Comments on: Violations in SF’s Transit-Only Lanes Rampant and Rarely Enforced

By: murphstahoe

murphstahoe — Sat, 09 Jul 2011 22:45:00 +0000

Translation: I just got a ticket, and googled around the web to complain.

By: mikesonn

mikesonn — Sat, 09 Jul 2011 14:43:00 +0000

“After all, it is a public roadway that’s intended to be used by the general public to get around the city.”

Thanks for the morning laugh.

By: M. Roger Smith

M. Roger Smith — Sat, 09 Jul 2011 07:09:00 +0000

Maybe people drive in the bus only lane is because it is very difficult to determine what lane you are supposed to be driving in, especially if you have never driven on Market St. before. When I first moved to SF I would find myself in the bus only lane because the only thing that made it clear that the lane was for buses only was the markings on the street, which are not visible if there is traffic in front of you. Plus, if you need to turn right, you are allowed to get in the bus only lane to turn.

So maybe you should calm down and stop making strident demands for everyone to be ticketed for making a mistake because bus riders will be delayed a few minutes when the bus misses a light. It’s really not a big deal. After all, it is a public roadway that’s intended to be used by the general public to get around the city.

You know what’s worse than blocking the bus lane? A bunch of whining, politically correct, self-righteous cranks who cry out for the police to dole out more punishment.

By: Obama

Obama — Sun, 12 Sep 2010 11:50:06 +0000

The rules for these lanes are so unclear – buses don’t run 24-7 (i) so what is the clear rule after peak or non-bus service hours? (ii) why is the lane called bus-only when taxi drivers are pulling in and out of these lanes at will. (iii) how are you supposed to make a right turn?
The worst traffic violators in the city are taxi-drivers. I understand they have to make a living but man these guys drive like lunatics.

By: Thomas Hawk

Thomas Hawk — Sun, 16 Aug 2009 23:53:21 +0000

A few years ago I was driving with a guy who actually got pulled over for this and ticketed on Mission Street just past the Metreon.

When the officer came back he asked him if there was anything he could have said to get out of the ticket and the officer said “yes.” When he asked him what the officer said “I’m not going to tell you.”

I’ve always assumed that if one ever got pulled over in one of these lanes you’d just say that you were going to turn right at the next possible RT and that you were just getting in the lane to do that. I’d have a hard time seeing how they could give you a ticket then.

By: Jen

Jen — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 00:23:18 +0000

Legitimate question: What are bikes supposed to do in the bus-only lanes? (Question coming from a cyclist that doesn’t own a car and doesn’t take public transit but maybe once a month on those days that the hills are just too much and I’m cranky.)

I was riding in the bus-only lane on Mission a few nights back and got honked at, repeatedly, by a bus. My other option was riding in the left lane the whole way, and I was going pretty far. I was going to piss somebody off, obviously. Bikes will naturally stay out of the lane on Market (everyone who’s gotten themselves caught in the tracks, stand up), but how about when the right lane is bus-only? I see the comment above stating that the one on Mission is 4-6 (have been riding it regularly for over a year and never knew), but what about everywhere else, and what about even Mission in the prohibited times? Legally, logically and/or safely, what’s our best choice?

By: soylatte

soylatte — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 23:58:17 +0000

Greg: “News flash: if you punish people hard for infractions of the law, and do so often enough, they’ll get the message. When I was a driver and was speeding and got hit with a rather tough fine and traffic school and what not, it made me think twice about driving 110 mph on the freeway.”

It would be much better and cheaper to build roadways in a way that discourage speeding and other dangerous forms of driving, instead of a way that encourages it, which is what we are doing currently.

By: Philip

Philip — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 23:14:09 +0000

Since buses don’t use stop lights or bus stops, what’s the point?

By: Spokker

Spokker — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 23:03:42 +0000

“When I was a driver and was speeding and got hit with a rather tough fine and traffic school and what not, it made me think twice about driving 110 mph on the freeway.”

If you’re serious, the fact that you ever thought it was okay to drive 110 MPH on the freeway is insane. You should have had your license taken away.

Maybe that’s the problem. It’s kind of hard to lose your license.

By: AW

AW — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 22:57:17 +0000

Using a camera to enforce the transit only lanes is not necessarily “a natural extension of the technology” from a political point of view. Red light cameras continue to exist only because the safety benefit of them (when selectively and properly installed) is clearly documented. In the transit lane example, the delay to transit does not necessarily create an immediate safety hazard to overcome “big brother” arguments. Even a valid and well documented safety hazard alone is not enough. For example, look into the history of Fiona Ma’s proposed camera enforcement of illegal right-turns at Market/Octavia.

