Alert: It's OK to Pass a Stopped School Bus on a Divided Roadway! (Alexandria: home, law)

[Carlingtonian]

Spreading the word after a bunch of idiots honked at me at 7:30 this morning on eastbound Seminary Road, near the Skyline complex in Alexandria.

According to Virginia code, if a stopped school bus is on the other side of a median or unpaved area, you need not stop: "The driver of a vehicle, however, need not stop when approaching a school bus if the school bus is stopped on the other roadway of a divided highway, on an access road, or on a driveway when the other roadway, access road, or driveway is separated from the roadway on which he is driving by a physical barrier or an unpaved area."

Seminary has a prominent grassy median. All these eastbound cars ahead of me were stopped, waiting for a westbound bus to finish loading. No kids were crossing Seminary. I used a turn lane to go around the pack of lemmings. I rolled down my window to tell one of the lead drivers that we're on a divided roadway; I'm not sure if she heard me, as she never rolled her window down. A few people honked once they realize I was passing them and not turning left.

Why are so many people so ignorant of the law or so eager to emulate anything they see others doing?

[Flamingo13]

Wasn't me - and I know that if there is some kind of divider/median - you don't have to stop.

[ChristineVA]

Thank you for the public service announcement. I've noticed people stopping when they don't have to.

[boyd888]

I had a somewhat similar situation where a line of cars was stopped for no reason on a green light and I used the left turn lane to slow meander passed them (I assumed they were all waiting to turn right). Turns out the lead car was stopped to let a big pack of schoolkids cross the street AGAINST the green light. Incredibly dumb move by their teacher, but you better believe if I had hit one of those kids I would have been charged.

Now I just wait. Two minutes or whatever it takes to clear out is not that big of a deal compared to the negative of hitting someone you didn't see.

[Carlingtonian]

Originally Posted by ChristineVA

Thank you for the public service announcement. I've noticed people stopping when they don't have to.

Thanks; let your comment prove that it's not a case of too much testosterone on my part.

Originally Posted by boyd888

I had a somewhat similar situation where a line of cars was stopped for no reason on a green light and I used the left turn lane to slow meander passed them (I assumed they were all waiting to turn right). Turns out the lead car was stopped to let a big pack of schoolkids cross the street AGAINST the green light. Incredibly dumb move by their teacher, but you better believe if I had hit one of those kids I would have been charged.

Now I just wait. Two minutes or whatever it takes to clear out is not that big of a deal compared to the negative of hitting someone you didn't see.

I definitely would have seen any kid who was crossing. And I didn't go fast.

This spot on Seminary is a terrible place for the bus to stop; I wish the driver would take the bus into the complex. Sometimes on the way home I'll see the bus way up ahead (going my direction--westbound) about to stop--and I'll turn on a side road into Skyline to go around the bus and line of cars via the complex and pop out 200 feet ahead. That's a glorious feeling--but the school board should make the bus the one that pulls into the complex. There's plenty of room.

[sullyguy]

Originally Posted by Carlingtonian

According to Virginia code, if a stopped school bus is on the other side of a median or unpaved area, you need not stop

Yeah, I saw just that happen yesterday near Fairfax - bus stopped, red lights, large concrete median, pickup truck in lead going other direction stopped dead with line of cars behind it AND one car that apparently had a clue trying to sneak by.

---

In other news, in my area the buses do a great job of NOT stopping at intersections so oncoming cars that want to, for example, turn right can continue to turn right without passing the bus (or cars coming from "the other road" can turn away from the bus along the bus' route).

But there's little one can do about oncoming cars stopping BEFORE the intersection thus blocking the turners.

[Carlingtonian]

I think I'm going to print out this thread so I can wad it up and throw it out the window at the cars I pass the next time this happens.

[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. That said, being critical of someone who doesn't know the law and takes the overly cautious approach, while being proud of breaking the law by going straight in a turn lane seems...ironic...for lack of a nicer word. I'm guessing if they would have willfully ignored a law they knew about - that would that have been better?

[Flamingo13]

I have to say, it IS better than those that pass a stopped school bus right in front of them, etc.

[Carlingtonian]

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. That said, being critical of someone who doesn't know the law and takes the overly cautious approach, while being proud of breaking the law by going straight in a turn lane seems...ironic...for lack of a nicer word. I'm guessing if they would have willfully ignored a law they knew about - that would that have been better?

I would agree if the only choices were 1. cause an avoidable backup in traffic by stopping needlessly or 2. flout the law and endanger public safety by passing buses where you're not supposed to.

But those aren't the only choices, obviously.

Going through the turn lane was not dangerous, just like when people temporarily drive on a shoulder to go around a turning car on a two-lane road. Was it technically illegal? Perhaps--but so is stopping for no reason on a major thoroughfare.