Buses Breaking The Law? (When to Give Way)

LIcecreamnPlants on 31/08/2020 - 12:04

Long time lurker, first-time poster.
Okay, I wanna start this by saying I accept I could be completely in the wrong but that's why I'm coming to strangers on the internet for input.

So in the last month, I've had two little run-ins with buses in which if they were another car I would have held my horn down for a good 10 seconds but instead, I've been honked at and yelled at by the bus driver.
I know we have to give way to buses, but I always thought it was within reason, following the normal give way rules. Here are the two following scenarios:

Scenario one:
I was driving down a busy main rain at 70km/hr when a bus pulled out of a tiny residential street on my left just as I was passing it. I had to slam on my breaks and swerve to avoid hitting it. The bus driver didn't stop, just kept going back yelled out his window and shook his finger at me. (Attached the diagram below for a bit of visual aid)

Diagram 1 - https://imgur.com/a/pukXzAQ

Scenario 2 (today, this is the one I'm more unsure about, and I might actually be the AH)
Going down the main road, cars in front of me, bus to my left, the front window in line with my back window. He started to merge into me (his lane wasn't ending or anything, just wanted to get into my lane), he held down his horn at me. I couldn't move forward because of the cars in front, but there was a huge space behind me that if he broke for a second he could easily merge, but he continued to honk his horn at me until I put my breaks on and came to a full stop in the middle of the road until he got in front of me.
There wasn't a way that he could get in front without breaking to go behind me. But I always thought if you were in front partially, you don't have to break to let them in front of you, they just go behind. (hope thatmakes sense)

Diagram 2 - https://imgur.com/a/Po3W3Tj

So was I in the wrong for any of these situations?
When do I actually have to give way to buses?
Any input would be greatly appreciated!

Poll Options

  • 7
    You're the AH
  • 105
    Bus drivers were the AH
Automotive

Comments

  • GG57 on 31/08/2020 - 12:10
    +5

    Everyone should just get along.

  • Obsqur on 31/08/2020 - 12:18
    +33

    I've always understood the 'give way to buses' sign was for when they are pulling out off their bus stops. and not out of a street or mid stream in traffic.

    in my book, for both of these scenarios, you've either had the bad luck to run into the same driver twice & he recognised you, or just 2 drivers near the end of long shifts, & just bloody sick of no one letting them in.

    • tomsco on 31/08/2020 - 14:05

      'give way to buses' sign was for when they are pulling out off their bus stops

      Going off topic a bit, but does anyone have much experience in regards to buses using hazard lights when pulled into a stop.

      Maybe 9 times out of 10 it's not a problem, but I've seen a few near misses where two buses are stopped in line and obviously drivers have assumed what is indicators is actually hazards (as per the first bus).

      Example: https://goo.gl/maps/GSXy2nN9e37oYb9z5

      As a driver in the left lane, they approach the buses - the first has it's hazards on. The second bus, you can't tell if they are the hazards or left indicator.

      Yes, the law of survival says you slow down if unsure, but it just seems like a flimsy option to use hazards when there are possibly other solutions that could indicate pulled over vs pulling out.

    • N1NJ4W4RR10R on 02/09/2020 - 16:58

      That's what I always thought - hence why the sign is on the back and it doesn't have sirens…

  • skid on 31/08/2020 - 12:34
    +3

    In scenario 2, is there a chance the bus driver was honking the guy behind you? I don't really understand the scenario. Was the bus attempting to merge into the rear side of your car whilst travelling more or less at the same speed as you are?

    In scenario 1, the bus driver was the AH.

    Give way to buses when they are travelling in the same direction as you, are in front of you and have their indicator on.

  • Drakesy on 31/08/2020 - 12:43
    +4

    Yeah, bus drivers i guess get a hard time on the road, but it doesn't give them the right to have a mine's bigger approach to traffic.
    Have been in many instances where i approach and come level with a bus that is pulled over at a bus stop when they indicate and turn into me or my lane in the same motion with zero warning.

    I feel they abuse the indicator as an automatic means of priority no matter who's next to them. Because at the end of the day you have to give way to an indicating bus and they'd be in right right. Someone's going to have to die though before they're retrained/priority rules are re-written.

  • slow on 31/08/2020 - 12:43
    +9

    My experience as a cyclist, driver and a regular bus passenger is that bus drivers do whatever the hell they want and just put their foot down and go and expect cars and bicycles to get out the way.
    So it is best just to always give way to them and not get too stressed about it.

