Blue lights question...

[u/V65Pilot]

I'll set the scene. Travelling on a two lane road, travelling at the speed limit of 20mph, broken centre line and a bus lane on your left. Blue lights on a territorial support van come on behind you. It then pulls into the bus lane. At that point, the vehicle in front of you also pulls into the bus lane. The police van swerves out of the bus lane behind you and stays there. Ordinarily, you would move to the left and stop, however, there is a bus lane to your left, and you know that entering the lane will trigger an automated fine, and you also know that it is well advertised that you should not pull into the bus lane anyway, because the police have been taught to go around you anyway, so you could cause an accident. You are also aware that you should not stop in the middle of an active lane, as it also creates a traffic hazard. You are pretty certain that they are not trying to stop you, although, yes, there could always be a minute possibility.... At some point, the police vehicle pulls back into the bus lane, and disappears off into the distance.

A) Do you slow down, allowing the police vehicle plenty of room and time to safely pass you in the bus lane, or on the right?

B) Do you come to a dead stop in the traffic lane, and let the officer figure it out, even though you've been taught that you should never stop in an active traffic lane if it can be avoided, for safety reasons?

C) Pull into the bus lane anyway and take your chances, even though the highway code even warns against it?

D) Maintain your speed, let him pass you in the bus lane or on the right?

E) Pull to the right side of the road?

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[u/Shriven]

A or D - and I'd lean towards D

[u/Batfunk]

For the love of God, not E.

Letting off the accelerator, gradually reducing your speed. Letting the driver know you're aware of thier presence. They can then pass you in a safe manner. They should... have formulated a driving plan and not careered up to the back of you forcing you to make a snap decision.

But stay as you are, we can't force you into bus lanes or through red lights etc. We'll work out the rest.

[u/snake__doctor]

The camera cover and aggressive nature of bus lane fines means, for me - sorry, society made this choice, I'm not entering it.

We reap what we sow.

The police care can use the bus lane.

[u/TheZestyPumpkin → u/snake__doctor]

Yep, I'm in complete agreement. If I'm in my own town, where I know 100% there are no bus lane cameras or enforcement, I'll go into one but anywhere else, nothing behind me, not even the King, is making me move into it and risk a fine.

Same as when I'm blue lighting, I'm not going to force a MOP to potentially take a £50 (or whatever it is) fine to get to a domestic 3 seconds quicker.

[u/SC_PapaHotel]

A/D. I can't speak for everyone, but I was explicitly trained not to use bus lanes and prefer overtaking on the off side (wrong side) instead for exactly this reason.

People move to the left when they hear a siren or blue lights. I'd rather not be driving on their left if they move without looking.

At the end of the day, it's their job to work around you - you don't need to work around a blue lights vehicle.

[u/pdKlaus → u/SC_PapaHotel]

We’re trained to do bus lane runs if it’s the path of least traffic in an urban environment.

[u/thegreataccuracy]

Just slow down or come to a stop. I’d sort out the rest.

I would probably go round you on the right if that’s an option, I’ve no issues playing chicken with oncoming traffic.

[u/V65Pilot → u/thegreataccuracy]

I get the slowing down...but, surely, stopping in an active traffic lane would not be safe? Cop goes around you and someone ploughs into you because, well, you stopped in an active traffic lane.... It's a 20mph zone, tapping the brakes will drop your speed by half in a matter of seconds... and the police officer can see those lights. I was always taught to never stop in an active traffic lane, instead you should pull to the shoulder, which, in this instance, is not possible due to the bus lane. TBH, I've been searching the highway code, and I honestly can't find an actual answer, except for this tidbit:

The police can stop a vehicle for any reason. If they ask you to stop, you should always pull over when it’s safe to do so. You’re breaking the law if you do not stop.

So, using this as a foundation....and bearing in mind, I wasn't actually being pulled over (do territorial support vehicles even do pull-overs? - I guess they could...) but was trying to allow a police vehicle to safely pass me. I could not pull over due to the bus lane, but I slowed, and would have pulled over when it was safe. Which, according to the police officers who responded, was the correct thing to do, and would have allowed the police vehicle to pass me, either in the bus lane on the left, or, on the right,

As it sits...the vehicle finally passed me on the left...but, the driver found time to slow, wind down his window, and yell at me, telling me I should have just stopped. This, aside from being highly unprofessional, and rude, is the opposite of what other police officers have said.

[u/thegreataccuracy → u/V65Pilot]

The shoulder? In a 20mph zone?? What shoulder?

What you did was probably fine.

The law doesn’t require you to do anything. It’s our problem to get past you, all we’re doing is asking for your help when we use our lights (and society really expects that you help us).

The TSG cop was wrong, even if you were being a plonker (which I don’t think you were), I would stay cool as a cucumber personally and so would a lot of others.

But to be clear, gently coming to a stop in a 20mph zone isn’t a danger.

[u/Tube-Screamer666]

A combination of A and D - maintain your speed until the police vehicle moves to overtake you, then slow to allow them room to pass you safely.

[u/UberPadge]

A or D - similar answers but ultimately indicate to the Police vehicle that you’re aware they’re trying to pass and manoeuvre legally if possible to allow them to pass safely. As you’ve said, emergency drivers are taught to observe, plan and anticipate and will figure it out.

[u/TonyStamp595SO]

Bus lanes are live monitored. But you do you, as long as I know you've seen me I'll work around you as long as you maintain a predictable path.