The bus is a rather large and at the same time unhurried type of transport, which is why it often causes inconvenience to cars moving along the same road with it. A particularly acute question that often arises for the latter: does public transport have an advantage when leaving a bus stop?
Advantages of public transport according to traffic rules
In the traffic rules of the Russian Federation, there is a special point numbered 18.3, according to which buses and trolleybuses in settlements have an advantage over other vehicles if they start moving from the place of stopping. However, this does not mean at all that they need to be passed forward in all cases.
First of all, drivers of public transport and other motorists should remember about the addition to this point of traffic rules: trolleybuses and buses can start leaving only after they are convinced that other road users are really ready to give way to them. Thus, in no case should you brake sharply if, for example, the bus showed with a signal (this function is performed by turn signals) that it is going to drive off from the stop. This will only create a danger for all road users.
In addition, paragraph 18.3 clearly states that the stopping point must be marked with an appropriate sign. If the bus decides to drop off passengers outside the schedule in any other place along the road lane, upon departure it loses its advantage and is obliged to let all passing vehicles pass.
Additional Tips
There are some nuances that are important to consider for drivers of vehicles passing by public transport stops. So it must be remembered that passengers disembarked at the bus stop often begin to immediately cross the road, including with violations: in front of the bus standing or in a place where there is no pedestrian crossing. Therefore, all drivers, passing by the stop, need to make sure that there are no pedestrians on the road (otherwise, as they say, it can “smell like fried”).
If the bus or trolleybus has already started moving, it is necessary to smoothly slow down and at the same time remain on the current road lane. This way, vehicle drivers will be able to avoid collisions with both the public transport itself and vehicles walking in the oncoming or adjacent lane. You should also always maintain a distance equal to the length of one or two vehicles with the vehicle in front.
