School bus at intersection question

[Anonymous]

If I'm at a four way stop, and I see a bus picking up kids in the general vicinity of the intersection, I don't care what the law says, I'm sitting there until the bus starts moving again. You can honk or glare or do whatever you want, but I'm not moving.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I know I will be attacked bc y'all love the mob mentality...

But why is it that kids automatically are presumed to lose all previously taught indications of traffic (like... look before you cross the street...) when a bus is within sight? Why does a bus = nobody can do anything, every car everywhere must STOP and wait because children will be flying from every direction and no longer are able to stop and watch for traffic, as they do when they walk to school / walk .5 mile to the bus stop across many roadways?!?

Because they're distracted, they're talking with their friends, they're on their phones, they drop something and impulsively run back to pick it up, etc. None of that makes their behavior correct, but it isn't going to matter when they're pinned under your car.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would have chosen to proceed, however much slower than I usually would when no school bus is present.

You just never know kids....They are very unpredictable and one could easily run into the intersection.

You need to STOP. If the bus if facing the intersection, all traffic in that intersection must stop. Not just direct passing traffic. ALL OF IT.

+1

Stop

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I know I will be attacked bc y'all love the mob mentality...

But why is it that kids automatically are presumed to lose all previously taught indications of traffic (like... look before you cross the street...) when a bus is within sight? Why does a bus = nobody can do anything, every car everywhere must STOP and wait because children will be flying from every direction and no longer are able to stop and watch for traffic, as they do when they walk to school / walk .5 mile to the bus stop across many roadways?!?

Because they're distracted, they're talking with their friends, they're on their phones, they drop something and impulsively run back to pick it up, etc. None of that makes their behavior correct, but it isn't going to matter when they're pinned under your car.

And because we as a society have decided that we put a priority on protecting children as they are proceeding back and forth to school using school busses.

School busses are very large and sometimes block the view of drivers of what is going on with kids. It is better to stop and stay stopped until all the kids are safely on or off the bus.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I know I will be attacked bc y'all love the mob mentality...

But why is it that kids automatically are presumed to lose all previously taught indications of traffic (like... look before you cross the street...) when a bus is within sight? Why does a bus = nobody can do anything, every car everywhere must STOP and wait because children will be flying from every direction and no longer are able to stop and watch for traffic, as they do when they walk to school / walk .5 mile to the bus stop across many roadways?!?

Most kids will be fine. The vast majority, in fact. But...they're kids. They are immature, by definition. So sometimes they screw up. We've decided that we are all willing to wait a couple of minutes just in case the kid that screws up is in front of us.

[Anonymous]

Because kids aren't just small adults? Why is this a question?

[Anonymous]

Because you are driving a deadly weapon. Just stop. Ain’t gonna kill you to lose a few minutes of your day. Why do you even need to ask this ?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here. My inclination is to stop. But the impatient person behind me made me think it might be OK to go. The school bus is facing me on the right.

Drivers are rude and don't always follow the rules - or notice there's a stopped bus. Ignore and wait. You should stop.

Drivers are self-important and rude and generally do not follow the rules.

[Anonymous]

Is anyone familiar with Huntsman Boulevard in West Springfield, VA off of the FFX Co Parkway? There is a median running down the length of it, but the median width varies along, from a decently wide grass island to a skinny raised paved strip. If going in the opposite direction as the bus, is the driver required to stop?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Is anyone familiar with Huntsman Boulevard in West Springfield, VA off of the FFX Co Parkway? There is a median running down the length of it, but the median width varies along, from a decently wide grass island to a skinny raised paved strip. If going in the opposite direction as the bus, is the driver required to stop?

I am very familiar with that stretch. You don’t have to stop. The only time motorists do not need to stop is when the school bus is traveling in the opposite direction on a divided roadway with a median or barrier.
https://www.dmv.virginia.gov/safety/#news/news.asp?id=11760

[Anonymous]

Can you turn onto a street behind a bus? We have an intersection of two streets where the side street meets the other perpendicular and does not go through (picture a a T). There is a stop sign only where you can turn right/left onto the other. If the school bus on the more “main” two way street pulls through the intersection and stops to drop off students and I am following behind, can I legally turn right onto the side street that is now behind the back of the bus?

[Anonymous]

What is the harm in stopping?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Can you turn onto a street behind a bus? We have an intersection of two streets where the side street meets the other perpendicular and does not go through (picture a a T). There is a stop sign only where you can turn right/left onto the other. If the school bus on the more “main” two way street pulls through the intersection and stops to drop off students and I am following behind, can I legally turn right onto the side street that is now behind the back of the bus?

Why? Just stop and wait until the bus moves.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What is the harm in stopping?

No harm in stopping, just wondering if it is legal. After all the street is behind the bus. You could say the same about stopping on a divided road. You don’t have to stop but...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Seems pretty clear:

You must stop for stopped
school buses with flashing
red lights and an extended
stop sign when you
approach from any
direction on a highway,
private road or school
driveway. Stop and remain
stopped until all persons
are clear and the bus
moves again.
 You must also stop if the

Thank you William Carlos Williams.