Dual lane round abouts are NOT overtaking lanes.

harvyk1, wish I had a flame suit like yours. I’ll risk it anyway, hope I don’t burn.
I for one do use the inside lane of roundabouts [sometimes the outside one] to get past those vehicles who deem it absolutely necessary to do 20km/h below the limit, thus building up a pile of traffic behind them. The worst roads I’ve found for this are those in Gungahlin that have single lanes with dual lane roundabouts every couple of hundred metres. If the dual lane isn’t for passing another car, why make them at all? Granted, some larger vehicles like semis require both lanes in order to navigate the roundabout, but most buses can get through in their own lane so I can’t see an issue with the overtaking manoeuvre, especially when there is a hundred metres or so of dual lane prior to the roundabout for faster vehicles to get slightly ahead or level with the slow one. Unfortunately, the lanes merge into one rather suddenly after the roundabout, perhaps a design flaw that could be better engineered.
I will say it again, that roadside bus stops are the worst idea ever invented. Northbourne Ave in the left hand lane is nigh on dangerous for the uninitiated. You take off from the lights and within a few hundred metres, just as you get up to the speed limit, the traffic comes to a complete stop. Depending on number of passengers embarking/disembarking, you may be held up for possibly half a minute or more with no chance of merging back to the middle lane due to the amount of traffic coming from behind. I’ve seen the dozen or so cars caught up behind a stopped bus with blinkers on all trying to get out of this stop-start lane, pulling dangerously out into whatever gap is available. Yes, the onus is for individual drivers to do their tasks safely, but on the flipside, anything that impedes the smooth flow of traffic is just as responsible for causing drivers to take risks that they wouldn’t normally have to take. It is rarely that cars crash into each other when the flow is just smoothly going along. Add a red light, merge one lane, stopped bus, green cyclist lane or anything that causes disruption to the flow and you increase the chances of an accident from an inattentive or distracted driver. Minimising risk is the best practise for preventing accidents. Humans are the worst influence on safety as everybody is different and human nature can’t be regulated. Design the roads to minimise risks and I’m sure we’d reduce the number of accidents. Anyone in A.C.T roads reading? Do I get a job?
Starting to feel a bit warm now, the flames are licking my toes…..

Too many factors in this argument.

I don’t agree with drivers who wait until the last moment to ‘zing’ past just before (or on) the Form One Lane, generally they’ve had plenty of opportunity to get past before this point. These tend to be drivers who will sit 1m behind you while you do 85 in and 80 zone. I like to annoy these drivers by sticking right on the speed limit but taking round-abouts quickly.

There are those who use the inside lane properly. They go straight, don’t slow down excessively, and, if there is room, they will pass slower vehicles. They tend to have a lot more patience, and are generally decent drivers. Sometimes you will get a douche who tailgates them in the hopes of also passing the slow vehicle.

Then there are those slow down to a stop in the outside lane. Obviously if there’s a car coming you need to stop, but so so often I have seen people in the outside lane completely stop when the only car is turning right in the inside lane. If your lane is free, there is no need to stop. It slows traffic, and encourages people to recklessly overtake.

And of course you have the scum who use both lanes. I don’t think I have ever seen a dual-lane round-about that requires a passenger car to take up both lanes (Gungahlin resident, spent a lot of time in Dunlop and South Canberra, round-abouts aplenty). Must just be a lot of lazy drivers who cannot be bothered to turn a wheel. I can understand if a LARGE vehicle (a truck carrying a load, with a large turning circle) has to use both lanes, and I will allow room for that. But given the turning on buses, they have no need to use both lanes. Nothing more terrifying than thinking “oh good, a big round-about, I can finally get past this bus” only to have it come straight into your lane halfway across.

Essentially Canberrans need to be re-educated in how to use round-abouts (if used properly, traffic flows slowly rather than stopping completely for 5 minutes) and ‘form one lane’. Perhaps having to resit a driving test every 5 years might not be such a bad thing.

Let me start by saying, OP I’m not attacking you.

Let’s begin. I admit I’m one of these people who passes buses at dual lane roundabouts. My reason? Simple. How about you do the speed limit in your bus instead of sitting 15-20km/h under the limit. If you did this people wouldn’t have such a burning desire to pass you.
While I’m on this topic, when approaching a dual lane roundabout would it kill a bus driver to move to the left, instead of hanging on the right-hand side until the last minute?

