"Lane Bus"

James Bond Agent 007 · #1 Posted **Apr 25, 2022, 9:20 PM**

Am I the only one who is really annoyed by the way they paint words on streets? They seem to assume that you'd read the word closest to you first, but of course that's not how anybody sees them - you read the whole thing "all at once," so instead of reading it as "BUS ... LANE" it just reads as "LANE BUS."

These things here:
https://www.google.com/maps/@39.0616...7i16384!8i8192

I've been seeing these things for many years no matter where I live, so I would think it's some federal regulation, or at least some kind of engineering standard. But whatever the reason it's just really really stupid.

I've been wanting to rant about these things for years.

sopas ej · #2 Posted **Apr 25, 2022, 9:29 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by James Bond Agent 007

Am I the only one who is really annoyed by the way they paint words on streets? They seem to assume that you'd read the word closest to you first, but of course that's not how anybody sees them - you read the whole thing "all at once," so instead of reading it as "BUS ... LANE" it just reads as "LANE BUS."

These things here:
https://www.google.com/maps/@39.0616...7i16384!8i8192

I've been seeing these things for many years no matter where I live, so I would think it's some federal regulation, or at least some kind of engineering standard. But whatever the reason it's just really really stupid.

I've been wanting to rant about these things for years.

I'm so used to those, that when I first went to England back in the mid-1990s, it weirded me out when over there I did see it stenciled "correctly" on their roadways.

Last year or so, I saw something on the internet posted by a guy from India about those curious "CLEAR KEEP" signs painted on the roadways in California, hehe.

Sigaven · #3 Posted **Apr 25, 2022, 9:33 PM**

I think I'm just so used to seeing these that I read it the way it's meant to be read. IE it's written backwards but my brain automatically flips it cause I know what it's saying.

Innsertnamehere · #4 Posted **Apr 25, 2022, 9:39 PM**

you very rarely see words written on the road in Canada, so it always throws me off when I see it in the US. Be it "lane bus", "exit must", "left merge", or whatever.

Toronto does use written words, but just says "BUS"

https://www.google.com/maps/@43.7833...7i16384!8i8192

James Bond Agent 007 · #5 Posted **Apr 25, 2022, 9:42 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Innsertnamehere

you very rarely see words written on the road in Canada, so it always throws me off when I see it in the US. Be it "lane bus", "exit must", "left merge", or whatever.

I'm actually looking on Google street view to see if I can find equivalents in Toronto and Winnipeg but can't find any.

Maybe in Canada they'd be wary of putting words on streets because if you did them in English it might upset the French speakers.

James Bond Agent 007 · #6 Posted **Apr 25, 2022, 9:49 PM**

Here's one in Seattle. I have yet to see one anywhere that has it in the correct order:
https://www.google.com/maps/@47.6066...7i16384!8i8192

Innsertnamehere · #7 Posted **Apr 25, 2022, 9:50 PM**

There are a few around, primarily only for bus lanes.

York Region does "ONLY BUS"

https://www.google.com/maps/@43.8444...7i16384!8i8192

Same with Mississauga:

https://www.google.com/maps/@43.5990...7i16384!8i8192

Toronto itself doesn't use it though, only using HOV symbols most of the time.

This is a bus-only lane for example:

https://www.google.com/maps/@43.7718...7i16384!8i8192

I can tell you that there is no written wording on the freeway network at all in Ontario though, or really even city streets. the closest you will get is directional arrows:

https://www.google.com/maps/@43.6492...7i16384!8i8192

James Bond Agent 007 · #8 Posted **Apr 25, 2022, 9:50 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by sopas ej

I'm so used to those, that when I first went to England back in the mid-1990s, it weirded me out when over there I did see it stenciled "correctly" on their roadways.

Here's one. THIS is the right way to do it! Looks normal:
https://www.google.com/maps/@51.4917...7i16384!8i8192

Doady · #9 Posted **Apr 25, 2022, 9:52 PM**

I think it's not a problem if motorists are used to reading words on the street that way, if it is consistent and that way of putting words on the street is not exclusive to bus lanes only.

The much bigger problem is making outer lanes be the bus lanes, which makes them impossible to enforce.

Separated and coloured lanes in the middle of the road, with boarding platforms at intersections, that is much more obvious for motorists than either "bus lanes" or "lane buses", and also much more effective at improving the reliability of the bus service.

iheartthed · #10 Posted **Apr 25, 2022, 9:56 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by James Bond Agent 007

Am I the only one who is really annoyed by the way they paint words on streets? They seem to assume that you'd read the word closest to you first, but of course that's not how anybody sees them - you read the whole thing "all at once," so instead of reading it as "BUS ... LANE" it just reads as "LANE BUS."

These things here:
https://www.google.com/maps/@39.0616...7i16384!8i8192

I've been seeing these things for many years no matter where I live, so I would think it's some federal regulation, or at least some kind of engineering standard. But whatever the reason it's just really really stupid.

