This story was reported in a local newspaper:
tinyurl.com/pqn5qr
I drove across London today, using many bus lanes, legally, and not one sign displayed the word 'only'.
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I read that too but is it really worth it? Try it in London and you're reg number will probably be flagged on the APNR forever and MI5 will have you down as active member of one of the more violent terrorists groups.
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I've never seen road signs telling you not to pass on the inside or cut in front of other vehicles but it's not the way to drive responsibly.
Keep to the spirit of the law and not the letter and the roads will be a better place.
If you really want to use bus (or cycle)lanes get a bike or buy a bus ticket!
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Spirit of the law - maybe! What 'spirit' has a scamera got? The signage has got to be right to be enforceable and that's their job. One word can make a huge difference ie "No parking on weekdays" or "Parking on weekdays". You have a 100% get out if you parked there with the "No" missing.
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If you are going to apply the letter of the law strictly to the population as is clearly happening then those applying that law have to do it perfectly. I find it so amusing that these clowns in charge can't manage to do simple things like wording signs correctly when they insist on having a go at their local people with technicalities like overstaying parking for a few minutes or hanging over a line. Sauce for the goose! If people just rolled over then they would become even less diligent in their duties so it is up to us to make sure that they do their jobs properly.
I think the word 'only' is very important and does change the meaning of the sign if it is missing.
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I'm not sure if its quite as clear cut as the Op shows it. Looking at the Highway Code, the signs for a road which is only to be used for buses will have the "only" sign on it, but where there is a segregated bus lane on one side of the carriageway and the sign is one of those where they have the bus on one side and then a vertical white line to the right the HC does not show the word "only" below it... in fact it would not make sense if it did.
So the original would appear to relate only (!) to those roads where other traffic is not allowed, not bus lanes alongside normal traffic lanes.
Here's the link to the HC
www.direct.gov.uk/en/TravelAndTransport/Highwaycod...m
The relevent one is "signs giving orders"...
Anyone else go a take on it, or am I talking carp?!
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b308. That does throw a different light on it.
It seems the newspaper picked up the story without investigating it too deeply. The first rule of journalism and all that!
It could well be worth investigating the original story before it reached this 'chinese whispers' stage.
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I really don't know with this one... thing is if you had a "split" sign like the one with the bus lane on the left and a white vertical line (bottom left on page two of that link), I just can't see what the word "only" below it would refer to?
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I'd guess the sign with the word 'only' refers to a whole road or something like the entrance to a bus station perhaps.
Slightly off topic. There's a 'no motor vehicles' sign I see without the motorbike. I can't see that defined anywhere.
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Or a bus "rat run"! Yep, thats the way I've read it... but I could easily be reading the story incorrectly as it doesn't give much info!
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I honestly can't see the point of having bus lanes...unless the idea is to annoy car drivers so much, they'll be persuaded not to use them
bus lanes cause horrendous congestion, which slows up the buses as well (before and after the bus lane bit)...
so Mr Bus is badly held up by all the cars trying not to enter the forthcoming bus lane section. When Mr Bus does get to the bus lane..and glides silkily through to the head of the queue...Mr Bus then stops (as they do), blocking the road, which causes more congestion... and slows down Mr Bus for the next bit
get rid of the bus lanes and it would all run more smoothly
i'm not at all convinced that those in power want it to run smoothly
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Rattle and others here live close to where the story originated. Perhaps one of them could point us in the right direction, or even post a link to the original Manchester story?
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Original story here from the MEN.
tinyurl.com/cphz9c
I don't know the bus lane in question as I avoid driving into the city centre like the plaque, the tram is quicker and cheaper.
The bus lane in question is outside a busy train station (the second main station).
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Thanks for that Rattle. I think that explains it perfectly.
The story I gave the link to is a fish of a different hue.
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The only required use of the 'ONLY' plate in relation to the Bus Lane signing as show in the Traffic Sign Manual is where the lane runs contraflow. Normally at the start of the contraflow the bus lane sign will be on the nearside with the Only plate attached underneath and on the offside a No Entry sign.
The blue ' Bus Only' plate applies at the entrance to Bus Station, Depot or Garage.
dvd
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Found it.
If a circular blue Bus sign ( Diagram 953) is used i.e. at the start of lane then it HAS TO be accompanied by the white ONLY plate (953(2))
Directions 20(1) and 21(1) Traffic Signs and General Directions 2004.
Not required where rectangle Bus Lane signs are erected.
dvd
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Not required where rectangle Bus Lane signs are erected.
Which probably applies to most of the ones I see on a daily basis... there's going to be a lot of disappointed people!
Thanks dvd!
What really gets me, though, is that the original story says exactly what dvd has said, but the one in the OP is wrong in showing a photo of the rectangular sign... perhaps you should point out their error, BT?!
Edited by b308 on 25/05/2009 at 22:41
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I have never understood why PTWs are banned from bus lanes. After all, if a bike breaks down, it won't obstruct the lane, it just gets pushed on to the pavement.
Ted
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