By: ZA

ZA — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 05:38:36 +0000

I can’t help wondering how much better road rules would be observed if we didn’t replace traffic cops with impersonal lights.

By: Wai Yip Tung

Wai Yip Tung — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 04:19:09 +0000

Thank you. This is the study I’ve mentioned.
————————————————————————

Conclusions

The engineering and technology exist to improve the efficiency of bus-only lanes. San Francisco should standardize the hours of operation, signage and markings for its busonly lanes to improve bus service while decreasing operating costs. California has carefully studied the implementation of photo-enforcement of red lights; the use of photo enforcement for bus-only lanes is a natural extension of the technology. Traffic and civil engineering solutions can further improve the efficiency of bus-only lanes.

By: Richard Mlynarik

Richard Mlynarik — Tue, 11 Aug 2009 23:58:11 +0000

Here’a good read:
“Effective bus only lanes”
by local transportation planners Michael Kiesling and Matthew Ridgway:

http://www.arch21.org/BusLanes/BusOnlyPaper.html (I hope that URL comes out — otherwise, find it on arch21.org)

Well-written, clear, and presents the blindingly obvious solutions to the blindingly obvious problems with local transit lanes in such a way that even somebody from SFMTA might be able to understand them.

By: Aaron B.

Aaron B. — Tue, 11 Aug 2009 23:49:17 +0000

Well, I guess Rob Anderson would still have it that bikes are banned or something, and this is just fine.

How bout let’s look into physical separation or something? It’s feasible on Market St., with its no left turns, right?

By: shalako

shalako — Tue, 11 Aug 2009 22:30:51 +0000

in Munich public transit (trains and buses) operate in central lanes which are physically seperated (curbs and raised lanes) from other lanes. it’s very clear that you shouldn’t drive there. works very well. they also have bike lanes seperated from foot traffic on all the sidewalks. again, works very well.

By: Heather

Heather — Tue, 11 Aug 2009 21:43:18 +0000

I find these bus- and taxi-only lanes very confusing. I don’t have a car, but I’m always finding myself in one inadvertently on my scooter. Presumably there has got to be a better strategy to give preference to public transit?

By: Alan McMillan

Alan McMillan — Tue, 11 Aug 2009 20:44:53 +0000

30 Muni busses have cameras that photograph “Bus Lane” violators. These busses are used on the 14 Mission and the 38 Geary, but have limited effectivness because of staffing shortages of employees to view the video and tag the violation.

Besides, which Parking officers would support a bus automatically doing what a person could be hired to do at greater cost?

By: fogcity

fogcity — Tue, 11 Aug 2009 20:17:20 +0000

This entire series of article calling for increased enforcement is wrong headed. Share the roads. It is the philosphy of the great Jane Jacobs and all enlightened people that the public streets are for all modes of transportation to share. Problem is in our society everyone is upset that the “other” had more, has more or is getting more.
We are still finding out how roads work. Wide streets lead to speeding, signs distract, painted lanes imply safety and also increase speed and inattention.
Common courtesy is what is lacking. I’m hearing more and more complaining from everyone. Bikes riding people down in crosswalks, speeding, cars and bikes not giving the right of way to each other or any other mode of transport for that matter. Everyone is asking for enforcement.

By: Sasha

Sasha — Tue, 11 Aug 2009 20:17:11 +0000

Also, let’s be clear: not all of the bus-only lanes are 24/7. I bike on Mission several mornings a week from 8th St to 12th St, westbound. The far right lane is painted “BUS ONLY” the entire way, but signs along the road made it clear the lane is restricted only Monday through Friday, 4-6pm.
I’m all for increasing transit’s ability to deliver in SF. I think we’re going to do better by designing for it, than putting up mixed messages that drivers have to decode on the fly. There was an article in the last couple days pointing out how drivers in the unrestricted section of Market commonly weave between lanes because they’re not sure if they’re allowed to drive on the tracks or not.

By: Greg

Greg — Tue, 11 Aug 2009 19:17:34 +0000

It really is amazing how well-paid our government employees are, yet whenever they’re asked to do their jobs, there’s a lot of head shaking, talks of “Stakeholders” and a need for a “study” and so on.

News flash: if you punish people hard for infractions of the law, and do so often enough, they’ll get the message. When I was a driver and was speeding and got hit with a rather tough fine and traffic school and what not, it made me think twice about driving 110 mph on the freeway.

Funny how that works. But I guess in San Francisco, we have to pay all these people big pay and pensions for them to just sit there and hassle kids for taking pictures or something.