"Dave Arquati" wrote in message
...
Matthew Church wrote:

Although in favour of speeding up buses, I wonder whether it might
better serve the interests of both bus users and motorists to introduce
a rule which makes it compulsory to let buses leaving a bus stop pull
out. Unfortunately I suspect the problem would be enforcement - on-bus
cameras might be an option, but they're expensive and it's another thing
for the driver to worry about.

It is already a rule in the Highway Code, though I believe HC rules are for
guidance and are not mandatory.

I usually let a bus pull out in front of me if it indicates and waits for me
to let it out - which I indicate by giving it a double-flash of my
headlights since the HC does not define a proper "I will wait for you"
signal (*). Some bus drivers think that putting their indicator on gives
them a divine right to pull away without checking whether they will force a
vehicle to swerve into oncoming traffic if it's already started to overtake
the bus before it started signalling.


(*) If the use of the headlight flashing signal for this use is prohibited,
then it's very simple: I am not prepared to wait for another car if I'm
unable to signal my intentions rather than relying on telepathy - a clear
signal is safer than ambiguity "*is* he or *isn't* he going to wait for me?"