driving past a bus stop sign....

[theoneandonly41]

is this illegal and punishable?. if someone was driving behind a bus and the bus decides to change into the right turn lane like its turning into a neighborhood. when the person behind the bus keeps going at the normal speed passes more than half the length of the bus, the bus stops and puts out its stop sign.. the person who was driving was already more than half way through.. just kept driving because he wasnt able to stop in time anyways. but when he passes the bus.. he gets honked at and gets his plate written down.. can you really get in trouble for this?

i live in ga

[GoDirectly2Jail]

is this illegal and punishable?. if someone was driving behind a bus and the bus decides to change into the right turn lane like its turning into a neighborhood. when the person behind the bus keeps going at the normal speed passes more than half the length of the bus, the bus stops and puts out its stop sign.. the person who was driving was already more than half way through.. just kept driving because he wasnt able to stop in time anyways. but when he passes the bus.. he gets honked at and gets his plate written down.. can you really get in trouble for this?

i live in ga

"Bus" as in School Bus? If so, then yes, it is illegal and punishable.

[Laww]

Georgia, I would imagine, is very similar to Maryland in respects to school buses. The fact that the person started to go around the bus is the complete fault of the driver of the other vehicle regardless of the circumstance. Most school buses as they slow down (I say most, but EVERY school bus I have ever seen does this) activate their caution or yellow alternating flashing lights, indicating they are preparing to stop. THEN they activate their red alternating flashing lights once they are stopped. In Maryland, if you happen to pass a bus in either direction with yellow lights you are ok, but once those yellows come on the reds are not far behind. If you are closer than 20 feet to the bus in either the front or rear it is citable, but if you pass a bus you are most definately violating the law and will be hit with a BIG citation.

Since school is back this week there will be a ton of drivers that will need a "reminder" about school bus ettiquette. I am only too happy to oblige them....

[theoneandonly41]

Georgia, I would imagine, is very similar to Maryland in respects to school buses. The fact that the person started to go around the bus is the complete fault of the driver of the other vehicle regardless of the circumstance. Most school buses as they slow down (I say most, but EVERY school bus I have ever seen does this) activate their caution or yellow alternating flashing lights, indicating they are preparing to stop. THEN they activate their red alternating flashing lights once they are stopped. In Maryland, if you happen to pass a bus in either direction with yellow lights you are ok, but once those yellows come on the reds are not far behind. If you are closer than 20 feet to the bus in either the front or rear it is citable, but if you pass a bus you are most definately violating the law and will be hit with a BIG citation.

Since school is back this week there will be a ton of drivers that will need a "reminder" about school bus ettiquette. I am only too happy to oblige them....

the person wasnt really passing them.. it was just that there was the left lane. middle turn lane.right lane then right turn lane. and the bus just decided to go to the right turning lane while the other driver was still in the right lane like before going normally. he was already more than half way through the bus before the lights turned on. and it was already too late to stop when the sign came out

[Citicop]

the person wasnt really passing them.. it was just that there was the left lane. middle turn lane.right lane then right turn lane. and the bus just decided to go to the right turning lane while the other driver was still in the right lane like before going normally. he was already more than half way through the bus before the lights turned on. and it was already too late to stop when the sign came out

Clearly the bus driver disagreed.

A driver would not be required to stop if it is not safe to do so, but that isn't the same as free reign to pass and then say "I didn't think it was safe." If I saw someone run a stop sign like that, and I thought they had reasonable time to stop, they get a very expensive ticket.

-Citicop.

[scott715us]

The driver's word against the bus driver. Hash it out in court.

[GoDirectly2Jail]

I do believe some of the newer buses have a traffic cam installed to catch violators of this offense.

When you disregard the signals, you run the risk of striking a child. I guarantee a Manslaughter charge carries more of a penalty than a Failure to Yield.

[ChesCopPodz]

the person wasnt really passing them.. it was just that there was the left lane. middle turn lane.right lane then right turn lane. and the bus just decided to go to the right turning lane while the other driver was still in the right lane like before going normally. he was already more than half way through the bus before the lights turned on. and it was already too late to stop when the sign came out

I call shenanigans. I've never seen a school bus that only turns on the yellow lights for enough time for a passing car to get from the back bumper to the driver's window (where the stop sign is), as in the situation you described. Five will get you ten that the driver wasn't paying attention, didn't see the yellow lights, and passed the bus against the red lights. The drivers are constantly watching for drivers passing them, so I'd bet you that the driver had eyes on your friend the whole time, and knows where your friend was in relation to the bus when the red lights came on.

[GoDirectly2Jail]

Since we're calling shenanigans, I call shenanigans that is was his "friend" driving and not he himself.

[greg72982]

You Tube

[BP348]

I hope that every LEO out there writes every person who passes a stopped school bus as many tickets as possible.

[Legoate]

I hope that every LEO out there writes every person who passes a stopped school bus as many tickets as possible.

I actually stopped for a school bus in my marked patrol vehicle, and some fine citizen decided to pass both me and the bus.

We had a chat about it.

[greg72982]

I actually stopped for a school bus in my marked patrol vehicle, and some fine citizen decided to pass both me and the bus.

We had a chat about it.

Would you say that you two are on the same page now?

[Legoate]

Would you say that you two are on the same page now?

No. The person thought I was being unreasonable. It's one of those burdens I'll have to carry with me for the rest of my life.

[marinepilot]

You Tube

Gotta tell ya, this is EXACTLY what I thought of when ChesCopPodz brought out the "shenanigans" word!! Thanks for posting, and I'd rep ya, but I gotta spread it around!!

(I tried to post the video as a quote, but it would only post the link, so I had to get rid of the quotes part. But I do give you credit for posting it first!)