    • Caped Baldy on 31/08/2020 - 15:48

      How do you rate taxis in that?

      My ratings as a driver are from worst to best - taxis = utes < vans < euros < trucks < cars = cyclists = pedestrians

  • GG57 on 31/08/2020 - 13:05

    "Buses Breaking The Law?"

    So, what is the law? Should be easy enough to find in your state.

    • beeawwb on 31/08/2020 - 13:46
      +2

      For example, the law in QLD is…

      When you are driving in a built-up area and the speed limit is 70km/h or less, you must give way to a bus that displays a give way to buses sign on its back right-hand side, and is signalling to enter traffic from:

      • a bus zone, bus stop or bus stop bay
      • the shoulder of the road, or the left side of the road.
      • GG57 on 31/08/2020 - 14:09
        +1

        Thanks for sharing; we don't know where OP is located so I was suggesting they look up their state laws

        • beeawwb on 31/08/2020 - 14:20
          +1

          Yeah, I had a look to see if OP had any location details but didn't see any so I just replied with my own location. :)

  • rambutann on 31/08/2020 - 13:40

    Just assume that all buses are lava when you're driving and you'll be all good.

  • Smulder on 31/08/2020 - 14:04
    +10

    I once drove into the back of a stationery bus. I have no right to comment.

    • canyoudoitcheaper on 31/08/2020 - 22:12
      +6

      stationery

      Did the driver get out and throw some gluesticks and paper clips at you?

      • Smulder on 31/08/2020 - 23:38
        +11

        Did you miss the part where I drove into a bus? Spelling is the least of my worries.

        • suemckoy on 01/09/2020 - 09:42
          +1

          Your comment made me laugh out aloud. thank you for that.

      • kiitos on 01/09/2020 - 11:55
        +1

        After the accident, there was so much paperwork to get through!

  • HangryCakeStore on 31/08/2020 - 14:17

    Buses are almost giant trucks, why do they always get away with their more than often careless driving, all while striking for better pay

  • pegaxs on 31/08/2020 - 16:31
    +4

    breaks brakes breaking braking

    Scenerio 1: Bus driver is AH. This is not what "give way to buses" means

    Scenerio 2: Bus driver is partially the AH. Hard to know if he had his indicator on and you passed him. Still, bus driver acted like a dick.

    When do I actually have to give way to buses?

    Australian Road Rule 77: Giving way to buses

  • Euphemistic on 31/08/2020 - 17:13
    +3
    • brakes not breaks and * braked not broke.

    I wasn’t there so don’t know the details, but…

    There’s ‘slam on the brakes’ and ‘son on the brakes’. I drive almost daily and probably has to ‘slam’ on the brakes twice in the last 6months. My wife on the other hand seems to ‘needs’ to do this every second day and she’s not a terrible driver. We obviously have different tolerance as to what constitutes ‘slamming’ on brakes.

    In scenario one perhaps the driver messed up, or had waited far too long and figure ‘might is right’ and you’d stop when he should have continued waiting.

    Second scenario perhaps his mirrors didn’t enable him to judge the distance behind you enough and he needed to change lanes to turn soon.

    Either way, driving buses in city traffic would suck. Massive, slow and heavy and surrounded by idiots that can’t drive a hatchback. It’s been said that bus driver is one of the most stressful jobs going. Glad I don’t do it.

  • brad1-8tsi on 31/08/2020 - 19:23
    +7

    I'm knot shore if they are braking the law but busses are big and sloe with limited site lines, sew ewe have two give them a brake. Eye also think there breaks dew knot work very well.

  • j0hnd0e on 31/08/2020 - 22:48
    +2

    Many bus drivers seem to think that 'give way to buses' apply to ANY situation they're in. In the past week alone I've encountered a bus weaving in and out of traffic and another one horned at me when I was in the same situation as you in diagram 2 (I was right by his window when he started signalling).

  • [Deactivated] on 01/09/2020 - 07:45
    +1

    I gave way to a bus and sat there waiting for her to go. She threw her arms up as if to ask what the hell I was doing and let me go.

    • Euphemistic on 01/09/2020 - 08:18
      +1

      changing the road rules to be courteous isn’t helpful in a lot of cases.

      • [Deactivated] on 03/09/2020 - 17:31

        Its just odd. She had right of way and I was waiting.

        • Euphemistic on 03/09/2020 - 17:41

          You mean you were meant to give way? Sounds like a brain snap.

