Abbeydale Road South Bus Lanes

[Eater Sundae]

Last week I had the "pleasure" of driving along Abbeydale Road South (between Twentywell Lane and Broadfield Road) a couple of times, towards town, around 9:00 am, when the bus lanes are still in operation. The roads were fairly quiet (probably past the peak of rush hour, and in the school holidays). I'm not particularly familiar with this section of the road, but what surprised me were some of the bus lanes. I can't remember exactly where they were, but a couple of them seemed to be only about 20yards long.

 

I pulled out into the right hand lane. However most other drivers didn't seem to bother. After 20 or 30 yds, as the bus lane finished, I needed to get back into the left hand lane (as people were turning right from the right hand lane in front of me). However, this was not easy because of those drivers behind me who had stayed in the left hand lane, but closed the gap on me.

 

I'm curious - how do people who regularly drive this road manage these short bus lane sections?

[sophie232]

I drive in the bus lane. They're pointless on this stretch.

[Ousetunes]

I love it when they're not in operation and I can glide down them whilst all the other muppets, like sheep, remain in the outside lane.

 

I can do this from Woodseats all the way to London Road; there's Queen's Road, Ecclesall Road and, as you say, Abbeydale Road.

 

These motorists either can't read; can't understand the straight forward signs or for some reason, are scared to use bus lanes when they're perfectly entitled to.

[Eater Sundae]

I love it when they're not in operation and I can glide down them whilst all the other muppets, like sheep, remain in the outside lane.

 

I can do this from Woodseats all the way to London Road; there's Queen's Road, Ecclesall Road and, as you say, Abbeydale Road.

 

These motorists either can't read; can't understand the straight forward signs or for some reason, are scared to use bus lanes when they're perfectly entitled to.

 

But what do you do when the lanes ARE in operation?

[totley_girl]

I drive along that route on my way to work and I drive in them in the morning when they're in operation. Most people do. Even when you can drive in them i.e Sundays and Saturdays, people don't.

 

I also wonder if people know that between Beauchief traffic lights and Abbeydale Gardens, just after the Hamlet, that it's still a 40 zone.

[Ousetunes]

But what do you do when the lanes ARE in operation?

 

Are you serious?

 

I use the outside lane, of course.

[Jack_Russell]

I love it when they're not in operation and I can glide down them whilst all the other muppets, like sheep, remain in the outside lane.

 

I can do this from Woodseats all the way to London Road; there's Queen's Road, Ecclesall Road and, as you say, Abbeydale Road.

 

These motorists either can't read; can't understand the straight forward signs or for some reason, are scared to use bus lanes when they're perfectly entitled to.

 

The one that runs past Ponsfords towards Heeley bridge is a good example of this.

[Ousetunes]

The one that runs past Ponsfords towards Heeley bridge is a good example of this.

 

It is.

 

But you can enjoy the freedom of the carriageway a lot further up, just beyond the Scarsdale Road traffic lights!

 

With nothing parked in the nearside / bus lane, motorist after motorist stick in the outside lane. Why do they do this?

 

Another favourite of mine is Ecclesall Road, city-bound at Hunter's Bar. The middle lane (of three) is the bus lane but again, during non-operational hours, motorists wishing to head straight over the roundabout and continue down Ecclesall Road use the right-hand lane (which they're allowed to; your options are straight ahead or turn right up Junction Road / Sharrowvale Road).

 

I struggle to recall another motorist using this lane when they're entitled / supposed to.

 

Strange.

[Eater Sundae]

It is.

 

But you can enjoy the freedom of the carriageway a lot further up, just beyond the Scarsdale Road traffic lights!

 

With nothing parked in the nearside / bus lane, motorist after motorist stick in the outside lane. Why do they do this?

 

Another favourite of mine is Ecclesall Road, city-bound at Hunter's Bar. The middle lane (of three) is the bus lane but again, during non-operational hours, motorists wishing to head straight over the roundabout and continue down Ecclesall Road use the right-hand lane (which they're allowed to; your options are straight ahead or turn right up Junction Road / Sharrowvale Road).

 

I struggle to recall another motorist using this lane when they're entitled / supposed to.

 

Strange.

 

I think you are wrong on this. Also, it cropped up in an earlier thread IIRC.

 

The sign saying that the central lane is only for buses does not have any operating times, so it applies 24 hours per day. I cannot get on to street view at present, to check, but from memory the bus lane nearer to Rustlings road is time limited, but this ends somewhere near the tennis club. The middle lane then has its own sign which is not time limited.

[Eater Sundae]

Are you serious?

 

I use the outside lane, of course.

 

 

The reason I started the thread was primarily because a lot of drivers (in my very limited and totally unscientific survey) appeared to be using the bus lane at a time when they shouldn’t – not necessarily to save any time or undertake queuing traffic (at the time I saw them), but more likely to avoid the need to change lanes and possibly the inconvenience of trying to get back into the nearside lane after the bus lane ended. I therefore wondered how people who used this road regularly reacted to the bus lanes. Do they comply or not.

 

I do agree that a lot of people do not make use of bus lanes when they are not in operation. In some cases they may have been put off by having to pull out to pass parked vehicles, when the majority of traffic is already in the right hand lane and there isn’t a ready gap in the traffic, so they have started using the right hand lane themselves to avoid the problem.

 

In both cases, (ie using a bus lane when they shouldn’t, AND not using a bus lane when they can), I think some drivers just want to avoid being the “odd one out”.