[balenoed_]

This bus lane affair is tending to be a nightmare for two wheeler's. Earlier, generally I stick to left of the left most lane when riding a two wheeler to be on a safer side. Now when I go on the middle lane, I get honked off by the vehicles behind me (especially taxi’s) to jump into the bus lane or to the right lane which is even more dangerous. Or I have to ride fast enough that there is no one behind me trying to overtake.

By the way, all the BMTC buses are not “Nim Bus” to go on the priority lane.. Nim Bus will have a sticker on it.

[himarg]

Any idea what is going on with the ORR traffic today? It has been blood red since this morning for the stretch from HSR to Ecospace - haven't checked other parts of ORR though.

[m8002?]

With the huge pile-up from Agara to Bellandur, I thought it was due to enforcing the bus lane from Bellandur. But it was business as usual with everyone using the bus lane. Hopefully, there is more enforcement in the coming days.

[mpksuhas]

Yes, wonder what was the reason for the jam from before 08.00 AM itself.

On bus lane, between Iblur signal till Kadubeesinahalli noticed that buses where sticking to the lane, though there were few other vehicles also sneaking in.

Noticed at couple of locations carpool guys waiting for fellow passengers by parking vehicle in bus lane. This was causing a disturbance near IOC bunk / Cult near Greenglen layout.

[Nalin1]

Originally Posted by balenoed_

This bus lane affair is tending to be a nightmare for two wheeler's.

but but if there is a pothole outside the bus lane, can we enter the bus lane to avoid it???

If there is a dog on the bus lane, and the bus exits the lane to avoid the dog and while trying to re-enter the bus lane finds a cow now, can it continue outside the lane???

Just clearing some doubts that is all.

[hserus]

Originally Posted by mpksuhas

Yes, wonder what was the reason for the jam from before 08.00 AM itself.

On bus lane, between Iblur signal till Kadubeesinahalli noticed that buses where sticking to the lane, though there were few other vehicles also sneaking in.

Noticed at couple of locations carpool guys waiting for fellow passengers by parking vehicle in bus lane. This was causing a disturbance near IOC bunk / Cult near Greenglen layout.

We need a JCB deployed at such locations. That should take care of pushing the carpoolers, waiting cabbies, bikers taking a phone call etc out of the bus lane.

[jkrishnakj]

I drove to work at 10.30 am. I didn't see any change at all on the bus lanes. So much so, even the hawkers selling butter milk and juices were on the bus lanes. It was almost like any normal day. I didn't see a single 'Marshal' on the road.

On my return at 10 pm, it was an absolute free for all. I guess it'll take a few days and a few thousand people paying fines before it becomes serious.

[SideView]

Originally Posted by himarg

Any idea what is going on with the ORR traffic today? It has been blood red since this morning for the stretch from HSR to Ecospace - haven't checked other parts of ORR though.

Originally Posted by mpksuhas

Yes, wonder what was the reason for the jam from before 08.00 AM itself.

On bus lane, between Iblur signal till Kadubeesinahalli noticed that buses where sticking to the lane, though there were few other vehicles also sneaking in.

Noticed at couple of locations carpool guys waiting for fellow passengers by parking vehicle in bus lane. This was causing a disturbance near IOC bunk / Cult near Greenglen layout.

Not sure if the info is useful anymore but the jam yesterday was due to broken down pickup truck carrying cement block right before the bellandur bridge.

This jam had ripple effects on the nearby locations.

[SoumenD]

Originally Posted by jkrishnakj

I drove to work at 10.30 am. I didn't see any change at all on the bus lanes.

Just reached office at 8AM via ORR. Today cops are deployed on the road along the bus lanes. They are directing people to get out of bus-lane. No fines being charged as of now. But funny thing is the Buses themselves are as usual cutting across on other lanes blocking traffic as always.

I have my doubts on how this will be feasible. Reason being :

1. We have seen BMTC buses racing among each other with absolutely impatient drivers. Do you think they will wait patiently behind another bus while the former is boarding in passengers by sticking to their lane?
2. If folks have to get down from Ola/Uber cabs where would they do so if the left stretch is blocked only for buses? Thousands of ola/uber/quickride users get-down/get-up on the way, how will that be achieved without disrupting the bus lane?
3. Once Metro work starts, private cars/cabs/TTs would be left with just 1 lane for them. Is it even workable on ORR?
4. On top of BMTC buses we have hordes of office buses as well. Where will they go?