          (Bus didn’t have ‘right of way’)

  • MontyMacaw on 01/09/2020 - 08:42

    I just let buses have anything I can give them regardless of the law - without causing problems for other drivers. They have timetables to keep and I always allow enough time to get where I want to go so my road rage is self selected as a sport rather than a reaction - some may not get that.

  • munecito on 01/09/2020 - 08:59
    +1

    Let's say you broke for him. Then he can squeeze in between your two pieces and be the meat in that sandwich.

    You or your car seems to be breaking quite often.

    Have you thought about you and your car becoming a breakdance troupe?

    • Euphemistic on 01/09/2020 - 10:51

      Let's say you broke for him.

      For example crashed into the bus and pushed it into a Porsche - without insurance.

  • mincemeat on 01/09/2020 - 12:21
    +1

    "So in the last month, I've had two little run-ins with buses in which if they were another car I would have held my horn down for a good 10 seconds but instead, I've been honked at and yelled at by the bus driver."

    That's Sydney driving for you. Nothing to do with buses. I was about to get side-swiped by a bloke with a trailer not looking where he was going so I did a small alert beep (as opposed to the long eff you idiot horn) just to let him know I was there and the bloke gave me the finger ! ! !

    • Jono05 on 01/09/2020 - 12:48
      +2

      Don’t give back his finger to him, that’ll teach him.

  • OzHunterNSW on 01/09/2020 - 12:26
    -1

    You obviously have an issue and this stems further beyond buses to the general car environment around your self righteous sense of worth. You pose a danger to all those law abiding citizens and it is people like you that make these citizen pay more for insurance.

    If the Govt are monitoring this feed, they should revoke your Licence.

  • Jono05 on 01/09/2020 - 12:46

    In my opinion the bus drivers broke the law in both situations. First one, no brainer, it’s a T intersection and you have the right of way. Second one, you were ahead of the bus you have the right of way. If bus is pulling out of a bus stop you need to give way to them, not when they’re running out of lane and especially if you’re in front of them.

    • Euphemistic on 01/09/2020 - 19:05
      +2

      you have the right of way.

      Technically it’s “the bus must give way”. There is no right of way in the traffic code.

      • Jono05 on 02/09/2020 - 13:36

        Semantics.

        • Euphemistic on 02/09/2020 - 13:42

          Yes, it’s semantics. But it is an important point to remember. At the end of the day, no one has the right to continue on without regard for other traffic. Just because some clown fails to give way and pulls out in front of you doesn’t absolve you from the responsibility to try and avoid a crash - by giving way.

          • Jono05 on 03/09/2020 - 00:06

            @Euphemistic: Yes, that goes without saying.

            • Euphemistic on 03/09/2020 - 07:45

              @Jono05: Unfortunate it doesn’t go without saying which is why I regularly make the point.

  • cobbadan on 01/09/2020 - 14:36

    I've driven buses for many years.

    So was I in the wrong for any of these situations? Negative

    When do I actually have to give way to buses? When they are indicating and pulling out from a bus stop

    Any input would be greatly appreciated!

    I have known and currently work with plenty of bus drivers who are idiots & can't drive for shit.

    In situation 1, pulling out from a side street. Getting out of side streets like that on busy roads in a bus can be a pain in the ass, so maybe he was sitting there for a long time and there was a gap before or after you, and maybe he looked at you and thought, if this guy can see what i'm trying to do here and just cut me some slack, I'll be able to get out. Unfortunately, you didn't realise that you were the key to him getting out & just kept on keeping on. It's a long shot.

    Situation 2, The lane change. Unless he was indicating while you were still down near his back end and you didn't see or sped up because you didn't want to be behind the bus then I can't see why he would be pissed at you.

    It's very common to indicate for a lane change & have people beside & behind you speed up because nobody wants to be behind a bus. It's also very common to see bus drivers who are aggressive ass hats behind the wheel because they have to put up with idiots all day , every day.

  • md333 on 01/09/2020 - 14:37
    +2

    In the second case it is quite common for buses to have to make a right turn quite soon after pulling out from a stop on the left.
    They pretty much never use the right lane unless they are about to turn right.
    If they are in front of you and indicating right it means they need to get across in a hurry, and it would be a good idea for you to let them in.

  • HeWhoKnows on 01/09/2020 - 23:13
    -3

    Bus drivers have a difficult job as it is and now you want them to put up with your trivial complaints.
    Mate GET A LIFE !

    • N1NJ4W4RR10R on 02/09/2020 - 17:09

      How the hell is OP nearly Tboning a bus because they pulled out when they shouldn't have a minor complaint?

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