adamtki

We all know that we should follow the same rules that cars follow on the road (for the most part). But, we also know bikes and cars are very different. So when I'm riding along the shoulder, bike lane, or even on the road, I find myself stopping for school buses when they have the stop sign out. So I sit there wondering if I should slowly move past it. Safety wise, I don't think it's a real concern - it's like passing kids when you ride through a trail or park. But I know people can't get over the fact that I'm breaking a rule of the road. I never do end up trying it as I don't want to make cyclist look bad.

This situation is very similar to when I was stopped with traffic when a volunteer was guiding a group of pedestrians across the crosswalk. I found a gap and slowly (5mph) rode through. After I get across, I get yelled at by that volunteer - "HEY, you know better than that!" I think he got upset more because I didn't respect his authority rather than for any real safety concerns.

So what do you guys think? Is it ok to slowly pass a school bus since it's really no different than riding your bike through a park?

jakub.ner

I completely follow you on the bikes are not cars etc., but do stop for flashing school buses and cross-walks. I know, we all hate to breathe in the crap from the tail end of one of these beasts.

I'd say if you dismount and walk across then hop back on, that should be less agitating to the crossing guard.

unterhausen

seems like it might be more of a safety issue for you than the kids. In my experience, school buses are driven by people that don't know how to pass cyclists safely

jputnam

Unless you're about to turn off that road, it seems to me you're inviting a dangerous game of leapfrog with the bus driver. How long after your illegal pass will the bus be passing you again?

Dan The Man

I don't believe that pretending that bicycles are cars is a good idea. I would say pass carefully and slowly, but then I would also suggest rolling through stop signs and empty intersections and passing traffic jams in the centre of the road.

Pedaleur

I wait or walk past (the latter at a school on my commute where the wait would be minutes).

njkayaker

This is odd logic.

If you were a bus driver or a crossing guard, you'd find it much easier to determine that vehicles are stopped that it would be to determine that the cyclist or car driver was acting in a "safe" manner. Since pretty-much all operators think they are driving in a "safe" manner even when they aren't, "I'm operating safely" really doesn't work as an excuse to cherry-pick laws to follow.

fuji86

I have no problem passing a stopped school bus, just like a city bus. As for the cross walks, no pedestrians or cars, I'm going thru the crosswalk & intersection. Even if I have to stop briefly and look both ways. Never had anyone say a word to me about it ever, don't think I ever will ?

wnl256

If you want the rights to access roads as a vehicle, then you must be prepared to obey the same laws as a vehicle. Vehicles are required to stop for school buses, whether they are machine powered or human powered. If you don't consider yourself a vehicle, then go right ahead and pass the bus. But by the same logic you should be on riding on the sidewalk, not the road.

As another poster mentioned, what is there to gained by passing the bus? In a few moments that bus will be rolling again and it is going to want to go faster than your top speed. By doing this not only have you aggravated the driver by rolling through his or her flashing red stop sign, but you are ahead of the bus going at cycling speeds and forcing the bus to pass you. As for the safety of the maneuver: small children are quite unpredictable and bicycling around them is a challenge regardless of the circumstance. A large bus which obstructs your view only increases the difficulty. (Although I do recognize that teenagers are a bit more orderly getting on and off a bus).

Doohickie

Why would you stop for a city bus?

rydabent

Come on people-----if we want respect as a legal conveyance on the road, OBEY all rules!!!

This and the cyclist that moose up along the right side of cars at stops are doing something illegal, but most of all decreases respect for all cyclist among drivers.

dynodonn 

A similar thread like this one was eventually moved out of A and S.

rogwilco

Yeah. Don't **** with buses, don't **** with trucks, they often just can't see you even if they are trying to be careful. You better be damn sure that bus isn't pulling out while you're passing it if you're going to do that.

ItsJustMe

If you want to go past a school bus with flashing lights, dismount and walk. I just wait.

ladyraestewart

From the mouth of a police officer (in Texas at least), Yes you stop for a school bus just like a vehicle is required to stop for a school bus.

DogBoy

Consider this. If you stop and wait, you lose tops 2 minutes. If you go and for whatever reason you are involved in somthing that hurts a kid....Ever see a parent go ballistic? Think the police would give you ANY consideration? No, you'd see a max possible fine for the worst offense the officer can find, and likely a move to restrict cycling rights at the next town council meeting...."for the children."

adamtki

All I can say is, trust me. I did it safely. To give you an idea of how I bike, I get honked at about every 1000 miles or more.

adamtki

I rarely force drivers to squeeze around me. There's a bike lane or a shoulder in the situations I'm talking about. What is there to gain? Time. I'm not passing the bus just to pass the bus. I'm just trying to get to my destination faster. Since there's a bike lane, the bus driver doesn't need to swerve around me to pass.

adamtki

The same situation applies if you ride your bike down a trail through a park that has lots of kids and pedestrians.

DataJunkie

Stop, walk, or ride your bike on the opposite side of the street's sidewalk (ack).
I stop. Kids have an interesting tendency to do interesting things like come running out from the front of the bus.

dynodonn 

That no longer happens in my area, gone are the days of just opening the school bus door and letting Lil' Johnny and Janie run free as they like.

CaptainCool

In general, it's not illegal to pass a stopped city bus, but it is illegal to pass a stopped school bus with its lights flashing.

This says more about the drivers in your area than it does about how you ride.

Seattle Forrest

You're putting way too much thought into it. It doesn't matter how many angels can dance on the head of a pin.

noisebeam

i stop when any other vehicle would also be required to stop

____asdfghjkl

yeah I stop for the school bus so some one in their car won't think i'm a jackass on a bike.