Alert: It's OK to Pass a Stopped School Bus on a Divided Roadway! (buses, cars)

[spencgr]

Originally Posted by z28lt1

Not enough people are aware of the law, that is true, and it's good to publicize when you can and can't lawfully pass a stopped school bus.

OK, I agree that "not enough people are aware of the law", but how is that so?? Didn't we all have to pass the DMV test, which means we know the laws??? Where is the break in the process?

[jillybean720]

This is so timely for me - I was actually going to look this up tonight because I was driving out of my neighborhood earlier and approached a stopped school bus going the opposite direction, but there was a grass median. I honestly did not know if I was supposed to stop or not (this was within my local neighborhood, not on a busy main road). Had the bus not started going before I actually reached it, I likely would have erred on the side of caution and stopped.

Originally Posted by spencgr

OK, I agree that "not enough people are aware of the law", but how is that so?? Didn't we all have to pass the DMV test, which means we know the laws??? Where is the break in the process?

Do you really remember every single rule in the DMV book? My driver's test was 14 years ago and in a different state. I'm sure there are some differences in rules since then/there.

[VRE332]

Originally Posted by jillybean720

This is so timely for me - I was actually going to look this up tonight because I was driving out of my neighborhood earlier and approached a stopped school bus going the opposite direction, but there was a grass median. I honestly did not know if I was supposed to stop or not (this was within my local neighborhood, not on a busy main road). Had the bus not started going before I actually reached it, I likely would have erred on the side of caution and stopped.

Do you really remember every single rule in the DMV book? My driver's test was 14 years ago and in a different state. I'm sure there are some differences in rules since then/there.

You should be worried about the cars with practically bald tires.

[Bigfoot424]

Originally Posted by spencgr

OK, I agree that "not enough people are aware of the law", but how is that so?? Didn't we all have to pass the DMV test, which means we know the laws??? Where is the break in the process?

I was a police officer for over 30 years and even I don't know every criminal or traffic law in VA. I know the vast majority but it's not unusual for officers to have to refer to code books for assistance.

[Darkseid]

Just the other day I was stuck in traffic on Columbia Pike because people stopped for a bus that was stopped on a parallel access road (obviously divided by a median). I suppose people have the attitude that it's better to be safe than sorry - especially when it comes to passing a school bus.

[Carlingtonian]

Originally Posted by jillybean720

This is so timely for me - I was actually going to look this up tonight because I was driving out of my neighborhood earlier and approached a stopped school bus going the opposite direction, but there was a grass median. I honestly did not know if I was supposed to stop or not (this was within my local neighborhood, not on a busy main road). Had the bus not started going before I actually reached it, I likely would have erred on the side of caution and stopped.

Do you really remember every single rule in the DMV book? My driver's test was 14 years ago and in a different state. I'm sure there are some differences in rules since then/there.

I give you credit for intending to look it up! Honestly, I would have had to do so as well, had this topic not come up on C-D in the past year.

Originally Posted by Darkseid

Just the other day I was stuck in traffic on Columbia Pike because people stopped for a bus that was stopped on a parallel access road (obviously divided by a median). I suppose people have the attitude that it's better to be safe than sorry - especially when it comes to passing a school bus.

That's reasonable in principle--but when the bus is going the opposite direction, there is zero chance of not seeing a kid who comes around the front of the bus, which is facing you. I suppose if a kid were to run around the back side of the bus and then run out into traffic on that side of the highway, across both lanes, then the median and into your side of the road, maybe that's a risk--but I think there would be plenty of time to stop. And there would be no reason for a kid to take the long way around the bus from the exit door.

[airjay75]

I definitely agree that if it isn't the law, you don't need to stop for the bus on the other side of a divided road. However, if I came up behind some cars that had come to a stop in such a situation, I would have no problem taking a deep breath and coming to a stop as well. What's the big hurry? Can you really be too cautious when dealing with children and school buses?

When it comes to children, I really think you can't be too careful - they are very unpredictable. For that reason, I also disagree about the safety of passing stopped cars in the turn lane. If a child comes out of the bus and sees that most cars on both sides of the road are stopped, this may create in them an unjustified sense of safety - I could easily see a young child unexpectedly darting across the road. If you're busy trying to pass the stopped cars in the turn lane and simultaneously ticking off the stopped cars (who are admittedly ignorant of the law), I don't see that as being the safest situation. The car illegally passing in the turn lane as well as the ignorant stopped cars could very quickly become more concerned with themselves than with the safety of the children. Bad things can easily happen when drivers start to get angry. You already know these stopped drivers are ignorant of the law, so what makes you think they are going to abide by the law if you decide to illegally pass them? I just think it's an overly risky move and for what? Saving 30 seconds on your trip to wherever you're going?

It may not be required to stop for a school bus on the other side of a divided road, but it also doesn't seem to me to be that big of a deal if people stop in such a situation whether it be out of ignorance of the law or out of an abundance of caution.

[spencgr]

Originally Posted by jillybean720

Do you really remember every single rule in the DMV book? My driver's test was 14 years ago and in a different state. I'm sure there are some differences in rules since then/there.

I, too, obtained my license many years ago in another state. But, I've certainly reviewed the VA manual to see if there was anything different. Do I remember everything? Probably not. But I feel pretty confident I'd ace the test should I have to take it today. You can't use "I took the test so long ago" as an excuse, because the mere possession of your driver's license means you know the rules.

Originally Posted by Bigfoot424

I was a police officer for over 30 years and even I don't know every criminal or traffic law in VA. I know the vast majority but it's not unusual for officers to have to refer to code books for assistance.

I'm not talking about "every criminal or traffic law in VA". I'm only talking about a 40 page manual loaded with a ton of pictures. This isn't a lot of information to retain.

http://www.dmv.state.va.us/webdoc/pdf/dmv39.pdf

[jillybean720]

Originally Posted by spencgr

...the mere possession of your driver's license means you know the rules.

heh, well, it means you know the rules "enough." You don't need a 100% to pass the written exam

I've passed lots of tests and still have my college degree, but if I were to try to take an advanced calculus test today, I have no doubt I would fail miserably. We retain the things we practice relatively regularly.

What I really can't stand is those who don't use turn signals regularly, don't know they can turn right on red...common situations we encounter frequently.

[mikecart1]

I always stop. Since I used be to a kid and often late for the bus, I would run from all sorts of directions to make it to the bus stop. Sometimes if I missed it at one stop, I would cut through yards and streets to make it to a future stop.

Besides what is the worst that can happen by stopping? Honking and angry drivers.

What is the worst that can happen if I hit some kid running for the bus? Prison and everything in it.