When bus drivers pull their fingers out and drive respectfully, I shall do the same.

Based on busdrivers previous posts: he is a responsible driver. Thowe who have generalised as to why they allegedly pull out randomly should maybe consider slowing down when they see a bus pulled over. It is well known that children may run out of these tight spots. It is best, for the whole community, if u slow down to 40 or less….but that would be thinking about others and require hedging foresight.

taninaus said :

Actually the round abouts along Isabella Drive (and other single line roads) are the perfect opportunity to overtake overly cautious folk – or folk who shouldn’t be driving – who refuse to travel at any where near the speed limit (way too many think it is a 60km/h zone). That said – a bus always wins and I wouldn’t be one of those trying to overtake you on the curve unless I got to the front of the line before we went in.

+1

I will “overtake” (but it’s really just passing) slower drivers, but am always courteous to bus drivers. I realise they need a bit more room and are also a lot bigger than me!

Grimm said :

Wouldn’t be a problem if you stayed in your lane. Going past you while staying in their own lane is not what the signs on your bus are intended to prevent.

It seems the majority of Action buses are nothing more than a mobile traffic hazard. I could write a bloody novel on the dangerous, stupid and plain inconsiderate things I see them do every day of the week.

I’m sorry, I think you just accused me of leaving my lane. I don’t, except when turning from dual lane roads into single lane roads, and I clearly indicate to occupy both lanes then clearly indicate to turn. I do this mostly when turning left to prevent drivers running up my left side and getting run over. Perhaps you were refering to ANOTHER bus driver? Or maybe you were just generalising other bus drivers behaviour to me?

Consider re-writing this response with the image of the bus being the FRONT vehicle approaching a merge and a car coming from behind the bus into the merge. Some car drivers seem to expect the BUS which has right of way because it is in front, to slow down and let them pass. Or they don’t take into account the acceration of the bus and the distance they need to overtake the bus which again has right of way if it is in front.

Or do you expect the bus driver to not accelerate and let the car to come from behind, accelerate eeven faster than the bus and overtake from behind?

beardedclam said :

It’s easy to use the “I am accelerating as hard as i can to be on time”. I doubt the police would think that acceptable as an excuse for irresponsible driving. Especially when you factor in that buses are carrying a higher number of human lives.

Also, I understand and do give way to a bus if it is pulling out into the traffic. What I think is stupid is when a bus driver will sit and wait, I have witnessed this on countless times, and will take off into the traffic when the cars approaching are right there. As I said, I understand cars have to give way to buses when re-entering traffic and I follow this rule. This is a great rule for peak hour when traffic is difficult to enter, but if there is only one or two cars coming that are pretty much on you already, why pull out in front of them? Its not to save time, the amount of intersections and stops at traffic lights take away any one or two second delay that waiting patiently and safely would have incurred.

And the method of re-entering traffic “safely”, yes I understand the rule, but if any driver of any vehicle chucks on an indicator and proceeds without looking or exercising caution just because they indicated and the rule says so, it could be fair to deem that is irresponsible driving.

As the bumper sticker says, ‘I’m not speeding, I’m qualifying’. 🙂

I drive to work via Monaro Hwy and Isabella Dr, and I’m certain there are people who make a game out of the dual lane roundabouts. I’m happy to go about the speed limit in the left lane most days, it honestly wouldn’t get me to my destination much quicker if I were constantly trying to get ahead of the pack at every roundabout. How people enjoy quickly accelerating, steering, brake slamming, pushing up in people’s blind spots etc etc, I don’t know!

Grimm said :

Wouldn’t be a problem if you stayed in your lane. Going past you while staying in their own lane is not what the signs on your bus are intended to prevent.

I wondered, when reading the OPs rant, exactly how “turning vehicle” is defined. I always thought of it as being specifically “going around a corner” which is not really how I would think of “going straight ahead at a round about”.

But then I have never been hit/run off the road in such a situation, so I can probably use my judgement at least a little, unlike many of the muppets driving in this city state country planet world.

dph said :

A lot of Canberran’s seem to think FORM ONE LANE is code for “d*ck measuring contest.”

Awkward if you are a female….

A lot of Canberran’s seem to think FORM ONE LANE is code for “d*ck measuring contest.”

