Travelling in bus lane

[stevo911_]

According to BC transit you're OK to travel in the bus lane if you're intending to turn within the block:

During hours of operation, what changes for me in these lanes?
While bus lanes are in operation, you are not permitted to park, unload a vehicle or drive in the lane without the intention of turning right at the next block.

What happens if I need to turn across a bus lane?
During bus lanes operational hours, general vehicles will be allowed to enter the shared bus and bicycle only lane if they are making a right hand turn within their current block.

I can't find anything in the MVA or anything stating it's permitted.

In a spot like this can you turn immediately right in to the bus lane and then turn right onto oak st/into the mall?
https://www.google.ca/maps/@48.45485...!3m1!1e3?hl=en


From a traffic congestion standpoint (that spot gets backed up all the time) logic would dictate that it would be fine to do so, ditto from BC Transits website, but I can't find any regs that actually say it's OK to do so? It seems like they state you should sit in the backed up traffic and then cut across the bus lane to get into the right turn lane.

[SumAznGuy]

From the way the rules are written, logic would dictate that you should be able to enter the bus lane any time in that block to turn into the right turn lane.

But how the officers want to interpret the rules may be different.

[stevo911_]

I couldn't find anything in the MVA aside from it saying unless you're a bus you're not allowed to travel in the bus lane, except 209.1 (and 149.1 or something like that), except if you read those they just say other people can make regulations about driving in them. I looked up those regs and couldn't find anything.

[sho_bc]

You're not allowed to cross a solid line, so if you enter a bus lane with the intention of making your first available right, but have to cross a solid line (marking off the bus lane), you're not allowed to do that. You're also not allowed to travel in a bus lane, so entering the bus lane at the intersection prior to your turn is not allowed.

Most bus lanes that I've seen have the broken line leading up to the intersection which allows non-buses to enter that lane in order to make the turn.

In reality, I've seen people cut across the solid line into the bus lane half a bock before that broken line starts, happens all the time everywhere. Do the majority of the people get ticketed for it? No. Can they? Yes.

[wing_woo]

Originally Posted by sho_bc

You're not allowed to cross a solid line, so if you enter a bus lane with the intention of making your first available right, but have to cross a solid line (marking off the bus lane), you're not allowed to do that. You're also not allowed to travel in a bus lane, so entering the bus lane at the intersection prior to your turn is not allowed.

It's amazing how many people don't know this. I told my friend once and we had a huge argument saying that you can cross any white line at any time and then I asked why they have solid vs dotted ones? She didn't have an answer but maintained that she can change lanes anytime and the lines don't mean anything.

As for the bus lanes, I hate how inconsiderate some bus driver's are. Like turning into BCIT, there is a bus stop right before the intersection. I've seen people want to turn and they are the second car at the red light. They signal and when the light changes, they try to turn right, but the bus driver just moves up and blocks them even though they've been signalling and moved closer to the lane at a slight angle to indicate their intention. They just can't get in the lane to turn cause the car in front didn't move far enough ahead for the person to go all the way in.

That's why I always avoid that turn when going to pick up my wife. I just turn in at the opening halfway up the block before that and drive through the parking lot to get to the drop off area when I see a bus in that lane.

[smoothie.]

http://www.icbc.com/driver-licensing...s/drivers3.pdf

[melloman]

Happens quite often on Willingdon at Canada Way.

People hop into the bus lane right before the intersection heading North, so they can get onto Hwy1 Eastbound. This happens because after the intersection it turns into a giant clusterfuck if you're in the middle lane and trying to get over the bus lane to get into the on-ramp.

[NNT]

Solid and dotted yellow anyone? both ok for passing when safe so whats the diff? looking at any of the major road in Vancouver (W.Broadway as example) both direction separated by a single solid yellow. so I can pass using the opposite lane when safe?

[sebberry]

Originally Posted by sho_bc

You're also not allowed to travel in a bus lane, so entering the bus lane at the intersection prior to your turn is not allowed.

So why does BC Transit say on their website that you're allowed to travel in the bus lane if you're turning off somewhere along that block?

