these circumstances. Which is just as well, as the ambulance sailed through the red without bothering with a siren. Maybe they didn't know there were three lanes entering from their left.
Bad assumption. Could have needed another ambulance...
Mammasaid said:
Same as moving over the stop line at red lights, you're not supposed to do it unless directed by a police officer. Banged to rights, I'm afraid.
Indeed, I never make illegal moves for blue lights, never. Traffic cameras won't differentiate, even with post-facto intervention.Mammasaid said:
Same as moving over the stop line at red lights, you're not supposed to do it unless directed by a police officer. Banged to rights, I'm afraid.
Why couldn't the ambulance use the bus lane anyway?
Not the same at all. There are many occasions were vehicles cross a stop line to let emergency vehicles pass without any prosecution. Hundreds every year.Why couldn't the ambulance use the bus lane anyway?
With an Ambulance if it can use the bus lane and you move into it your knackered.
Pica-Pica said:
Mammasaid said:
Same as moving over the stop line at red lights, you're not supposed to do it unless directed by a police officer. Banged to rights, I'm afraid.
Indeed, I never make illegal moves for blue lights, never. Traffic cameras won't differentiate, even with post-facto intervention.Have had a police car make it very clear they wanted me to go into a bus lane to get out their path, which is a poor show, but fortunately nothing resulted from it.
pewe said:
A few weeks ago I pulled out of a side road onto the A4 London Road heading towards Reading town centre.
For those who don't know it the route bordering Palmer Park is one narrow lane inbound, one narrow lane outbound plus a bus lane.
That struggles with traffic at the best of times and is constantly changing thanks to Reading Borough Council (RBC) fiddling with the bus lane rather than addressing the overall problem.
As I pulled out there was an Emergency Ambulance heading towards me out of town making slow progress due to all-but static traffic outbound.
Unusually for that situation it was not only on blue lights but also using its siren.
Assuming it was on a life or death mission I indicated left and moved into the bus lane.
Two weeks later I receive a PCN for entering the bus lane.
There were no buses taxis or other vehicles in said lane so no risk to other road users.
Despite an appeal fully explaining the circumstances RBC Parking Services have rejected my appeal.
So the question is should I have let the Ambulance, which I assumed was on a life or death call out, struggle by sticking to my lane and let him/her deal with it or do what I did and help ease its passage?
Thoughts?
I am struggling a bit with why your pulling into the bus lane helped here. Was it a route that "struggles with traffic" but only you were in the oncoming lane to the emergency vehicle, so that if you pulled out of the way into the bus lane going your same direction, it could then get through? Or would it have been stuck again a car length up the road due to the car behind you? A lot of the previous posters have assumed the ambulance was going the same direction as you, thus it had the (empty) bus lane available for use.For those who don't know it the route bordering Palmer Park is one narrow lane inbound, one narrow lane outbound plus a bus lane.
That struggles with traffic at the best of times and is constantly changing thanks to Reading Borough Council (RBC) fiddling with the bus lane rather than addressing the overall problem.
As I pulled out there was an Emergency Ambulance heading towards me out of town making slow progress due to all-but static traffic outbound.
Unusually for that situation it was not only on blue lights but also using its siren.
Assuming it was on a life or death mission I indicated left and moved into the bus lane.
Two weeks later I receive a PCN for entering the bus lane.
There were no buses taxis or other vehicles in said lane so no risk to other road users.
Despite an appeal fully explaining the circumstances RBC Parking Services have rejected my appeal.
So the question is should I have let the Ambulance, which I assumed was on a life or death call out, struggle by sticking to my lane and let him/her deal with it or do what I did and help ease its passage?
Thoughts?
paul_c123 said:
I am struggling a bit with why your pulling into the bus lane helped here. Was it a route that "struggles with traffic" but only you were in the oncoming lane to the emergency vehicle, so that if you pulled out of the way into the bus lane going your same direction, it could then get through? Or would it have been stuck again a car length up the road due to the car behind you? A lot of the previous posters have assumed the ambulance was going the same direction as you, thus it had the (empty) bus lane available for use.
My understanding of the situation from op's description is this, op in green, ambulance in blue.InitialDave said:
Yep, the policy has been made crystal clear, sit there and wait. Any negative consequences of that can be laid at the feet of the stubborn and inflexible nature of the enforcement.
Have had a police car make it very clear they wanted me to go into a bus lane to get out their path, which is a poor show, but fortunately nothing resulted from it.
Being directed by the police is surely a defence?Have had a police car make it very clear they wanted me to go into a bus lane to get out their path, which is a poor show, but fortunately nothing resulted from it.
RTA 1988 S35???
https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1988/52/secti...
irc said:
Being directed by the police is surely a defence?
RTA 1988 S35???
https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1988/52/secti...
I doubt it, they didn't formally direct me into the bus lane, they just got right up my chuff rather than pass me.RTA 1988 S35???
https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1988/52/secti...
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