Friday, January 8, 2010

Where You Going Bus Driver?

Here's an annoyance with a solution. Anybody want to tell the people who matter?

Okay, so here's the deal. I don't know if this is specific to my hometown or not, but it seems unlikely. Here when a bus is on a street with two lanes going in its direction and is stopped at a bus stop blocking the right lane, the bus driver turns on the left signal when pulling out from the bus stop. The problem is that if you're coming up in the left lane you can't tell if the bus is just signaling it is pulling away from the curb to go down the right lane or if it is signaling that it is actually going to move into the left lane.

A bus signaling to move into the left lane makes sense, but signaling that it is pulling out from the curb seems unnecessary given that the bus is blocking the right lane and all it is doing is starting up and going down that same lane. The act of signaling this maneuver doesn't help anyone. It just causes confusion.

So here's my solution. When a bus pulls into the stop the driver should use the flashers. Everyone behind the bus will know the bus is stopping. When the driver wants to start again the flashers are turned off. Then we all know it is going to start moving. If the left signal then comes on we know it is going to move over one lane. No more guesswork, no more confusion, no more jamming on the breaks for no reason. Annoyance solved! Now if I can just get someone who matters to listen.

8 comments:

  1. That happens here, too, in the big city, Jack. I don't think flashers are the way to go, though. When a car is directly behind the bus in the right lane, and you're coming up in the left, all you see is the left side flashers which looks like... a left signal! I think the solution would be nothing. Just brake lights for the stop, and away-we-go for the go.

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  2. Does this happen enough to be considered an annoyance? Strange days indeed! Cheers xelA.

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  3. "Most peculiar, mama."

    Not so random pop song reference. Name that tune!

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  4. Xela, it happens all the time in the big city. Especially on the older commuter routes like Shelbourne, where they did not put pullouts for the bus stops.

    Besides, dental appointments only happen twice a year and they are annoying.

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  5. Guy wins the contest! From John Lennon's last (and arguably weakest) album Double Fantasy. I'm a little surprised, given how little you profess to know about pop music. Did you know/remember this, or did you have to do a little research?

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  6. I had no clue. A simple Google search and it was right there.

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  7. Another item to add to the "Why xelA doesn't live in the city" list.As for dental appointments they are worse than an annoyance!" More champagne to ease the pain" lyrics from what English 70's-80's band? One member of which now plays a very important role in most U2 albums. Cheers, xelA.

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