[Alby]

Yielding to bus
169.1 (1) Subject to subsection (2), the driver of a vehicle on a highway, on overtaking a bus that is stopped, standing or parked, must yield the right of way to the bus if

(a) the bus displays a sign or other signal device requiring the driver of the vehicle to yield to the bus, and
(b) the bus driver has signalled an intention to move into the travelled portion of the highway.
(2) Subsection (1) applies if, at the point on the highway where the driver overtakes the bus, the applicable speed limit is not more than 60 km/h.
(3) Despite subsection (1), a bus driver must not move a bus into the travelled portion of the highway unless it is safe to do so.
(4) A sign or signal device referred to in subsection (1) (a) must not be displayed on any vehicle other than a bus that is
(a) operated by or on behalf of
(i) British Columbia Transit under the British Columbia Transit Act, or
(ii) the South Coast British Columbia Transportation Authority under the South Coast British Columbia Transportation Authority Act, or
(b) operated by or on behalf of a person, municipality or treaty first nation as part of an independent transit service approved by the South Coast British Columbia Transportation Authority under section 5 of the South Coast British Columbia Transportation Authority Act.

a little off topic, but to my understanding from this quote, we are obligated to yield to a bus that is pulling away from the curb after their stop. now what about when they are already moving and is signalling to change lanes. are we obligated to yield to them as well?

[steveo1115]

Originally Posted by Alby

now what about when they are already moving and is signalling to change lanes. are we obligated to yield to them as well?

Yielding to bus
169.1 (1) Subject to subsection (2), the driver of a vehicle on a highway, on overtaking a bus that is stopped, standing or parked, must yield the right of way to the bus if

I think you answered your own question.

[Alby]

Originally Posted by steveo1115

Yielding to bus
169.1 (1) Subject to subsection (2), the driver of a vehicle on a highway, on overtaking a bus that is stopped, standing or parked, must yield the right of way to the bus if

I think you answered your own question.

i was very unsure of myself because sometimes that i don't yield when the bus wants a lane change like any other vehicle, NOT from pulling out of their stop, some bus drivers get all pissy. honking and flaring their hands up.

[sebberry]

Originally Posted by Alby

i was very unsure of myself because sometimes that i don't yield when the bus wants a lane change like any other vehicle, NOT from pulling out of their stop, some bus drivers get all pissy. honking and flaring their hands up.

Put yourself in their shoes.
Just be nice to others and yield.

[steveo1115]

I've had the buss pull out about 20 feet in front of me on a highway with a speed limit of 80. If the oncoming lane wasn't clear I wouldn't have been able to slow down. The buss driver got mad at me, I'm not sure most of the buss drivers actually understand this law.

[snowball]

Originally Posted by NNT

Solid and dotted yellow anyone? both ok for passing when safe so whats the diff? looking at any of the major road in Vancouver (W.Broadway as example) both direction separated by a single solid yellow. so I can pass using the opposite lane when safe?

You can only pass at the maximum speed limit (but we know what that really means) The most common scenario which results in passing would be if a car has stopped (like a delivery truck, retard who doesn't know how to parallel park) and it's safe to pass. During most of the day, the major streets are too busy to be considered a safe passing situation.

[nabs]

Every time I hear the word "Travelling" when it comes to traffic, I think of those idiots who bait cops into pulling them over, and harass them.

[ZN6]

Originally Posted by wing_woo

It's amazing how many people don't know this. I told my friend once and we had a huge argument saying that you can cross any white line at any time and then I asked why they have solid vs dotted ones? She didn't have an answer but maintained that she can change lanes anytime and the lines don't mean anything.

Solid white line= dangerous to switch lanes; it does not assume you are going to stop. This is especially important for pedestrian crosswalks. It's a part of getting licensed to know that. She should probably not drive if she arbitrarily thinks that markings on the road is purely up for her interpretation.

[sho_bc]

Originally Posted by sebberry

So why does BC Transit say on their website that you're allowed to travel in the bus lane if you're turning off somewhere along that block?

You're asking the wrong audience. That question would be better asked of BC Transit.

[xXSupa]

Originally Posted by steveo1115

I've had the buss pull out about 20 feet in front of me on a highway with a speed limit of 80. If the oncoming lane wasn't clear I wouldn't have been able to slow down. The buss driver got mad at me, I'm not sure most of the buss drivers actually understand this law.

Like Alby quoted above, you are only required to yield to buses that are pulling away from the curb when the speed limit is 60km/h or less. So in your case, it would be the buses' fault.

For the solid white line, the MVA says you are not allowed to cross a solid white line, so you can not make a lane change over a solid white line. But sometimes it doesn't make sense... like at this intersection:

Cars are always parked up to the sign, and the solid white starts way before the intersection. It is illegal to cross a solid white line, and it is illegal to turn right from the lane that is not closest to the right-hand curb. So is it illegal to turn right here when there are parked cars then..?

As for yellow lines, here's what I remember reading from the MVA:
Dash yellows: You can pass when safe
Solid yellows: The road has not been surveyed. You are allowed to pass if done safely.
Double yellows: You are not allowed to cross them for any reason (No passing, no u-turns, not even to go around a stopped car). The only exception to this is if you're turning off the road into a driveway.