If they really want to make it a strict compliance, BMTC bus drivers too need to be educated about it & metro work needs to be planned judiciously. Else its going be a mayhem in coming days. I feel my driving days are numbered here.

Edit :

Originally Posted by hemanth.anand

She told that earlier she used to ride on the left side of the left most lane but now she has to ride in the centre lane.

If you look at it from the other end of spectrum, for 4-wheeler folks left side overtaking 2-wheelers are a pain. There's always a lurking fear of someone getting hit due to blind spots. Am not even talking about the innumerable scratches they gift in the process. Infact left-overtaking is actually illegal but somehow in Bangalore everyone seems to prefer doing that. Here's a news item from August,2019 talking about left-overtaking being one of the highest committed offense in Bangalore. Link

But then on right side you have speeding vehicles as well. So one has to be extra cautious on two wheelers if overtaking from right as well.

Originally Posted by hemanth.anand

I wouldn't be surprised if this is scrapped after some months.

+1 to this.

[hemanth.anand]

My wife was telling me yesterday that the ORR Silkboard to Hebbal will become all the more dangerous for 2 wheeler riders with this bus lane. She told that earlier she used to ride on the left side of the left most lane but now she has to ride in the centre lane. So it's speeding cars on the right, honking and intimidating vehicles from behind and speeding nimbus & fear of fines on the left! She has a valid point IMO. I wonder if BTP would've even thought about this...

You many think that I'm speaking too early or you may call me a pessimist, but I don't see this system working. I wouldn't be surprised if this is scrapped after some months.

[Nalin1]

Originally Posted by hemanth.anand

You many think that I'm speaking too early or you may call me a pessimist, but I don't see this system working. I wouldn't be surprised if this is scrapped after some months.

You even thought it will work?

Gap fillers don't use lanes. Riders/drivers do.

[aadya]

Official first victim of the buslane, a road worker

https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities...le30008375.ece

[am1m]

Originally Posted by aadya

Official first victim of the buslane, a road worker

Feel very, very sorry for this man who was the victim. The working conditions of these poor migrant workers are really terrible and because of the nature of their livelihoods, they are prone to exploitation by private firms who win these contracts for government work. I really hope the car driver is caught and punished.

But I think it is incorrect to condemn the concept of the bus lane itself, as the previous few posts have done. I too am very, very skeptical about the success of the bus lane on the ORR, but the fault lies with the execution of the concept rather than the concept itself.

The traffic conditions on the ORR are pathetic as everyone knows. A metro here is going to take another 10 years minimum, and that's being very optimistic. Till then, this is bus lane is something the authorities are at least trying to put in place. Any public transport initiative will have to go hand-in-hand with discouraging private transport, including reducing the number of lanes for private cars (and I drive/ride my private vehicles too on this road, btw - I work at 'Eco'World). That's just the way it works. The present situation with private cars and cabs is simply awful. It has to change.

Let's just hope this bus lane works after all the initial issues.

[srishiva]

While driving on ORR I was thinking how this bus lane can work. I drove completely in bus lane and it worked for me

Its like some physics laws that dont work at some levels. These lanes would cause chaos if forced to work. Once metro work starts, it will be one more level of impossible.

[balenoed_]

Originally Posted by hemanth.anand

My wife was telling me yesterday that the ORR Silkboard to Hebbal will become all the more dangerous for 2 wheeler riders with this bus lane. She told that earlier she used to ride on the left side of the left most lane but now she has to ride in the centre lane. So it's speeding cars on the right, honking and intimidating vehicles from behind and speeding nimbus & fear of fines on the left!

This is exactly my point too in the first post of this page.

There is one more thing I found today:

At innovative multiplex (towards) silk board, there is no bus shelter at the bus stop. So all the passengers have to stay in the bus lane to board the bus and blocks the bus lane. So now, passengers have to stay in one line pulling their belly in for the buses also to fit in this lane..

It's just interesting to drive these days seeing all this fun. I just simply poked one taxi guy who was on bus lane: Boss, that is bus lane, come over this side. He gave me a nasty look.