Why is giving way to buses not a legal requirement?

[Mcr Warrior]

Put simply, you shouldn't impede the flow of traffic - which is what this does. Stopping or slowing for no good reason or to let somebody out when there is a adequate gap behind you is unnecessary.

The flip side in what you are saying is that in a continuous flow of traffic, a bus would not be able to pull out from a bus stop, as no-one would give it priority.

 

[A0]

The flip side in what you are saying is that in a continuous flow of traffic, a bus would not be able to pull out from a bus stop.

The point was being made about another vehicle pulling out of a side turning.

But why should a car slow down to let a bus out if there's an adequate gap behind the car? In busier traffic at slower speeds, it's a differemt question. But slowing down when there is a large enough gap behind is unnecessary.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

@A0wen, will have to agree to disagree with you on this one. IMHO, what Highway Code rule 223 says seems entirely reasonable to me, but if you wish to disregard the provisions of same because you consider it more appropriate not to do so, that's entirely up to you.

Are there any other Highway Code rules that you don't consider should apply to you, and, if so, why not?

 

[A0]

@A0wen, will have to agree to disagree with you on this one. IMHO, what Highway Code rule 223 says seems entirely reasonable to me, but if you wish to disregard the provisions of same because you consider it more appropriate not to do so, that's entirely up to you.

Are there any other Highway Code rules that you don't consider should apply to you, and, if so, why not?

It's not about "me" - slowing down then accelerating again creates pollution which most public transport proponents seem keen to reduce. So it is far more sensible, as I said, IF there is an adequate gap behind NOT to slow down to let a slow moving vehicle pull out, but instead to let it pull into THAT gap. That way the flow of traffic stays at a steady speed which actually decreases congestion.

 

[AM9]

It's not about "me" - slowing down then accelerating again creates pollution which most public transport proponents seem keen to reduce. So it is far more sensible, as I said, IF there is an adequate gap behind NOT to slow down to let a slow moving vehicle pull out, but instead to let it pull into THAT gap. That way the flow of traffic stays at a steady speed which actually decreases congestion.

But that is not how the dynamics of traffic works, especially when there is the prospect of some drivers being 'stuck' behind a bus. If the bus has to wait for the first car to pass at a normal speed before to be driver can pull out into the flow, the next car will often speed up just to close down the gap, so that the following gap is no longer 'adequat' meaning that the bus is stuck for even longer.
So the traffic flow is disturbed by drivers determined to prevent the bus from rejoining the flow. It also becomes more dangerous because those drivers are concentrating on one thing and ignoring more important hazardous situations that may be developing.
As far as the 'why should a car let a bus out' goes, - well the bus is almost certainly carrying more people than the car, all of whom have just as good a reason to progress to their destination in a reasonable time as the car drivers, (and their passengers if there are any).

 

[High Dyke]

In my opinion, because common sense should prevail.

One of my pet hates is when I'm following a car but I have nobody behind me, and then the car in front of me stops to let someone out of a side road or to let a bus pull out. It's thoughtless and lacking situational awareness.

On the other hand, when I'm in a constant queue of traffic, I always allow a bus to pull out when it's indicating.

The late comedian Dave Allen related a joke somewhat along this theme. 'You stop to let someone pull out of a turning, who then stops to let someone else pull out of a turning etc... and now you're five vehicles back from where you started.'

During my time as a bus driver I would indicate to pull away from the stop, allow about 5 vehicles to pass you (if no-one let you out) and then just pull out, offering a polite thumbs up to the motorists behind.

 

[bramling]

But that is not how the dynamics of traffic works, especially when there is the prospect of some drivers being 'stuck' behind a bus. If the bus has to wait for the first car to pass at a normal speed before to be driver can pull out into the flow, the next car will often speed up just to close down the gap, so that the following gap is no longer 'adequat' meaning that the bus is stuck for even longer.
So the traffic flow is disturbed by drivers determined to prevent the bus from rejoining the flow. It also becomes more dangerous because those drivers are concentrating on one thing and ignoring more important hazardous situations that may be developing.
As far as the 'why should a car let a bus out' goes, - well the bus is almost certainly carrying more people than the car, all of whom have just as good a reason to progress to their destination in a reasonable time as the car drivers, (and their passengers if there are any).

This isn't really (IMV!) how dynamics work either. If you're driving along a road, you generally don’t stop to let everyone out who might appear at a side-road (*), but when stuck in traffic it is of course courteous to let people out. One doesn't really see why buses should be any different to this, and - round my way at least - it certainly isn't the case that the bus is guaranteed to have more people in it, quite often on the contrary. Returning to the point I made up-thread, I'd me more inclined to err on the side of letting the bus pull out if it wasn't the case that in many cases it's a guaranteed mouthful of highly unpleasant particulates.

The legal position is, of course, that the bus is required to check and pull out only when a suitable gap arises, just like any other motorist. So it isn't admissible for buses to simply stick the indicator on and expect to pull out.

(* I'm always wary of vehicles approaching from side-roads, so I'm quite often easing off or even braking at the slightest hint of something which doesn't "look right").

 

[AM9]

This isn't really (IMV!) how dynamics work either. If you're driving along a road, you generally stop to let everyone out who might appear at a side-road (*), but when stuck in traffic it is of course courteous to let people out. One doesn't really see why buses should be any different to this, and - round my way at least - it certainly isn't the case that the bus is guaranteed to have more people in it, quite often on the contrary. Returning to the point I made up-thread, I'd me more inclined to err on the side of letting the bus pull out if it wasn't the case that in many cases it's a guaranteed mouthful of highly unpleasant particulates.

The legal position is, of course, that the bus is required to check and pull out only when a suitable gap arises, just like any other motorist. So it isn't admissible for buses to simply stick the indicator on and expect to pull out.

(* I'm always wary of vehicles approaching from side-roads, so I'm quite often easing off or even braking at the slightest hint of something which doesn't "look right").

Nobody is assumimg that buses should 'just stick the indicator on and expect to pull out', however the highway code (which is about good driving standards and not necessarily absolute traffic laws) says that drivers should give way to buses pulling away at bus stops. Some, - maybe most normal drivers will allow a vehicle running for the benefit of the many, to proceed rather with ease rather than closing up the gap to prevent the bus entering the flow of traffic. I don't know why those that don't assume that their need to avoid slipping back less than 5 seconds in a traffic flow is always greater than everybody else's need to progress. Round here, buses generally have between 5 and 20 passengers on board out of peak times, so that exceeds almost every private vehicle on the road. And many of those passengers don't have the ability to drive themselves to their destination so why should they suffer all the delays on public roads just so that a few impatient drivers alone in their vehicle can get to the destination a few seconds earlier.
Maybe you just happen to live in a place where all the buses go around empty because all the local drivers have this selfish attitude to other people's need to travel.