I've been wanting to rant about these things for years.

Pretend you're stuck in congestion. It makes sense then.

But the words should probably be spaced farther apart than they are in that street view.

sopas ej · #11 Posted **Apr 25, 2022, 9:57 PM**

Here's an example of "AHEAD STOP" in my neighborhood: https://www.google.com/maps/@34.1187...7i16384!8i8192

It kinda makes more sense when it's spaced out a lot more.

And then of course there's "XING PED" and "HERE WAIT."

Ever since I was a kid, I always thought it was odd that they used "XING" for "crossing." And in my mind I pronounce it as "ZING."

Innsertnamehere · #12 Posted **Apr 25, 2022, 9:58 PM**

"ONLY CANADA"

https://www.google.com/maps/@42.3165...7i16384!8i8192

The Canadian side sticks to overhead signage:

https://www.google.com/maps/@42.2988...7i16384!8i8192

Same thing in Sarnia, Canada uses overhead signs only, while the US also uses road language:

https://www.google.com/maps/@42.9881...7i16384!8i8192

https://www.google.com/maps/@42.9903.../data=!3m1!1e3

James Bond Agent 007 · #13 Posted **Apr 25, 2022, 9:58 PM**

Looks like they do that in the Netherlands as well ... unless it's supposed to be that way in the Dutch language?

https://www.google.com/maps/@52.3565...7i13312!8i6656

dchan · #14 Posted **Apr 25, 2022, 10:00 PM**

Our standard in NYC is "BUS ONLY", or "ONLY BUS" as written on the bus lane. Either message sounds ok, I guess.

https://www.google.com/maps/@40.7629...8i8192!5m1!1e3

And it appears that NYC will continue to use "ONLY BUS" based on future road markings standards that are under development.

Chef · #15 Posted **Apr 25, 2022, 10:06 PM**

In Minneapolis it just says "Bus" and has different color pavement.

James Bond Agent 007 · #16 Posted **Apr 25, 2022, 10:17 PM**

Like the UK, they do it the right way in Australia:
https://www.google.com/maps/@-33.884...7i16384!8i8192

If this one were in the US it would say "CLEAR KEEP":
https://www.google.com/maps/@-37.816...7i16384!8i8192

James Bond Agent 007 · #17 Posted **Apr 25, 2022, 10:24 PM**

But in New Zealand it's backwards:
https://www.google.com/maps/@-36.853...7i16384!8i8192
https://www.google.com/maps/@-36.970...7i16384!8i8192
https://www.google.com/maps/@-41.296...7i13312!8i6656

At least the US isn't the only place that does it retarded, I suppose.

xzmattzx · #18 Posted **Apr 26, 2022, 1:50 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Innsertnamehere

you very rarely see words written on the road in Canada, so it always throws me off when I see it in the US. Be it "lane bus", "exit must", "left merge", or whatever.

Toronto does use written words, but just says "BUS"

https://www.google.com/maps/@43.7833...7i16384!8i8192

That's probably the way to word it. But that is a ton of paint for that road!

iheartthed · #19 Posted **Apr 26, 2022, 1:40 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by xzmattzx

That's probably the way to word it. But that is a ton of paint for that road!

NYC also does this for bus only lanes throughout the city.

sopas ej · #20 Posted **Apr 26, 2022, 3:22 PM**

It's funny because reading this thread yesterday, it made me observe any signs painted on the roadways on my drive home from work, and then I started thinking about STOP signs. In California, the STOP sign and limit line are accompanied by a big white STOP painted beneath the limit line; here's an example from Eureka--I chose a city in California FAR from me, just to make sure it was a statewide thing: https://www.google.com/maps/@40.7912...7i13312!8i6656

But it seems other states (and presumably other countries) don't do that.

Here's an example from Vancouver, BC: https://www.google.com/maps/@49.2417...7i16384!8i8192

Champaign, IL: https://www.google.com/maps/@40.1164...2!8i6656?hl=en

Washington, DC: https://www.google.com/maps/@38.9123...4!8i8192?hl=en

And then NYC has a painted "STOP" on the roadway: https://www.google.com/maps/@40.6803...4!8i8192?hl=en

But Yonkers, NY does not: https://www.google.com/maps/@40.9309...4!8i8192?hl=en

So I'm thinking NYC has its own unique road markings and street signs, separate from New York State DOT?

And I learned this some years ago, that different states have their own standards for road signs and lane markings.

MUTCD adoption map (US Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices):

Green are the states that adopted the US MUTCD.

Orange are states that adopted the US MUTCD, with their own state supplements.

Purple are states that have their own state-specific MUTCD. California, for example has those big green "FREEWAY ENTRANCE" signs at all freeway onramps: https://www.google.com/maps/@34.1739...4!8i8192?hl=en

And notice the 101 route shield signs are cut out and shaped like the shield itself, California being the only state to do that with the US-Highway route markers.