General characteristics
In the simplest case, the nearest public transport stop is indicated by a corresponding sign. For example, for bus points this is the sign. 5.16. As a rule, public transport stops in the city are equipped with a rain canopy. There is almost always a sign with a traffic schedule in the pavilion. In some cases, ticket sales points are installed at the polling stations. In large cities, there is outdoor advertising at bus stops. Within the zone associated with the site, markings are placed prohibiting motorists from parking.
Bus stop sign concept
As required by the rules, the presentation of the sign must be two-sided. Its image provides information to passing and oncoming traffic about special sections of the road, about various city transport stops, as well as for them to take safety measures:
- reduction in speed,
- don't overtake
- pay attention on pedestrian areas,
- maneuvering according to traffic rules.
A bus stop sign, like any other sign, notifies the driver of the necessary actions on a certain section of the road.
Requirements for points on roads of category I a
The public transport stop must be located outside the roadbed. It is allowed to install both separate and combined entrances and exits to the main road. When installing them, it is necessary to be guided by the construction standards provided for junctions and intersections of highways. Stops must be located at a distance of at least 3 km. At highway intersections at various levels, to ensure ease of transfers and safety, passenger pick-up/drop-off points are located in a sector located next to pedestrian flow paths.
Traffic rules when boarding and disembarking passengers at a stop
The rules state that boarding and disembarking passengers at a public stop is permitted and is carried out after a complete stop of transport from the side of the road or sidewalk, provided that it does not interfere with other vehicles.
And it is not recommended in places where it is prohibited to do this; in this regard, there is an article subject to a fine from a small amount to an impressive amount.
Here are some prohibited places:
- where the prohibition sign hangs,
- when tram travel is restricted on its tracks,
- railway track,
- in the tunnel,
- no more than 15 meters before and after a pedestrian crossing, intersection,
- in narrow areas,
- in the bike lane.
It is necessary to know and adhere to traffic rules.
Rules for sections on roads of categories I b – III
The public transport stop must be located on straight ground. It is allowed to establish a point on a curved section, with a radius of at least 1 thousand m for roads I b - II category, 600 m - III and 400 - IV category. The longitudinal slope at the stopping point should not be more than 40%. In the passenger pick-up/drop-off area, it is necessary to ensure visibility distance for car parking. Stops are shifted in the direction of traffic by at least 30 m between the nearest pavilion partitions. At junctions and intersections of roads, drop-off/pick-up points are located at a distance equal to or greater than that provided to ensure visibility of car parking. It is allowed to place stops for vehicles moving in the opposite direction before or after the junction/intersection. At the same time, they shift along the course of their movement by at least 30 m between adjacent walls of the pavilions. In general, stops are located every 3 km. In densely populated or resort areas, the distance between points is reduced to 400 m.
How to stop at a bus stop?
A car is a complex piece of equipment, and some problems may arise unexpectedly. At such a moment, the driver cannot objectively assess the situation and quickly, without a preliminary inspection, identify a breakdown of any part of the car; these can be faults of different tones:
- steering and brake systems,
- damage to dimensions and headlights,
- malfunction of windshield wipers in bad weather.
If in this case you had to use parking at a stop, then this is not considered a violation and does not threaten the “violator” with a monetary penalty.
Don't forget to put out the emergency stop sign. Dangerous malfunctions detected in the operation of the vehicle prohibit further use. First of all, public needs are taken into account; there must be compelling reasons for stopping at the bus site.
If you had to stop, then you need to do it without interfering with the main transport to freely disembark and pick up passengers.
Parking to the bus stop sign
Parking means parking a vehicle on the edge of the road or in a designated area for a long period of time.
But parking cannot be done 15 meters before and after a public transport stop, but it is possible if personal transport does not interfere with public transport. The calculation is made based on the sign indicating the stop, regardless of which side the car is on.
Who is allowed to stop for more than 5 minutes?
At a bus stop, a motorist can disembark and pick up people from his vehicle.
It is also possible to load and unload cargo into a vehicle, provided that the vehicle is parked for no more than 5 minutes, without interfering with passengers or the movement of shuttle buses. An emergency stop of a car is allowed on a bus in the event of a breakdown and the ability to quickly fix it.
How many meters before should you stop?
The car must stop 5 meters before the pedestrian crossing, after it the distance does not matter, the main thing is not to stop at the zebra crossing. For two-way traffic, the action is the same.
Classification
A public transport stop can be:
- Constant. The vehicle arrives according to a schedule, usually at certain time intervals.
- On demand. The vehicle stops at the request of the passenger. A citizen who needs to leave can press a special button or say his desire out loud. A person who is waiting for transport to arrive at a stop raises his hand, signaling that he needs to get into the vehicle.
