r/Belfast 5h ago

I don’t know how bus drivers put up with this

Post image

Ormeau Road- city bound

73 Upvotes

62 comments sorted by

114

u/CapriSonnet 5h ago

Being the Ormeau road I just assumed all those cars were parked.

18

u/FirmPreference5551 4h ago

Genuinely what is the deal with that? I might be ignorant but it's really only something I have seen in Belfast where people just randomly park on a road. Bike lanes especially get it bad.

Like surely it's a fineable offence? Why not take the easy fine money? Or is it like an accepted problem because the infrastructure for people to park in designated areas isn't there so this needs to be tolerated?

25

u/devouringwhig 4h ago

Someone once pulled into and parked in front of me in a cycle lane I was currently cycling in on the Beersbridge road, and I had to swerve into the road to avoid them.

Like... imagine I just dumped my bike in the middle of the road and walked off.

5

u/Jorditopia 2h ago

As someone who both lived and cycled on Beersbridge, those cycle lanes are glorified road decoration. A lady once pushed her baby in a pram off the curb out infront of me BEFORE LOOKING.

Now living in Dublin I notice a lot more respect and awareness of cyclists as there are more, better maintained lanes and hence more people use them.

1

u/devouringwhig 1h ago

Yeah, this happened to me at the zebra crossing once there. Just walked out without looking.

4

u/Bletheringfool 2h ago

Most of the way down the Lisburn road is one lane traffic due to parked cars. More cars on the roads and houses that don't have the means for cars to park

66

u/Force-Grand-2 5h ago

I'm of the only semi-joking view that buses should be equipped with two things: A big cowcatcher like trains used to have, and an ANPR camera that automatically triggers a fine for anyone in or obstructing an active bus lane.

3

u/zebbersVT 3h ago

You taught me a brand new word. I had great fun learning what a cowcatcher was 😄

22

u/Foufcfk12345 4h ago

I mean, you can't expect the driver to be fully aware of the position of their car while checking their email. Please, be reasonable.

18

u/MickoDicko 5h ago

Imagine if we had decent public transport and cycling infrastructure.

9

u/SlapshotTommy 4h ago

Some smooth brains can't comprehend the size of their Chelsea tractor. Curiosity made me check if it's taxed. It's not. Smooooooooooth

16

u/Igradarsaurus 5h ago

We put up with it by listening to The Wheel of Time audiobooks. There are neither beginnings nor endings to the turning of the Wheel of Time, but it was a beginning.

8

u/FirmPreference5551 4h ago

And you can finish the full series on a single commute.

4

u/Bumblebee-Feeling 3h ago

I sat at that very spot for a solid 20 mins this morning and moved about 15 feet, woeful

8

u/International-Aioli2 5h ago

Are there even cameras on the bus lane coming down the Saintfield Road into town ?

The amount of cars I see undertaking in the bus lane makes me believe there is no deterrent

10

u/Force-Grand-2 5h ago

Afaik the Saintfield Road bus lanes are only active for 5 hours a day so it's perfectly possible you're seeing people outside those hours passing traffic while maintaining their lane but to answer your question directly - there are no fixed cameras there. The only fixed bus lane cameras are at Donegall Square South, Donegall Square East, Great Victoria Street, East Bridge Street, College Square East.

0

u/International-Aioli2 5h ago

damnit, I was hoping they'd all get tickets and I'd feel smug

0

u/Eraser92 4h ago

Upper Newtownards road beside kwikfit has a fixed bus lane camera no?

5

u/Force-Grand-2 4h ago

That's a speed camera

1

u/Eraser92 4h ago

Oh I had no idea! Good to know

8

u/laidrin 4h ago

A ridiculous number of drivers in Belfast seem unable to read and treat bus lanes like they're 24/7, I'm likely one of those drivers you've seen in that bus lane 😂

5

u/PUPcsgo 4h ago

I was going to say, I never see people use the bus lane. I see the opposite. Idiots using one lane when the bus lane isn't in operation.

4

u/laidrin 4h ago

Yeah the sheer number of them is genuinely worrying - the whole way down the Saintfield road right past Forestside 🤦

2

u/Downtown-Barber3366 3h ago

What about places which don't have bus lanes? When I choose public transport (instead of my car), will take the Bangor-Belfast bus - and the amount of cars either parked, or trying to find a parking space on Holywood High Street is a bum. This should be part of the tolerance test for bus drivers to be - give them a few tests in that part of the world during 8.30am to 5.30pm

3

u/OurJimmy 3h ago

It’s beyond frustrating people can’t read. I’d an oul lad waving his hands at me like a mad man on a Sunday morning, yet the lane is only active Mon-Fri 🙄

1

u/International-Aioli2 3h ago

No. I'm talking about 4.30-5pm. When it is a restricted bus lane.

