Bus lane

[Azza321]

Hi I wonder if anybody can help I was driving down a road near Penge West and the vehicle in front has me indicated to turn right into a space so I decided to check my mirror and drive around him on the left only half of my vehicle enter the bus lane then he changed his mind and decided to go to the next space which was only one or two car lengths away so I was in the bus lane for no longer than 3 seconds and have been given a penalty notice for this I don't understand because I've done this manoeuvre over 1 million times I've been driving for 12 years and never had a penalty ticket for doing this I never obstructed no vehicles the bus lane was clear ear how can I contest this bus lane ticket thanks

[Scrump]

The fact you were not caught on previous occasions does not excuse the offence this time.

I am not defending the penalty, I think bus lanes are far too vigorously policed, but unfortunately even partially entering a bus lane to go round a car blocking the main lane is not permitted - you are expected to sit and wait until they move (unless you want to risk being caught on camera - as you have discovered).

[Ryyy]

I know this doesn't help at all but its mad how keen they are about you going in the bus lane even for a few seconds yet there's thousands of people that sit in the wrong lane of a motorway if only the middle lane was watched like bus lanes eh.

[mmm-five]

Azza321 said:

Hi I wonder if anybody can help I was driving down a road near Penge West and the vehicle in front has me indicated to turn right into a space so I decided to check my mirror and drive around him on the left only half of my vehicle enter the bus lane then he changed his mind and decided to go to the next space which was only one or two car lengths away so I was in the bus lane for no longer than 3 seconds and have been given a penalty notice for this I don't understand because I've done this manoeuvre over 1 million times I've been driving for 12 years and never had a penalty ticket for doing this I never obstructed no vehicles the bus lane was clear ear how can I contest this bus lane ticket thanks

Did you, or did you not make a conscious decision to enter the bus lane to save a few seconds?

If yes, pay up.

If no, for example if it was an emergency manoeuvre to avoid a hole suddenly forming in the carriageway, then you could try an appeal.

...and consider yourself lucky that you don't have 1,000,000 bus lane fines already in your 12 years of driving (that's 228 times per day BTW) .

Edited by mmm-five on Wednesday 4th May 09:06

[Riley Blue]

You don't have grounds for appeal because the bus lane didn't have a bus in it at the moment your vehicle was in it; that's not how these things work.

[Mandat]

Riley Blue said:

You don't have grounds for appeal because the bus lane didn't have a bus in it at the moment your vehicle was in it; that's not how these things work.

Actually, it ought to be the way it works, at least on roads controlled by TfL.

I successfully contested a bus lane PCN many years ago, which was helped by use of the below TfL internal guidance, which provides a guide on when a PCN should and should not be issued.

[Biggus thingus]

Got a ticket for going in a bus lane years ago in Huddersfield and Sheffield. It was badly marked and signage was poor

From then on i stay well clear

I particularly hate the ones that are only active between, for example, 8am to 10am etc etc

Designed to catch out the none local or inexperienced driver

[Riley Blue]

Biggus thingus said:

Got a ticket for going in a bus lane years ago in Huddersfield and Sheffield. It was badly marked and signage was poor

From then on i stay well clear

I particularly hate the ones that are only active between, for example, 8am to 10am etc etc

Designed to catch out the none local or inexperienced driver

If you've noticed they're only active for two hours in the morning, what's the problem?

[Vasco]

Just sounds like yet more people who either don't read signs, or then ignore them.

[Mandat]

Biggus thingus said:

I particularly hate the ones that are only active between, for example, 8am to 10am etc etc

These are the best kept secret on the roads.

You can make good progress by using non-operational bus lanes when less observant drivers choose to queue in lane 2.