Stops on demand, as a rule, are not indicated by special signs. In some regions, however, such points differ from the usual ones. For example, in Moscow, the name of the stopping area is underlined upon request or there is a corresponding indication next to the name. Travel from such a point may be set outside the stipulated tariff.
What does the sign look like according to GOST?
This is what a bus stop sign looks like according to GOST requirements. It is installed at the beginning of the stop; if there is a pavilion on the site, you can install it on the edge so that the sign is visible to approaching vehicles.
In the city, the sign must be double-sided; single-sided ones are used outside the city on roads where there are areas with a dividing strip, in the absence of pedestrian traffic along the road.
If it is necessary to indicate the length of the stop area, which is not very pronounced, or to indicate the next stopping points located, it is permitted to use a bus stop sign with table 7.2.1., which indicates it or the total length of the remaining areas.
Additional inscriptions are placed on the sign in its lower part. This sign is installed at the beginning of the stop.
Additionally
Semi-permanent stops are currently being installed. Vehicles arrive at such points at fixed time intervals. At the same time, at such stops, passenger traffic is distributed unevenly. Such pick-up/drop-off areas are located outside populated areas to ensure safety or are introduced on specialized routes. If the driver does not see anyone willing to get into the vehicle at the stop or none of the passengers wants to get out, then he will not stop. Lately, fake items have become common. They settle down near nursing homes and hospitals. Such stops help quickly identify patients suffering from short-term memory loss or other pathologies who have left the facility without permission.
Bus stop - a journey from the past to the future
In modern times, a bus stop has become a familiar attribute of city life. This is a place of waiting, reflection, and also shelter from bad weather if it suddenly finds a traveler on the road. The architecture of stops and their design concepts have changed beyond recognition over time. The OKNA MEDIA portal traced the evolution of bus stop design from the Soviet period to the present day and compared it with global trends in the construction of stops. Read more in the material below.
Photo: Bus stop
The story of one bus stop
Few people know that the first registered bus stop was built in 1890 in the town of Bishops Stortford in England. A bus ran from it connecting Bishop Stortford with the city of Colchester, England.
Initially, the stop was a simple structure. As a rule, it was either an ordinary pole with a flag indicating the stopping place or a simple design. Photo: Simple stop design
Throughout the world, the design and construction of bus stops was essentially the same - a rectangular structure with a roof, three or one "back" wall and seats, made of metal or concrete, brick or wood.
In addition to its main function, the stop acted as a place for advertising. Bus stop marketing opportunities opened up in England in the 1970s when Adshel decided to provide city authorities with new bus stops free of charge in exchange for the right to advertise on them.
Photo: Advertising stop in Kyiv, Ukraine, 1996
But not all stops were boring buildings with company advertisements. Individual projects for their implementation in various cities of the countries of the former Soviet Union are striking in their originality and scale of implementation.
Made in the USSR - bus stops
Canadian photographer Christopher Herwig drew attention to the picturesque and original nature of bus stops in the countries of the former USSR. Traveling through the countries of the Soviet Union, the photographer noted the diversity and creativity of the stops and the difference in construction materials. In the USSR, people often traveled from one republic to another by bus, and in order to brighten up the wait at bus stops, the authorities decided, with the help of domestic artists, to revive the same type of gray structures and turn them not just into a formal place, but into a full-fledged work of art.
Photo: Bus stop in Abkhazia
The bus stop is the simplest form of construction, and therefore the simplest form of architecture, making it a unique platform for innovation in design, from faux concrete structures to minimalist modernism in glass and steel.
The materials used in the construction of stops in the USSR are mainly concrete and stone. The stops look massive and immediately attract attention. In some countries, for example, in Abkhazia, there are stops that were designed by the young Zurab Tsereteli. They are made primarily of concrete with colored mosaic finishing.
Bizarre shapes in the form of an octopus, a rooster, a wave and even an alien plate fit well into the landscapes of Abkhazia.
Photo: Stop in Abkhazia on the way to Pitsunda “Alien plate”
Photo: Abkhazia, stop with mosaic ornament
Laconic and geometric concrete stops with the insertion of iron elements were widespread throughout the former Soviet Union, especially on suburban and rural roads.
Photo: Bus stop in Lithuania
Photo: Stop in Armenia, Yerevan
In addition, the design of the stops reflected local flavor, both in the painting of the stop itself and in the construction materials. For example, in Lithuania and Estonia, along with concrete stops, wooden stops with iron supports or frames or decorated with brickwork were often erected.
Photo: Lithuania
Photo: Unusual wooden structure in the shape of a spider in Estonia
Photo: Bus stops in Kazakhstan
Photo: Uzbekistan
Photo: Kyrgyzstan
Despite the beauty and unusual shapes, bus stops in the USSR begin to deteriorate over time and are replaced by new, more modern ones.
