Nearly had a nasty accident

[chriswood_7]

Hey guys

Nearly had a nasty accident this morning, was quite shook up after it happened. Just looking to see if I was in the right or wrong really:

Scenario:

On my way to work I need to join a Dual Carriageway. Before the dual carriageway there is a bus station with various junctions for busses to pull out of. There are two roundabouts, a small one followed by a bigger one entering onto the carriageway. As you come off one roundabout there are two lanes, both allowing you to turn right. The two lanes then opens to 3 lanes, so pretty much in the left lane you can go in 3 directions. Just before you get to the bigger roundabout traffic lights there is a box junction and a space for 2 cars before the white line, allowing you to sit just before the traffic lights which turn green before the actual roundabout traffic lights (hard to follow I know).

What happened was I stayed in the left lane as there was no one in the left lane, in order to turn right. Just before I got to the white line I have to travel over a box junction. Just at that very moment a bus driver emerged from the junction at the box junction, coming straight into my passengers side door area. Now I had to swerve but luckily there was no one on the right hand lane of the box junction so I could move but the bus driver wasnt even looking to his right he looked left then pulled straight out. Now forgive me for being dumb here if im wrong, but if he comes to the junction he should stop and give way to traffic already in the road, even if there is a box junction there? I only ever stop in a box junction if there is no other cars on it, and in particular on that road as I know how it affects traffic flow if someone blocks the bus from pulling out.

After some swearing and V signs i pointed to the blank space at the traffic lights where I was going to, and hastily pulled into the space where I was going. But driving away I was pretty shaken, and wondering what the hell I did wrong?

What is your point of view on this, maybe any bus drivers in here can give me there point of view?

Cheers

Chris

[Howard]

I'm trying and failing to comprehend the situation But maybe it was because you're not really meant to sit in box junctions unless your way is clear or you're waiting for passing traffic to turn right.. Although in this case he probably just didn't see you

[kalniel]

I think he was travelling through the box junction, not stopping in it, which would of course be wrong.

The other thing I'd say is that swearing, V-signs and pointing are wrong things to do as well - they never help the situation and just distract you while annoying other people. The bus is larger than you - he is going to come off better if you accidentally rub shoulders..

But back to the bus driver - it would depend on the junction - assuming that there was a give way marking on his junction then of course he should have waited, however many buss drivers do find that pulling out can be a problem and have developed the habit of just pulling out into such spaces. You just have to drive defensively and as you see a bus approaching the junction prepare for them to do something stupid and have enough space/time to be able to cope with it.

[chriswood_7]

Hey mate, thanks for the reply..

Well I never sit in box junctions, as I know drivers do it every morning in the same spot and it makes even more congestion. I was driving past the box junction up to the traffic lights, if that makes sense? I know your not meant to enter box junctions if traffic blocks the way, but traffic was not blocking my way as there was free space. Does all this make sense? Would a google-earthed image of the junction help?

[chriswood_7]

I think he was travelling through the box junction, not stopping in it, which would of course be wrong.

The other thing I'd say is that swearing, V-signs and pointing are wrong things to do as well - they never help the situation and just distract you while annoying other people. The bus is larger than you - he is going to come off better if you accidentally rub shoulders..

LOL I wasnt doing the swearing and V-ing, I was pointing to the space in which I was travelling to to show him I thought I was in the right

Im not a road-rageous kinda guy

Cheers

[nichomach]

OK, as I understand it, you were proceeding THROUGH the box junction to a clear space on the other side, along a road which the bus was joining; i.e. you were already proceeding along the road and the bus was joining it from a different road. Is that correct? All a box junction indicates is that you shouldn't block it by stopping in the yellow box. It does NOT absolve a driver entering it from any direction from proceeding with the normal caution observed when entering a junction. In other words, the bus driver damned well SHOULD have checked right. He is not obliged to stop unless the signage indicates that he should, but when joining the road he is obliged to give way to traffic already proceeding along it and only proceed himself when it is safe to do so.

[chriswood_7]

Yeah thats right, simple tootling along minding my own business doing as I do every morning.

I used to get the bus before I drove to work, and from what I remember there is give way signage at that particular junction. However, I do accept that I should have been more observant to stop before it got to a swerving stage, but its easier said with hindsight than when its actually happening!

Cheers for the input guys,

[Rave]

I'm a recently qualified bus driver. Anyway, what Nichomach said.

[Butcher]

You should always give way to the right - if he was turning left out of a side road he should damn well have looked right before pulling out.

[kalniel]

LOL I wasnt doing the swearing and V-ing, I was pointing to the space in which I was travelling to to show him I thought I was in the right

Hehe that's good then, it was just how I read this sentance:

After some swearing and V signs i pointed to the blank space at the traffic lights where I was going to

[Zak33]

you shuld have taken the bus it would have saved the environment and he was clearly going your way (literally)

On the other side of ther coin..the SENSIBLE side.....you got lucky, be greatful, because who's fault it is is irrelevent, you still nearly had a bent car, and months of arse ache with insurance, statements, police reporting, etc...

[Nemeliza]

On the other side of ther coin..the SENSIBLE side.....you got lucky, be greatful, because who's fault it is is irrelevent, you still nearly had a bent car, and months of arse ache with insurance, statements, police reporting, etc...

Tust me, fault aside you dont want to go through this! takes AGES to get anywhere...did for me anyway.