Should Buses Have the Right-of-Way?

[Formaldehyde]

One of the first lessons I learned riding a bicycle in Manhattan was to stay away from buses.

I bought my first bike on 14th Street, which is one of the few 4-lane roads with traffic going in both directions. A few blocks from the store, I noticed an object right next to my head in my peripheral vision. It was the mirror of a bus. Since the engine was in the rear, I never heard it pull up next to me. The bus then proceeded to pull to the curb to let passengers off as though I didn't even exist. I had to slam on my brakes to not be run over.

From that point on I was extremely careful whenever I was on 4-lane cross street, and I always rode on the left side of one-way avenues whenever I could.

 

[uppi]

Hell, no. That would just encourage them to feel as the kings of the urban road and pull even more dangerous stunts. Buses are dangerous enough as they are even without a license to kill.

Bus schedules are very vulnerable to traffic conditions, anyway. And even if the single bus could gain some advantage by having automatic right-of-way, this would severely disrupt the traffic flow for everyone else, including all the other buses. So the net gain would be negative for everyone.

 

[SS-18 ICBM]

Which one encourages use of public transport?

 

[illram]

Neither? I doubt right of way would significantly impact schedules, which would be the only way I could see this rule having any effect.

And I think to really improve on-time numbers you need dedicated bus lanes.

 

[Perfection]

My momma told me, "son, don't *mess* with a bus".

My momma spoke truth.

 

[Smellincoffee]

Yes, especially if they're operated by a city trying to establish a Bus Rapid Transit system.

 

[Tee Kay]

Yes, especially if they're operated by a city trying to establish a Bus Rapid Transit system.

This

But trains ftw

 

[Angst]

Of course buses should have 'right-of-way'. There shouldn't even be as many cars as there currently is.

This:

Which one encourages use of public transport?

Also, I don't understand why Forma suddenly has to rely on anecdotes in order to further an agenda.

EdIT: My above sentence was ******** as I just read through Forma's posts and realized he thought nowhere near what I thought he thought.

 

[AdamCrock]

It is an unwritten law that busses should go first when thay can , Thay carry a lot more people so they should go first, the lady did not followed that "law" obviously

 

[bhsup]

Rules of the road are not the place for unwritten rules. You obey the traffic laws as they are set down. Deviation from them CAUSES problems, it doesn't alleviate them. Idiots waving someone out of a parking lot but backing up 50 cars behind themselves in the process, for example.

 

[Smellincoffee]

Rules of the road are not the place for unwritten rules. You obey the traffic laws as they are set down. Deviation from them CAUSES problems, it doesn't alleviate them. Idiots waving someone out of a parking lot but backing up 50 cars behind themselves in the process, for example.

Oh, the road is no place for absolute obedience to laws -- take stop lights on minor roads. They're a tremendous waste of public money, private time, and everyone's gasoline, especially the timed signals that change regardless of traffic. If it weren't for the prospect of enforcement, I'd happily treat almost every red light I encounter like a stop sign.

 

[bhsup]

That's why we have right on red. But if you're going straight or turning left, wait for the bloody light!

 

[emzie]

Our buses have yield signs on the back. They pull into oncoming traffic when signaling and if you hit them, well, there was a sign.

 

[Formaldehyde]

Oh, the road is no place for absolute obedience to laws -- take stop lights on minor roads. They're a tremendous waste of public money, private time, and everyone's gasoline, especially the timed signals that change regardless of traffic. If it weren't for the prospect of enforcement, I'd happily treat almost every red light I encounter like a stop sign.

I once got in a cab in Manhattan at 5 AM or so. We proceeded to go N on 10th Avenue blowing through about 10 red lights without even slowing.

 

[Labtec600]

No they shouldnt have the right of way. That puts the bus driver, the passengers, and other drivers/passengers lives at risk.

How about the city just recalculates it's bus routes so the bus never has to make a left hand turn?

 

[Camikaze]

Thay carry a lot more people so they should go first

What if the bus is not in service, or is a private vehicle?

 

[bhsup]

Or a microbus full of Friends of Jesus leading a convoy.

 

[Silurian]

but its not the 7th of June

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sd5ZLJWQmss

 

[Peck of Arabia]

Thay carry a lot more people so they should go first,

What's this damned Vulcan logic? "The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few, or the one"

Actually, ordinarily I'd probably have sided with the buses but after 4 years of frequent trips to hospital to Sheffield (Second only to Oxford in terms of hostility to cars, I'm sure) it's built in me a strong dislike of public transport, bus lanes, zealous pedestrian crossings and pedestrians themselves- which is kind of odd given that I can't drive.

 

[bhsup]

but its not the 7th of June

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sd5ZLJWQmss

First things first, for getting the reference!

However, I never liked the movie version that much. Original is much better. That said, the microbus didn't actually LEAD the convoy until the sequel!