Textbook turn lands motorist with a £100 fine

Last updated at 11:44 18 September 2007


A driver has been fined £100 for

making an “almost perfect

manoeuvre” because it meant he travelled more than 20 metres down a bus lane.

James Harper was caught on

camera turning left out of a side

road into Edgware Road.

He began in a bus lane - about

100 yards in front of a moving bus

- and then pulled into the traffic

on his right, again ensuring he

had plenty of room and indicating

before he did so.

Step one

Step two

Step three

According to the RAC Foundation,

it was a “textbook example”

of what driver should do.

But Barnet council fined him

for driving his VW Golf more

than 20 metres in a bus lane.

Mr Harper, 45, a chartered surveyor from

Willesden Green, objected but

his complaint was rejected and he

now plans to appeal to an independent

adjudicator.

He said: “This has caused me

unnecessary stress, use of my

time and expense, which does

not seem fair or appropriate.”

James Harper

Edmund King of the RAC Foundation

said: “This driver did what

you are supposed to do. It was an

almost perfect manoeuvre.

“He waited for a gap in the traffic,

drove across the bus lane at an

angle and merged with the flow,

while indicating.

"As the pictures

show, the bus was moving at a

crawl so it wasn't inconvenienced.

Neither were other vehicles.

“What was he meant to do? If he

pulled out at a right angle and

then suddenly turned left, so that

he was crossing the bus lane for

the shortest time possible, that

may have been dangerous.”

Mr King added: “CCTV can be a

good thing but this is an example

of where it hasn't worked. Camera

operators need to use a

degree of flexibility.”

A Barnet spokesman said Mr

Harper should have waited for

both lanes to be clear before

pulling out into the traffic lane,

adding: “Private vehicles are not

allowed in bus lanes. However, we

will only issue a penalty charge

notice if a driver has travelled for

more than 20 metres in a bus lane.”

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