Jeremy Parker wrote:
"Earl Purple" wrote

In the USA, when a school bus stops to let children on or off, it
turns on big red flashing lights that mean all other traffic must
stop. That's pretty universal in every state. Almost any flashing
red light in the USA implies that you must stop.

Stopping for a school bus, unlike, say, parking too close to a fire
hydrant, is one of those laws that public opinion expects you to
obey. Americans don't like people putting their children at risk.

"A bit over zealously at times" I take it is a euphemism for "I got a
ticket once for not doing it"

No, I don't recall a red flashing light, I seem to remember a patrol
manually stopping everyone, and when I say "a bit over zealously" I
mean that I wasn't actually crossing the path, I was turning out of a
side road in the other direction to where the bus was doing the pick
up, and was going very slowly.

I do know that they have school runs in the USA just like we do, and
not every child goes to school on the bus - many have their parents
drop them off and they do just as many bad manouevres. It was very
common for cars to stop on a pedestrian crossing opposite the school.
Yes, right on it.

Earl Purple wrote in message
:

Jeremy Parker wrote:
"Earl Purple" wrote

In the USA, when a school bus stops to let children on or off, it
turns on big red flashing lights that mean all other traffic must
stop. That's pretty universal in every state. Almost any flashing
red light in the USA implies that you must stop.

Stopping for a school bus, unlike, say, parking too close to a fire
hydrant, is one of those laws that public opinion expects you to
obey. Americans don't like people putting their children at risk.

"A bit over zealously at times" I take it is a euphemism for "I got a
ticket once for not doing it"

No, I don't recall a red flashing light, I seem to remember a patrol
manually stopping everyone, and when I say "a bit over zealously" I
mean that I wasn't actually crossing the path, I was turning out of a
side road in the other direction to where the bus was doing the pick
up, and was going very slowly.

I do know that they have school runs in the USA just like we do, and
not every child goes to school on the bus - many have their parents
drop them off and they do just as many bad manouevres. It was very
common for cars to stop on a pedestrian crossing opposite the school.
Yes, right on it.

When I went to see my sister and her family in Boston and borrowed their
car, they warned me about school buses. The red lights apply not only to
traffic behind the bus which is banned from overtaking but also to oncoming
traffic which is not allowed to pass the front of the bus if the red lights
are flashing.

Frustrating, but probably a good idea. At least in America they have the
concept of part-time speed limits: many schools seemed to have a 35 mph
limit in force for most of the day but a 25 or even 15 during very specific
arrival and departure hours. In the UK, we'd probably impose a blanket
24-hours-a-day 20 limit :-(

Martin Underwood wrote:

When I went to see my sister and her family in Boston and borrowed their
car, they warned me about school buses. The red lights apply not only to
traffic behind the bus which is banned from overtaking but also to oncoming
traffic which is not allowed to pass the front of the bus if the red lights
are flashing.

Frustrating, but probably a good idea. At least in America they have the
concept of part-time speed limits: many schools seemed to have a 35 mph
limit in force for most of the day but a 25 or even 15 during very specific
arrival and departure hours. In the UK, we'd probably impose a blanket
24-hours-a-day 20 limit :-(

I would like to see part-time speed limits here, and also I would like
to see limits of 25mph and 35mph where appropriate, rather than the
steps in 10. On many roads, the speed limit should be 25mph but instead
they reduce it all the way down to 20mph which is far too slow.

"Earl Purple" wrote

[snip]

I would like to see part-time speed limits here, and also I would
like
to see limits of 25mph and 35mph where appropriate, rather than the
steps in 10. On many roads, the speed limit should be 25mph but
instead
they reduce it all the way down to 20mph which is far too slow.

American traffic engineers base speed limits on what drivers actually
do. They measure the speeds of motorists, and then set the limit to
turn one driver in seven into criminals.

I imagine the percentage of criminally minded is about the same among
Brit's, at least based on the comments of those posting in
uk.rec.transport

Jeremy Parker

Jeremy Parker wrote:
"Earl Purple" wrote

[snip]
I would like to see part-time speed limits here, and also I would
like
to see limits of 25mph and 35mph where appropriate, rather than the
steps in 10. On many roads, the speed limit should be 25mph but
instead
they reduce it all the way down to 20mph which is far too slow.

American traffic engineers base speed limits on what drivers actually
do. They measure the speeds of motorists, and then set the limit to
turn one driver in seven into criminals.

I imagine the percentage of criminally minded is about the same among
Brit's, at least based on the comments of those posting in
uk.rec.transport

As much as I hate to say it, the principle is the same here. The
guideline is to set the speed limit at the 85th percentile of the range
of speeds.

--
Dave Arquati
www.alwaystouchout.com - Transport projects in London

Dave Arquati wrote:

As much as I hate to say it, the principle is the same here. The
guideline is to set the speed limit at the 85th percentile of the range
of speeds.

Not so. The 85th percentile is the speed used in reports to describe
the maximum speed that most drivers are using. It enables a picture of
general driver behaviour to be given, regardless of the actual sped
limit, and leaves out the (often) excessive speeds used by a minority
of drivers that would otherwise distort the picture. The decision on
which speed limit to apply is based on a variety of factors, not solely
the actual speed of drivers. Speak to your colleagues in TfL Streets.
They will be pleased to advise on this esoteric subject!

Peter