camp buses disguised as school buses (house, camps, law)

[lifetimeliguy]

This morning I was late for work and had to stop a half dozen times for small yellow buses , most of which had names of (expensive) day camps on the side windows. In almost every case , the driver pulls up in front of a home, puts the flashing lights on, and sits there until Caden's mom/dad/nanny decides it's time to get the kid on the bus.
In once instance, a parent struck up a long conversation with the driver, while the lights flashed away and two dozen cars piled up in both directions. After a few minutes of this, the driver in the car diagonally opposite the bus (that would be me) politely asked the driver to end the conversation, as she was making approximately fifty people late for work.
Of course I know we should stop for school buses, but why should anyone's commute be delayed for a camp bus ? Is the driver required to flash the lights when the kid is most likely still eating breakfast and is nowhere in sight ? Do the traffic laws of NY State require us to stop for a bus that is clearly not on school business (I have not read the manual in many years)...
Apologies for venting.

[bigstigs]

Not sure about a law on stopping for the camp buses, but I feel your pain as far as waiting for a bus driver to finish their conversation well after a child is out of harm's way. It's just another example of someone being inconsiderate. Realize you have a line of cars behind you and get a move on.
To be honest, when I grew up, school buses picked a large group of people up at one particular location rather than going house to house. Ridiculous. Ever worse, I DREAD the time when school is back in session because that means numerous school buses making their individual house stops on North Ocea/Rt 83. It's a MAIN road for those traveling north/south....how are buses allowed to stop on this road?? I don't get it....it makes more sense to have them go off on a side street rather than hold up blocks up traffic for one child to come out of his house....

[ovi8]

flashing reds with a stop sign out? THat's ridiculous they would do that if the kid isn't on his way out and into the bus.

[pidge1114]

in my day, the bus hardly came to a standstill before 5 kids had to jump on at the stop.

[NYRed]

I would contact the camp listed on the side of the bus and politely ask if the drivers could be told NOT to hold up traffic until the kid is on his way out the door...If that did not work then 20 cars beeping the horn would probably work...

[kayfouroh]

I have a similar, but not so similar situation. Driving down an industrial road to go to work, traffic is routinely stopped by employees of a shipping company to allow their drivers to back up/pull out trucks into the road.

I think the question really is do we need to stop for stop signs that are not normal legal use? i.e. a school bus stop sign being used for a private company, or a hand-held stop sign to block traffic for private use?

[twingles]

School buses that put out a stop sign are just using them as an added precaution. If the camp bus is a school bus, I believe you have to obey the same laws as if it were carrying kids for school. It does drive me crazy when people hold up the bus...sometimes there is something important to tell the bus driver, but some people really abuse the door-to-door privileges. Most smart bus drivers won't put on the flashing lights and the stop sign till they see the child emerge from the home. I would just lay on the horn next time, if they are really abusing the time aspect of it chit-chatting.

I used to go to work via Commercial Ave in GC and I often had the same problem as K4O...trucks pulling out and blocking the road....so annoying.

[kayfouroh]

Originally Posted by twingles

I used to go to work via Commercial Ave in GC and I often had the same problem as K4O...trucks pulling out and blocking the road....so annoying.

I have been tempted to not heed the sign But obviously I don't want to hit someone, but it is stupid to hold up traffic for 5-10 minutes so a 18 wheeler can park in their parking lot.

[TomMoser]

Originally Posted by kayfouroh

I have a similar, but not so similar situation. Driving down an industrial road to go to work, traffic is routinely stopped by employees of a shipping company to allow their drivers to back up/pull out trucks into the road.

I think the question really is do we need to stop for stop signs that are not normal legal use? i.e. a school bus stop sign being used for a private company, or a hand-held stop sign to block traffic for private use?

Yes. Unless you want to hurt someone else or yourself.

[kayfouroh]

Originally Posted by TomMoser

Yes. Unless you want to hurt someone else or yourself.

So theoretically I could post a stop sign on a street and people would HAVE to stop? Sounds fishy. I'd like to see the VTL section for that.