Modern bus stops are islands of functionality
Today, a bus stop is no longer just a place to wait for the necessary transport, it is also a place for relaxation, shelter from rain and wind, a place for advertising, and a platform for the creativity of artists and architects.
Technological progress and industrial development have given impetus to a new era of shutdowns. Powerful concrete, brick and metal stops began to be replaced by lighter, “invisible” structures made of glass and steel.
Modern glass manufacturing methods make it possible to create an impact-resistant material that is resistant to mechanical stress and variable weather conditions.
Photo: Glass stop
A glass stop can not only look aesthetically pleasing, but also provide good protection from wind and rain. The glass used for the construction of stops is tempered triplex, which may or may not be tinted.
The competition for glass is monolithic polycarbonate, which in its properties is in no way inferior to glass, and in some cases even surpasses it. Monolithic polycarbonate is more resistant to chemical and natural influences, and also weighs almost half as much as glass. These properties make it an attractive material for the construction of street bus stops.
Photo: Modern polycarbonate bus stop
Nowadays, when designing stops, its versatility is becoming more important. Innovative ideas for modernizing typical metal “boxes” are based primarily on modern technologies.
The development of green standards around the world has pushed architects and designers to design “green” stops. Solar panels are being installed on the roofs of bus stops in many cities around the world. The first solar station is operating in Moscow.
Photo: Moscow bus stop with solar panels
And in San Francisco they plan to open more than 1000 such places. Modern stops in San Francisco, in addition to solar panels, are also made of environmentally friendly recycled material. In addition to photovoltaic elements on the roof, the stop also has a Wi-Fi point and built-in LED screens on which you can view the schedule and routes of transport.
Photo: Solar panels on the roof of a bus stop in San Francisco
Global trends in bus stop construction today revolve around green technologies. The first air purifying stop was installed in Beijing. It reduces air pollution by 40%, which is breathed by passengers waiting for the bus.
Photo: Air-purifying stop in Beijing
A place to charge your phone, a Wi-Fi hotspot, ergonomic seating, timetable displays, solar panels on roofs and purified air inside the bus stop all point to the fact that street architecture trends are moving towards simplifying and improving human life in healthy environment.
In addition to “green” and smart technologies in the construction of stops, they serve as an ideal place for advertising. Leaders of many global companies are turning the stop into a kind of marketing platform.
Photo: Stop as an advertising campaign for the World Cup in Brazil
In conclusion, we can say that the present time provides architects and designers with endless opportunities for creativity and testing their “hands” on such simple but interesting platforms as bus stops.
Dangerous repairs
Many saw broken down trucks on the roadside, which, when stopped, remained almost a third on the asphalt strip. Moreover, some drivers abandoned their cars, went to the city for help, or simply lay down to rest in the cab, forgetting to put up a warning triangle and turn on the flashing hazard warning lights.
Other motorists, having broken down on the Moscow Ring Road, also act rashly, do not rush to move the vehicle to the side of the road, but calmly stand in the middle lane and begin repairs, believing that the burning lights make them clearly visible. However, traffic rules strictly define emergency stopping methods and regulate repair work.
In what cases is it necessary to display a warning triangle? More details
What fine does the driver face?
If, during an emergency stop, the driver neglected the requirements of paragraph 7 of the traffic rules, did not turn on the hazard warning lights and did not install a sign, then a fine is imposed for such an act.
Based on Article 12.20 of the Code of Administrative Offenses of the Russian Federation, violation of the rules for the use of external lighting devices, sound signals, alarms or warning triangles entails a warning or the imposition of an administrative fine in the amount of five hundred rubles.
In addition, not every stop is considered forced. If the car is able to get to the exit or even to the workshop under its own power, then the driver does not have the right to occupy a lane for repairs. Traffic police officers have every reason to fine the driver.
In accordance with paragraph 1. Article 12.19 of the Code of Administrative Offenses of the Russian Federation, violation of the rules for stopping or parking vehicles entails a warning or the imposition of an administrative fine in the amount of five hundred rubles, and in case of violation in a federal city of Moscow or St. Petersburg - in the amount of two thousand five hundred rubles.
If the car is left on the road or even its wheels remain on the asphalt of the roadway, then a fine is issued under clause 4 of Art. 12.19 of the Code of Administrative Offenses of the Russian Federation, which states that violation of the rules for stopping or parking vehicles on the roadway, resulting in the creation of obstacles to the movement of other vehicles, as well as stopping or parking a vehicle in a tunnel, entails an administrative fine of two thousand rubles, and in Moscow or St. Petersburg - in the amount of three thousand five hundred rubles.