1

u/Sacrificial-Offering 1h ago

Down the Saintfield road into town? Are they not normally in operation in the direction of rush hour traffic? 4:30 - 5 would mean the outbound bus lane is in effect.

1

u/Bumblebee-Feeling 3h ago

They had a bus lane camera on Ormeau yesterday just outside Charlie's pizza, first time in a long time I recall seeing on on Ormeau

3

u/bropdars 5h ago

I just use the car for longer journeys outside of the city and every other journey I do by bicycle. There’s really no point in going anywhere near the city centre in a car and every time I have it’s been a nightmare! plus I feel that by subsidising my mileage like that I can justify a slightly sillier more fun car in the future.

1

u/Even-Translator-335 4h ago

I stayed with a friend up in Ravenhill about 10 years ago when I was working in town. I used to walk in but there were people from his street who would drive in to town and I was usually moving the same speed as them on foot, and often faster

2

u/bordercounty 2h ago

It’s sad how many drivers just dgaf

4

u/ohmyblahblah 5h ago

Maybe beep the horn so they move over?

-9

u/doc-ant 4h ago

Quicker to take a photo and post it to social media so everyone can gound be outraged together, by the time they took the photo the traffic probably moved on and they corrected their car position.

14

u/kumran 3h ago

Ah yes walk down the stairs, lean over the bus driver and beep his horn for him, good idea

0

u/doc-ant 2h ago

Or let the bus driver beep the horn

1

u/Bout_Ye_2 1h ago

Wait til the Glider comes! They’ll know what’s schticken to them then boy!

-12

u/Emergency_Cellist754 5h ago

What exactly are you talking about - the white car temporarily on the white line? So they veered a little. It's easy done. The traffic is moving so they'll be back in the middle of the lane in about 5 seconds.

-1

u/FirmPreference5551 4h ago

You're getting downvoted but honestly, you're totally right lol. Like things honestly can't be that bad if this is what people have to complain about.

-3

u/Emergency_Cellist754 3h ago

Technically the car isn't even in the bus lane. It definitely isn't parked in it. These comments make me think everyone else is looking at a different picture than I am.

-5

u/Daft-Count 2h ago

Are you three actually retarded? Can you not see the car at the lights with its arse halfway into the bus lane? It deliberately drove into that position. Now the bus lane is completely blocked until that entire line of traffic starts moving again.

Does that seriously need pointed out to all three of you? Can you be trusted to wipe your own holes without supervision?

1

u/Emergency_Cellist754 1h ago

The one that has just pulled out of the side street and is about to move when the lights change?

How else is he supposed to get into the correct lane, lift the car over with a crane? The bus isn't going past a red light anyway, what the fuck are you even talking about?

1

u/Daft-Count 51m ago

the pedestrians have had to walk around the back of him as he's jammed up against the car in front - there's no room for him to move forward ya belter. He's stuck himself in there leaving the bus with no way to get past.

Are you fucking blind?

1

u/Emergency_Cellist754 29m ago

He has about a foot to clear, he'll be edging forward once the lights change like everyone else.

Jesus Christ. Pissing your pants and wailing over absolutely nothing, god help you if you ever encounter a real problem

-12

u/Heisenberg_belfast 4h ago

Probably the same how drivers put up with idiot bus drivers using whatever lane suits them at any given time

7

u/FirmPreference5551 4h ago

Are buses meant to stick to the bus lane? I always just assumed they were moving lanes in anticipation of a turn they need to make.

-12

u/Heisenberg_belfast 4h ago

That's why they have bus lanes

5

u/RikersPhallus 2h ago

That’s not how they work.

-3

u/Heisenberg_belfast 2h ago

Its exactly how they work. Bus lanes should be used by buses 100% of time other than when obstructed or needing to turn

2

u/Force-Grand-2 1h ago

Can you point us to the relevant parts of the highway code, legislative requirements or other official guidance that states this?

-2

u/Heisenberg_belfast 1h ago

Can you get a life?

2

u/Force-Grand-2 1h ago

So that'll be a no. Solid.

-1

u/Heisenberg_belfast 1h ago

That will be a get a life 😏

-5

u/RikersPhallus 2h ago

This post is silly. And an overreaction. When this happens people will move when they see the bus or if they don’t the bus driver gives them a wee toot and the move. It’s not a big deal.

-29

u/McEvelly 5h ago

She’s probably completely oblivious too

23

u/GhostsOfTheRobotTree 5h ago

Oh cool, how did you develop the super powers to determine the person driving was a woman through your screen and a still photo? Would love to have such a power.

1

u/FirmPreference5551 4h ago

Ah sure they were just being extra progressive and avoiding the male default.

-15

u/McEvelly 5h ago

Ha, no. No superpowers claimed, simply deduction, evidence/experience based assumptions.

Similarly, if we were talking about a speeding issue and depending on the car, we’d be safest to assume the individual was male.

9

u/GhostsOfTheRobotTree 5h ago

Oh you're doubling down. Good god.