Bus Lane

[arthur_chan]

i was approaching this red light junction and the light was red, following behind a bike to filter to the front, on the 2nd left lane, outside the bus lane, there's a car slightly to the left, the bike in front just stop. not wanting to get myself in a compromised situation (the bus lane was empty), i cut him (get myself slightly in the bus lane) and turn out quickly, cause inside the lane there's a pickup approaching. just then i saw someone on the grass patch holding a cam. i think the bike in front saw the cam, thus he stopped. i'm pretty sure the pickup will be fined for driving in bus lane, however i was wonder if i would also get myself in trouble. also will my reason be valid enough should i get a summon letter?

[bluesurfer]

i just got myself into a similar problem. did u get any letter btw?

[arthur_chan]

no letter so far

[bluesurfer]

my case is slightly different actually. your is at the red light junction mine happen just after the red light junction where all the vehicle are picking up speed. there is a car in front of me a little slower than my speed. so to avoid collision i swerve into the left most lane(bus lane). immediately after i past that car, i signal and went back to the 2nd lane. only then i saw the 'ghost'! donno if will kena anot sia!

[arthur_chan]

was the car near or on the bus lane line that made u swerve?

[bluesurfer]

cant really remember. i told ppl that and ppl say why u don swerve into the right lane instead? i thought its a natural thing that i swerve left cos in singapore, right lane is known to be a faster lane. donno will they accept my story for an appeal anot.

[arthur_chan]

well, if ur left is empty, u'll naturally swerve to ur left. doesn't make sense when u see packs of cars on the other side n still squeeze btw them right. i've heard ppl saying even if touching the line also counts as in the bus lane. dont know how strict the authorities play the rules, but u can always say u spotted the car swerving close to u, thus u swerve into the bus lane. good luck and hope u dont get summon.

[mesa]

I told the officer i was "on the line".. like soccer.. but she didnt buy it.. grr.. haha

[arthur_chan]

I told the officer i was "on the line".. like soccer.. but she didnt buy it.. grr.. haha

 

ok, in that case i think i'm lucky the officer was actually trying to catch the pickup behind me that perhaps he didnt' notice me barging into the lane, phew.

[Pandoras Kitten 3]

I try to avoid known roads with congestion due to 1/3 of the lanes out of bounds due to the silly bus lane. Example is Upper Thomson. Bus comes by every 5-10 minutes but the rest of the passenger and goods vehicles are forced bumper to bumper at walking speed. The same issue is an irritant in countries like the UK (well documented in Top Gear )

 

I'd rather avoid the whole area, because like all normal people, there's only so far I will tolerate riding at walking speed (not to mention the risk of being squashed, etc). I usually will not use the bus lane to overtake unless everyone else is doing it (typical SG tactic so I can escape detection )

 

I find the newer bus stop markings around Ang Mo Kio much more logical. All lanes are open to all vehicles, but if you see a bus coming out of a bus stop, give way to the big thing. Everyone does that gladly.

[arthur_chan]

I find the newer bus stop markings around Ang Mo Kio much more logical. All lanes are open to all vehicles' date=' but if you see a bus coming out of a bus stop, give way to the big thing. Everyone does that gladly.[/quote']

 

i tend to find the new rule to stop for bus illogical.

 

1) the whole area marked with paint. u know how dangerous on wet weather?

2) if there's 2 bus in the bay n the 1st bus hazzard, it's hard to tell if bus is signaling out. ever encounter myself and a fellow biker, brake n trying to stop only when riding closer found that the bus still picking up passengers.

3) at times behind vehicle following might not expect bus exiting n expect u to clear the area fast.

 

pt 3 is not so serious, but i did encounter a driver rushing to hell. i had feedback to tp once, but i might write to them again to stress pt 1 & 2 when i got the time.

 

bus lane on some area are terrible. 5m dotted, 5m continous, then dotted, then continous.... esp at bukit timah area. when u riding in middle lane, at 1 point u can find ur self in the bus lane. anyway a lot of construction there, i think they anyhow mark also, hope it gets better after all the work there is done.

[snowflake]

i'm not sure if this helps but i've a friend who received a summon for stopping in the bus lane and thereby blocking it's path. told me the evidence came in the form of a photo taken from within the bus while his car was stationary when he was letting another friend off. i've ridden several times in the bus lane (many times it's the safest lane) when it's clear of buses and i've yet to receive any summons, hope it stays that way, either that or i've been one very lucky rider...

