LesterOfPuppets

You're doing it wrong. On a busy road, if you see a school bus stopped or about to stop, take the lane. Wait in center of lane approx 12' behind bus. Make contact with driver behind you so that you know that they know that you're there. As school bus leaves stop proceed until bus is dropping you, then if lane width allows, move over to allow traffic behind you to pass.

If you're approaching a stopped school bus where other cars are already stacking up behind the bus, make eye contact with the driver behind you, signal that you'll be taking the lane, then take the lane. Do not bother passing every stopped car to get to the front of the cue, get in on an open spot in between cars. As school bus leaves stop proceed until bus is dropping you, then if lane width allows, move over to allow traffic behind you to pass.

Let me know what's unsafe about doing that and perhaps I could help you out with problem areas.

I'm sorry school bus exhaust tends to stink. You'll have to change your commute time or put up with it for a couple of minutes. You can continue to risk your life sprinting around the bus and getting squeezed by an suv if you want.

LesterOfPuppets

I think some LAB courses would make cycling on the streets much safer for you. There are a couple of courses in Sacto later this month.

Search for Smart Cycling Classes on the LAB website.

MrCjolsen

That's exactly the situation I'm trying to avoid - taking the lane and being at a stop. My main issue is drivers who are distracted, don't see the bus, the lights, or me. The one thing the bus driver told me that really stuck is how few cars actually stop.

Making eye contact with the driver of a school bus that is in the process of loading children probably isn't going to happen. They have to get the kids on the bus, help the little ones up the steps, and get everyone in their seats and reasonably quiet before the bus can move. Watching their rear view mirror isn't a huge priority.

There is very often a significant lag between the lights going off and the bus leaving (see above). If I've taken the lane 12' behind the bus, at that point I'm a very slow moving cyclist on a fast street in the middle of the lane. And also riding directly into the sun. As I said, one distracted driver and I'm dead.


I have no problem with that. I don't care to filter under most cases and a stopped school bus is no exception. If cars are already there I'll usually just wait. Then I haul a$$ behind the cars when they go. Once I'm clear of the bus, I move over and all is good.

Nobody is sprinting around a bus here. I'm saying I'd just ride to the front of the bus, stop, and proceed. My objective is simply to get out of everybody's way as soon as possible. Quite often, the bus driver just tells me to go ahead. Not sure if they have that legal authority, but that's what they do.

Chris516

The kids in my town get off the bus, in the post office parking lot. So I don't have to worry. But, I have seen a smaller bus going through town. So I am guessing it is one of the private school's busses that comes into town.

LesterOfPuppets

How many times has the driver been rear ended? I'm talking about taking the lane directly behind the bus. Is the bus stopping at a pullout or something? I'd get behind the bus then too. Being in a lane next to a bus that's in a pullout can be a dangerous position. Join the bus in the pullout area. Cars are mostly pretty good about not rear ending buses. Again make eye contact with the drivers as they approach behind you. You can typically spot the distracted ones.

No, while making eye contact with the bus driver would be nice, I mean make eye contact with drivers behind you!


As soon as the bus proceeds, you can move over to whatever lane position you normally ride in if you feel safer there. What is your normal lane position while on this route?

I'd guess they want you out of the dangerous position you've taken beside them as soon as possible. I'd also guess they're none too happy about you passing them when they'll just be passing you back in a couple of blocks.

electrik

I guess that leaves us all doing the dorklocross or huffing diesel fumes. Ironically I think you're more likely to hit a damn kid while you're goofing off on the sidewalk.

btw, why did the rubber chicken cross the road?

tomg

same road, same rules.

LesterOfPuppets

I'm bad. Broke the law today. Sitting in a left turn lane with a red arrow, but straight lanes had green lights. Giant gap in oncoming traffic. I just had to hit it.

electrik

Absolutely.

irwin7638

Same road, same rules, same behavior!

https://simplecycle-marc.blogspot.com...gized-for.html

Marc

Commodus

The buses in my neighbourhood are bright yellow, and have big signs on them saying "MUST YIELD" and "STOP WHEN RED LIGHTS FLASHING". On top of that they have this great effing red sign that comes out and says "STOP".

Frankly, I thought the issue was pretty clear. And I have no idea why anyone would be at undue risk sitting and waiting behind a bus like this.

electrik

Why do you think they put all those signs on it!

Commodus

So people wouldn't bug the drivers, asking whether or not they should stop, I guess.

Maybe we need more signs.

sudo bike

I think there was some general musings on this board earlier that according to the letter of the law, in some states, it's legal to turn on a red left turn signal if the through light is green (assuming it's clear, of course).

Whether that's true or not, I don't think I'd test it with a cop about.

irwin7638

In the six states I have lived in it is legal to make a left turn after stopping at a light onlywhen turning from a one way onto another one way street.

dougmc

Most states have a similar passage in their law books.

But this passage is often redundant (and as so, quoting it to prove a point is pointless) -- if your state considers a bicycle to be a vehicle, and a law applies to vehicles, it applies to your bike (unless something says otherwise.) If you want to quote the appropriate law, quote the law about passing school buses.

Like most states, Texas has a similar passage. But some laws specifically say "motor vehicle" (such as the DWI law) -- and so those particular laws don't apply to bicycles -- but you have to read that actual law to be sure.

(And I think the Texas law about passing school buses says "vehicle" -- so it applies to bikes, at least here.)

Though I should mention that not all states consider a bicycle to legally be a vehicle -- if yours doesn't, then this passage is not redundant, but even so -- you're still better off quoting the specific law to prove your point rather than this.

gcottay

This one is simple. Just walk your bike down the sidewalk until you feel confident enough to resume riding down the road. Problem solved without breaking the law.

mustachiod

amazed you found a schoolbus driver that not only spoke english, but could carry on a conversation.

electrik

njkayaker

??? Really? The buses I've seen don't sit.

I always base my "determinations" on interviews with one person!

I always base my "determinations" on interviews with one person who says things which are incorrect!

It's a great mystery why you didn't look at the relevant law.

https://www.dmv.ca.gov/pubs/vctop/d11/vc22454.htm

??? Read what "LesterOfPuppets" said carefully.

It sounds like you are worried that the bus driver is going to backup over you!

njkayaker

This is still illegal.

njkayaker

Seems highly unlikely to be true in any state. People are blowing smoke unless they can point to the law that allows this.

dougmc

Actually, you have it backwards -- things are generally legal unless one can point to the law that disallows it.

I'm not saying that this is or is not such a case, but my point is that if you want to claim something is illegal, you'll need to find a law that prohibits it, because laws that explicitly allow actions (without a law that prohibits it) are rare -- instead, at most they'll carve exemptions out of other laws.

njkayaker

You are missing my point. "sudo bike" made a vague statement about "some" states.

Since traffic laws are largely the same in all states, it seems unlikely that what "sudo bike" said is correct. Even he is not convinced!

Do you really think this is likely in any state?

Anyway, if it isn't explicitly allowed to turn left at a red left turn arrow, the "letter of the law" that requires drivers to stop at red-lights would almost-certainly apply. Thus, it's even less likely to be true.

I'm not talking about any other case but this one!

It's a red light. The law that "prohibits" it is a standard, basic law in every state!

SCROUDS

Failure to obey a traffic control device. Its in all 50 states in one form or another.