In message , at
16:49:52 on Sun, 25 Nov 2012, Portsmouth Rider
remarked:
It says "Do Not" rather than "Must Not", because it's a statement about
driving behaviour and not the law.

Some driving behaviour is so bad that it's also against the law, but much
of what the Highway Code recommends needs to take the local circumstances
into account and is therefore not subject to a blanket legal prohibition.

So, for example, it's not that bad to block a bus stop to drop someone
off, if there's only one bus an hour, and the last one that day ran
several hours previously.

Ah, we see.

Nothing to do with "what's actually acceptable behaviour" and "what is not",
then.

If it's not acceptable behaviour then there will be a "Must Not",
because there's a vast array of laws about unacceptable behaviour.

For the behaviour marked as "Do Not", then it will sometimes be
acceptable and sometimes not, depending on the circumstances. The one
that people seem to infringe the most is "stopping within 32ft of an
intersection", closely followed by "near a school entrance" (the latter
being another of those cases where if they want you to desist at all
times they bump it up to a local "Must Not", viz paint yellow zigzags.

The Highway Code is essentially a Code of Practice for road users.
Other road users drive according to the Highway Code, and expext all
those they come into contact with to do likewise - so that their
behaviour becomes predictable. It is written by people who actually do
KNOW better than you about driving habits, accident statistics, road
and vehicle limitations, etc..

If only it was. It's actually written by a committee that's influenced
by numerous lobbying bodies, and is full of deliberate "white lies" in
order to dumb it down to their perceived audience.

In some areas (not all, I know), there is a service all night. How
do you KNOW such a bus is not going to need the stop?

Local knowledge. If you don't know, and in the absence of observing
whether there are any buses around, stop somewhere else (remember, this
is ordinary motorists, not Rail Replacement buses).

Fact 2: Some buses other than Local Buses as defined by the legislation, to
operate on an entirely casual basis - I am thinking particularly of Access
buses operated by Local Authorities, Social Services and the like. They in
particular need to be able to get in to a bus stop so that the doors can be
positioned right next to the (often raised for the purpose) kerb - so the
users, usually disabled, can get off.

And those are exactly the circumstances where none of the enforcers
where I used to live take any notice at all. Cars parked all day every
day obscuring the raised kerbs put in place for the frequent flow of
buses (at least one every ten minutes).

But two wrongs don't make a right, I know.

And that can happen at any time.

How does that happen when there's already another service bus waiting at
the stop, a queue of people fumbling for their change? Ah yes, it has to
wait a few moments.

(And don't try arguing about

Yes, I know, hence my remarks above.

those buses usually being small and based on minibuses - they need just
as much clear space, because the front steering wheels are usually at
the very front, with the door aft of those wheels, which means a
shallow angle of approach; at least a service bus with the door at the
very front can usually get in with the doors overhanging the kerb, if
some ****head has stopped his car inside the busstop area,

If he's stopped (that means "to let someone in or out, nothing to do
with waiting; loading or parking) he'll only be there for a few seconds.

Your evident frustration is possibly on account of people *parking* in
bus stops? Which I agree is not a good idea.

even if the arse end of the bus IS left sticking out inconveniencing
everyone else).

So we actually have an implied admission from Roland - The contents of the
Highway Code are a "menu" from which he can pick and choose what bits to
obey, and what bits to disregard.

It's a mixture of recommendations and law. I apply the recommendations
whenever the circumstances require it, and obey the "MUST" ones at all
times.
--
Roland Perry