Motoring Discussion > Bus lane crim ! Miscellaneous
Thread Author: Ted Replies: 23
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New Thu 25 Feb 10 23:50 
 Bus lane crim ! - Ted
Ah well, think I might have been captured in a bus-only lane on Tuesday. Just hope the camera wasn't working.
It's a real sneaky one. I should have remembered from old news stories but I've not been round there for a while and it used to be open for any traffic.
If you're following a bus, particularly a double decker, as I was, you can't see the signs or the road markings until it's too late ! You're also keeping an eye out for pedestrians and other traffic. A couple of proper ' No Entry ' signs might have helped.
You're more or less committed to keep going, which I did. There's no escape apart from making a U turn and the camera's got you anyway by then.
Good revenue earner for the council. Hey ho ! bite on the old bullet and pay the £30 if they've got me ! No points, at least. I'll let you know.
All part of life's rich tapestry.

tinyurl.com/yk9vqxm ( wait for Streetview )

Ted

EDIT...But isn't the headquarters of the old Lancashire & Yorkshire Railway Co. magnificent ?
Last edited by: silence of the cams on Thu 25 Feb 10 at 23:54
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New Thu 25 Feb 10 23:58 
 Bus lane crim ! - Dave_
Very. Don't most buses have cameras fore and aft for this sort of thing now? (Which means you're doubly collared, unfortunately :-( )
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New Fri 26 Feb 10 00:06 
 Bus lane crim ! - Ted
I'm not sure they would use cameras on the bus, Dave. They will want to capture us when there are no buses about as well !
I can't say I'm bothered, really. £30 not a great penalty in the great scheme of things. And it was quite a good short cut onto Deansgate !
I'll just hang around the Post Office on pension day...soon get the money back ! :-)

Ted
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New Fri 26 Feb 10 11:13 
 Bus lane crim ! - henry k
>>I can't say I'm bothered, really. £30 not a great penalty in the great scheme of things
>>
It really is cheap in your patch.
You might be bothered in my area where it is £120 .
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New Fri 26 Feb 10 11:20 
 Bus lane crim ! - RattleandSmoke
I think the fine is actually £60 but they halve it if you pay it more less straight away.
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New Fri 26 Feb 10 11:30 
 Bus lane crim ! - Ted
Half price discount, pay it on-line if you want.
I'm like the Queen.....don't handle money, dirty stuff !

Just reflecting on the place, a couple of proper red 'No Entry' signs on both sides would keep most cars out, as the whole road is no entry, not just the bus lane. All we have is a blue sign and a small ' no entry ' on a bollard which might refer to the right hand lane anyway.
That would considerably reduce revenue as well...so no chance there !

Ted

Last edited by: silence of the cams on Fri 26 Feb 10 at 11:33
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New Fri 26 Feb 10 00:07 
 Bus lane crim ! - RattleandSmoke
There has been a lot in the MEN about that very same bus lane. It seems a lot of people have been caught by it. I don't think any of the buses will shop him as they are run by private companies but there will be CCTV over the lane it depends if an operator picked up on it.

If you're lucky you might only spend a few weeks in Strangeways for the crime :).
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New Fri 26 Feb 10 12:07 
 Bus lane crim ! - FotheringtonTomas
>> If you're following a bus particularly a double decker as I was you can't see
>> the signs or the road markings until it's too late !

Hm, was Sir's car perhaps jammed up the bus's backside?
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New Fri 26 Feb 10 12:16 
 Bus lane crim ! - bathtub tom
Aren't the bus lane and no entry signs mutually incompatible without an 'except buses' exemption sign?

Doesn't help the OP.
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New Fri 26 Feb 10 18:32 
 Bus lane crim ! - LINGsCARS
Am I awful to say I can't see the problem with the sign?

How do you notice a no entry sign more than a buses only sign? And if you didn't drive so close you would see the road markings.

Driving close is daft because when the bus stops (they do), you cannot pull out to overtake as easily, plus the safety factor of being so close.

You can't moan about driving through when there are signs there. When driving (heheheh, now you go mad), you must take personal responsibility for your own actions :).
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New Fri 26 Feb 10 18:46 
 Bus lane crim ! - Iffy
Ling,

I think the OP's remark: ' Hey ho ! bite on the old bullet and pay the £30 if they've got me ! No points, at least. I'll let you know. All part of life's rich tapestry,' suggests he is taking responsibility for his actions.

He's just saying it's an easy mistake to make when behind a bus.

Looking at the pic, I can see what he means.

