City center driving

[johnd]

What is it with city centers they are all one systems and bus lanes?

I had to drive into Sheffield city center the other night to work from head quaters building what a bloody nightmare the road that i need to get to, i could not turn right onto it due barriers and traffic lights so had to get on a ring road that took me 2.5 miles out of my way and when it got to the road i wanted guess what it was now a bus lane which is the only way to get to the buildings carpark so there was no other option but to carry on, whilst driving along a bus driver was flashing his lights and waving his arms so stopped to make sure he was not having some sort of fit, he promptly told me I was on a bus lane to which i replied this is the only way to the carpark facalities for our offices so there was no other option, he said that i should have found another carpark to leave my car. Which sorry is not a option on a night in Sheffield city center unless wanted claim a cheque from my insurance company.
I finally got to the carpark and whilst walking around to the main doors 3 buses passed me 1 single decker and 2 double deckers which took up atleast 14 car lengths and there was no more than 12 people on all 3 buses and this was 8.15pm. Myself and 2 of my workmates had our cars full which totalled 15 of us and we only took the space of one bus so why onearth aren't the goverment looking at how many people are actually using buses and start to charge the bus companies for using over sized buses that are far larger than the demand is for them. No wonder out city centers are congested buses are the cause not cars because Sheffield doesnt allow cars into the center and guess what it still gets grid locked.

[gRoberts]

I'd be waiting for a fine to drop through my letter box...

Most cities now have CCTV that specifically watch for people driving in bus lanes, or stopping in the yellow box etc. what's worse is the bus companies are doing it too. They have camera's front and back to catch anyone in front or behind of the bus in bus lanes etc.

Take a look at: http://www.flashearth.com/?lat=54.93774 ... =0&src=msl

That is one of the most annoying bus lanes i've ever seen. If there is traffic waiting, to abide by the law you have to sit in the right hand lane until the left hand is clear enough for you to filter in, but of course 9/10 people break the law and sit in the bus lane, and those who don't block those in the right hand lane from turning right up ahead.

[teamster1975]

Sounds rather like Guildford's new bus lanes to me
I don't know whether it's Guildord Borough Council jumping on the bandwagon or what but they've squeezed in buslanes at the bottom of town which have completely screwed up the traffic flow, heaven forbid during rushhour
I'm glad I ride a bike but that's a game of russian roulette come 5pm

[trem1]

I'd be waiting for a fine to drop through my letter box...

Most cities now have CCTV that specifically watch for people driving in bus lanes, or stopping in the yellow box etc. what's worse is the bus companies are doing it too. They have camera's front and back to catch anyone in front or behind of the bus in bus lanes etc.

Take a look at: http://www.flashearth.com/?lat=54.93774 ... =0&src=msl

That is one of the most annoying bus lanes i've ever seen. If there is traffic waiting, to abide by the law you have to sit in the right hand lane until the left hand is clear enough for you to filter in, but of course 9/10 people break the law and sit in the bus lane, and those who don't block those in the right hand lane from turning right up ahead.

you must be from my area cos i know that road well

[gRoberts]

lol QE Crossroads mate, I live in Birtley.

Its the same coming from Birtley on Durham Road onto the Angel roundabout, there is about 100 yards (or less) from the roundabout where the bus lane stops, which means people have to either use the bus lane or sit in the right hand lane and wait for the left hand lane to clear before turning left. Of course this holds up everyone behind you.

Sick!

[STALLED]

Blame a town planner....

They do it to discourage car usage within city centers. It's the same for providing bike lanes which nobody uses, congestion charging and the notion of meters which take some insane amount of cash per hour. At the end of the day, councils do this to ensure that people like you leave the 406 at home and walk/use public transport to get to wherever you need to go to!

We have bus lane cameras here...They are set up with one camera and then another one which is 200m down the road. Its great fun in the morning when you see some twat bellend fly down the bus lane to get pinged by the first camera (no fine) and then realize he is approaching the second one very quickly...locking up the wheels and then having nobody in the normal traffic lanes let the person in because they were impatient! It's great fun

I suppose Europe is a tad car unfriendly compared to Australia....we love the car

[steve_earwig]

I suppose Europe is a tad car unfriendly compared to Australia....we love the car

In Europe things are a tad closer together

There really are too many cars on the road, and as JohnD says, no-one on the busses., Ok, I'm not talking about people using their cars for important stuff, more using the 4x4 to go half a mile to the shops. In other countries public transport is useful, reliable and actually clean! I'm sure if this was the case in the UK then people would actually use it. But if no-one uses it, it won't get any better... Catch 22.

I'm still thiking of the "traffic calming" measures they did a few years back around Vauxhall Bridge, they even interviewed the woman (who else!) in charge who said the idea of reducing the road widths and making the area one big stupid bottle-neck was to force poeple to use other routes. Yeah, make it someone else's problem, just like the Victorians building taller chimneys so the smoke became someone else's problem.

After being here almost 4 years I still can't get the hang of Zagreb, the whole place seems to be a mass of one-way streets. My other half knows Zagreb very well but is used to walking everywhere, going somewhere new we often end up with her telling me to go down a street that the road signs tell me I can't. Ok, we'll turn right, then left. Can't do that, ok, carry on, next left. Road curves round to the right. Do a u-turn, try going past it and right... Kill, murder, maim, destroy. No wonder she likes to leave a good hour early.

Btw the stupid government here, in response to pressure from the bloody church, just voted for all shops to be closed on Sundays. Apart from June to September (we need those tourist Euros!) and December (Christmas shopping!). Way to go to increase unemployment!