 

i could be wrong but i'm very sure the one you saw on the grass patch with the camera was from the NEA on the lookout for smokey 2-strokers. once i remember seeing them beside the road only to receive a letter from the NEA the following week when i was riding an rxz

Edited December 24, 2010 by snowflake

[snowflake]

i'm not sure if this helps but i've a friend who received a summon for stopping in the bus lane and thereby blocking it's path. told me the evidence came in the form of a photo taken from within the bus while his car was stationary when he was letting another friend off. i've ridden several times in the bus lane (many times it's the safest lane) when it's clear of buses and i've yet to receive any summons, hope it stays that way, either that or i'm been one very lucky rider...

 

i could be wrong but i'm very sure the one you saw on the grass patch with the camera was from the NEA on the lookout for smokey 2-strokers. once i remember seeing them beside the road only to receive a letter from the NEA the following week when i was riding an rxz

[Pandoras Kitten 3]

That's interesting! I read in the local papers during my school days that they installed cameras in "all" buses back then in response to bus lane offenses. I do keep out of the buses' way due to that lol!

[arthur_chan]

i could be wrong but i'm very sure the one you saw on the grass patch with the camera was from the NEA on the lookout for smokey 2-strokers. once i remember seeing them beside the road only to receive a letter from the NEA the following week when i was riding an rxz

 

i'm not sure which organization they belong to, but i'm sure they're catching bus laners too. i rem when the compulsory stop was initially implemented, a white ghost mounted a camera just after the stop to cam those who did not stop for buses. i think they are the same group who ambushed on bridges of xpress way to cam those speeding too. so they could be camping there to catch more than 1 type of offenders.

 

 

That's interesting! I read in the local papers during my school days that they installed cameras in "all" buses back then in response to bus lane offenses. I do keep out of the buses' way due to that lol!

 

yes, some buses nowaday have candid cam to auto book those offenders in bus lanes, so do ambulance nowadays.

 

reminds me of a recent incident with the compulsory stop. i slowed down considerably for an exiting bus to go, however the bus didn't want to go n was expecting me to pass. it was until i stopped and tapped my horn then he exited. this show how confusing the compulsory stop is; who to go 1st? if the bus go, he's accused of exiting without checking mirror n blind spot, if the driver go, he's accused of not letting a public vehicle pass. thus in the end, LTA wants us all to slow down the traffic, and they still blame there's too many cars on the road...

Edited December 29, 2010 by arthur_chan

[ThePole]

i'm not sure if this helps but i've a friend who received a summon for stopping in the bus lane and thereby blocking it's path. told me the evidence came in the form of a photo taken from within the bus while his car was stationary when he was letting another friend off. i've ridden several times in the bus lane (many times it's the safest lane) when it's clear of buses and i've yet to receive any summons, hope it stays that way, either that or i've been one very lucky rider...

 

ur friend TRULY deserved the fine. Once too often encounter some yaya papaya stop anywhere they like to drop off people, forcing you to e-brake.

[snowflake]

ur friend TRULY deserved the fine. Once too often encounter some yaya papaya stop anywhere they like to drop off people, forcing you to e-brake.

 

whoah... is there really a need for that hostile tone? i was just stating a point. don't forget i too ride a bike and know how frustrating it is when dealing with certain drivers on the road.

 

i cited his example hoping it would be useful to other forumers not for others to condemn his actions. hope you don't take any offense in what i've just said. cheers!

[joe kawa]

once too had a similiar sitution.

received a letter stating riding in a bus lane,blah blah.

Didn't want to pay the summon as did not intentionly wanted to ride in the bus lane ..bt thanx to a taxi,no choice.

did noticed the auntie at the side of the road.

so i appeal stating that i was on the way to the nearest petrol station coz of my puntured tyre..so for my safety and other road users,i had no choice but to ride in the bus lane..

after few days,received a letter..my appeal was a success..did not have to pay for the summon..

so here's one idea bro..it worked for me..

[joe kawa]

once too had a similiar sitution.

received a letter stating riding in a bus lane,blah blah.

Didn't want to pay the summon as did not intentionly wanted to ride in the bus lane ..bt thanx to a taxi,no choice.

did noticed the auntie at the side of the road.

so i appeal stating that i was on the way to the nearest petrol station coz of my puntured tyre..so for my safety and other road users,i had no choice but to ride in the bus lane..

after few days,received a letter..my appeal was a success..did not have to pay for the summon..

so here's one idea bro..it worked for me..

[joe kawa]

sori double post