I don't see the need for a lecture.
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New Fri 26 Feb 10 18:49 
 Bus lane crim ! - R.P.
I drove the wrong way down a one way street the other night - hopefully not nicked !
Last edited by: Hondadriver on Fri 26 Feb 10 at 18:49
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New Fri 26 Feb 10 18:52 
 Bus lane crim ! - LINGsCARS
Not a lecture, just that everyone who does stuff wrong has an excuse. Always an excuse.

Not crime of the century, but the real post should have been - "I missed the sign, entirely my fault"
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New Fri 26 Feb 10 18:53 
 Bus lane crim ! - R.P.
I didn't see the sign - entirely my own fault !
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New Fri 26 Feb 10 18:56 
 Bus lane crim ! - LINGsCARS
Yes, pat on head :)

Now... let me report you, hahahaha.

We all make mistakes, of course, me you everyone. I just tire of everyone having mitigating excuse.
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New Fri 26 Feb 10 18:58 
 Bus lane crim ! - R.P.
Funnily enough though - the car that was behind me did the same thing exactly - thought it was the fuzz originally but clearly not. I know the place very well but haven't driven there for a while - silly boy :-(
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New Fri 26 Feb 10 19:00 
 Bus lane crim ! - RattleandSmoke
I know the road, its in the middle of Manchester city centre with lots of one way roads and roads which are controlled via bollards (the infamous ones) you are constantly bombarded with signs and information so I can see how Ted missed this. Its very easy looking at it on a computer and thinking its clearer but when you're driving you don't have time to study everything you have to just glance and take it all in.
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New Fri 26 Feb 10 19:02 
 Bus lane crim ! - R.P.
There was a row about the Manchester signage IIRC - something like 32 signs in 100 yards. Potty.
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New Fri 26 Feb 10 19:04 
 Bus lane crim ! - Iffy
...There was a row about the Manchester signage IIRC - something like 32 signs in 100 yards. Potty...

Too right it's potty.

They should put a sign up: Warning - 32 signs in next 100 yards.

No one would have an excuse then.



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New Fri 26 Feb 10 19:08 
 Bus lane crim ! - R.P.
That'd be 34 then.

The lane leading to my home was recently closed for 3 weeks whilst they re-dug sewers due to flooding. Idling past the site I counted a total of 40 H&S signs stuck to Telegraph Poles, fencing, gates - there must be money in them there sign making.
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New Fri 26 Feb 10 19:01 
 Bus lane crim ! - Iffy
...I just tire of everyone having mitigating excuse...

There's bound to be some form of excuse - unless he did it on purpose.

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New Fri 26 Feb 10 21:57 
 Bus lane crim ! - Bromptonaut
There may have been a legal re-think on prohibitions with an "except". We had one near work that for years was no right turn except buses. It's now been changed toa filter marked buses only.

Seemed to be something London discovered when considering allowing cycling contra flow in one way streets (something I oppose). Rather than sign the streets "one Way except" they prefer to use signs prohibiting motor vehicles.
Last edited by: Bromptonaut on Fri 26 Feb 10 at 21:57
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New Fri 26 Feb 10 22:32 
 Bus lane crim ! - Ted
Well, I knew there'd be some advice from folk who don't know the place. There is no point in leaving a gap between your car and the bus in anticipation of overtaking anywhere within half a mile of here. At City speeds why would you leave a large gap anyway. The traffic behind is right up to your boot all the time anyway.
There's no escape at this point here.......your only option is to turn left before the signs and if the signs are hidden by the bus, you've passed the turnoff before they come into view. You're committed !

There has been a lot of adverse comment about this junction in the Evening paper over the years. Most people see it as just a revenue earner.

There is really no need for this to be a bus lane, it was a normal 2 way street for years and it worked fine. This council has a reputation for splashing red and green paint all over the roads of our fine City.

In these days of supposed fuel saving, I find it odd that you should be forced to drive a good 3/4 of a mile to get to a point 100 yds away.

I'm quite happy to take my punishment like a man although I hope the bus following me closely hid my plates from the camera....I doubt it though !

Ted
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New Sun 28 Feb 10 18:13 
 Bus lane crim ! - Badwolf
>> EDIT...But isn't the headquarters of the old Lancashire & Yorkshire Railway Co. >> magnificent ?

Isn't it just, Ted? I love the glass canopy with all the towns and cities the company served made out in stained glass.

Sorry to hear you've been 'got' there. I've often thought, whilst walking along that road, that it's a bit of a trap.
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