Bus lane: can you use it to turn or stop?

A bus lane is reserved for the vehicles indicated by the road signs and during the specified times. You must not use it to cut the queue or to stop; cross it only to carry out a permitted manoeuvre and after checking the traffic.

Who is allowed to use the reserved lane

A bus priority lane is reserved for the vehicles and categories indicated by vertical and road markings. The sign may specify time slots, days or exceptions for taxis, bicycles, emergency vehicles or other authorised vehicles. Do not assume that all bus lanes have the same rules: read the sign at the start and any repeated signs along the route, including supplementary panels.

If the lane is active when you arrive, do not use it to jump the queue or reach a junction more quickly. Even where time restrictions are indicated, parking restrictions or other local rules may still apply outside the designated time slots. Road markings may be interrupted at access points or crossings, but such interruptions do not always mean you are permitted to stop or drive in the lane.

To turn or access a driveway, you may need to cross the lane at a point where the manoeuvre is permitted. Signal well in advance, check your mirrors and blind spot, and give way to buses and other authorised road users travelling in the lane. Do not travel the length of the lane for any greater distance than is necessary for the manoeuvre, and comply with any instructions issued by the local authority.

• Check who is authorised to use the lane and on which days or at what times.
• Do not use the lane as a shortcut or overtaking lane.
• Only cross the lane to carry out a manoeuvre where permitted and without obstructing authorised users.
• Do not stop or park unless specifically authorised by signage.

Stopping, access and parking

Stopping to pick up a passenger is not automatically permitted in a dedicated lane. Check for no-stopping signs and designated stopping areas, as a stationary vehicle may force the bus to change lanes and pose a risk to cyclists or pedestrians. If you need to reach a driveway, prepare to turn before the entrance and do not stop in the lane whilst waiting for the gate to open, if signage prohibits this.

If there is a traffic officer or temporary signage, follow the instructions governing that section of the road. To understand who a bus lane applies to, the local signage is decisive: the rules may vary from city to city.

To revise road signs and right of way,Quiz Patente Ufficiale offers chapters, timed test quizzes and a summary of mistakes to review.