Wouldn’t be a problem if you stayed in your lane. Going past you while staying in their own lane is not what the signs on your bus are intended to prevent.

It seems the majority of Action buses are nothing more than a mobile traffic hazard. I could write a bloody novel on the dangerous, stupid and plain inconsiderate things I see them do every day of the week.

Overtaking on roundabouts is foolish and dangerous, I agree with TheBusDriver on this one.

harvyk1 said :

(Flame suit on)

I think it’s very dependent on the situation, there are certainly some situations where it is safe to overtake at a roundabout, just like there are certain situations where it is safe to overtake even coming up to a form one lane. Driving is never a black and white “this is dangerous vs this is safe” argument as there is literally a million different variables which come into play in any situation, and it is up to all drivers concerned to weigh up the risks and do appropriate actions.

Now I say, go ahead haters, do your worst, I dare you, I double dare you, my flame suit can handle it.

(flame suit off)

Damn I wanted to disagree with you just so I could say ‘burn you bastard burn’!!

Actually the round abouts along Isabella Drive (and other single line roads) are the perfect opportunity to overtake overly cautious folk – or folk who shouldn’t be driving – who refuse to travel at any where near the speed limit (way too many think it is a 60km/h zone). That said – a bus always wins and I wouldn’t be one of those trying to overtake you on the curve unless I got to the front of the line before we went in.

It’s easy to use the “I am accelerating as hard as i can to be on time”. I doubt the police would think that acceptable as an excuse for irresponsible driving. Especially when you factor in that buses are carrying a higher number of human lives.

Also, I understand and do give way to a bus if it is pulling out into the traffic. What I think is stupid is when a bus driver will sit and wait, I have witnessed this on countless times, and will take off into the traffic when the cars approaching are right there. As I said, I understand cars have to give way to buses when re-entering traffic and I follow this rule. This is a great rule for peak hour when traffic is difficult to enter, but if there is only one or two cars coming that are pretty much on you already, why pull out in front of them? Its not to save time, the amount of intersections and stops at traffic lights take away any one or two second delay that waiting patiently and safely would have incurred.

And the method of re-entering traffic “safely”, yes I understand the rule, but if any driver of any vehicle chucks on an indicator and proceeds without looking or exercising caution just because they indicated and the rule says so, it could be fair to deem that is irresponsible driving.

Whenever attempting to overtake it is a calculation of your speed/time and ability to survive if smashed by the competing vehicle. Taking that into account I never ever argue with multiple tonnes of mobile metal and always provide enough space for either a truck or bus to maneuver. The signs on either rear side are a warning that you will be crushed, possibly to death, and lose your money in a court case.

Pitchka said :

… cars in the right lane having to break heavily to avoid getting hit….

Plus the huge broken bits left on the road. Dangers everywhere.

Just call it the Active Euthanasia Lane.

http://the-riotact.com/thinking-about-end-of-life/112223

A bus driver with the audacity to whinge about ‘bad driving’.. HAHA!!! Ive read it all now…

If i posted everytime i saw a bus do something dangerous or illegal, id be here all day.

And i find it funny you should mention using both lanes, i see this happening already… In particular heading south along Drakeford Drive towards Lanyon, the roundabout where you turn left onto Tharwa Drive to head towards Theodore, the amount of times ive seen a bus in the left lane cut across both lanes, with cars in the right lane having to break heavily to avoid getting hit….

This is a big roundabout, but some bus drivers think they own the road…

It’s not overtaking, that would imply that the driver changed lanes to get in front of the bus, then changed lanes again.

It is simply passing. If the roundabout is big enough and the bus is staying in its own lane, then sure pass it.

(Flame suit on)

I think it’s very dependent on the situation, there are certainly some situations where it is safe to overtake at a roundabout, just like there are certain situations where it is safe to overtake even coming up to a form one lane. Driving is never a black and white “this is dangerous vs this is safe” argument as there is literally a million different variables which come into play in any situation, and it is up to all drivers concerned to weigh up the risks and do appropriate actions.

Now I say, go ahead haters, do your worst, I dare you, I double dare you, my flame suit can handle it.

(flame suit off)

Realistically it would depend on the size of the roundabout eg. I don’t see a problem with overtaking a bus on Isabella/Hambidge or Goldstein. Those particular roundabouts have sufficient space for cars to overtake buses.

Might is right. B-U-S! B-U-S!