School bus stop law in question for the state of Virginia: http://leg1.state.va.us/cgi-bin/legp504....
If the facts are as you claim, you were legal.
Now prove it. The School Bus has a video system to record you not stopping.
Our state law (AZ) and probably many others say in so many words: Flashing yellow - slow down and prepare to stop. This implies that you cannot pass. Flashing Red - you stop (all states require this). This does not apply if there is a raised median island, unpaved island or other physical separation between traffic directions. A painted line is not a physical barrier.
I can't find anything in the VA driver manual or state law where it says you may pass the flashing yellow lights. All states require you to prepare to stop on the flashing yellow.
when its slowing down its flashing yellow and after it stops it flashes red and the stop sign comes out. if any lights are flashing you should not pass. if you started to pass and the yellow lights started flashing after you pulled out you were sort of in the right. it would depend on the cop really like if he says ok don't do it anymore or I don't care about your excuses. myself when I see school buses I turn off and go a different street to the same place if I can. there is no need to be in a rush and if you get charged its considered very bad towards your license and record and if charged in court you know you don't stand much of a chance of them see things your way like are they going to believe you or the cop that charged you. I find that the majority of the danger is after they get off walking on the sidewalks and beside the street and you never know which way they will run or jump and they are fast at a young age and don't think about dangers. I never pass a bus except on the highway. if I am behind one I go in a store and buy something that I need or will need tomorrow and let it go ahead and by the time I am out its gone and I don't have to stop in the future to buy the thing I bought. its not worth cutting things that close because if anything really bad ever happened you would be on the tv news walking out of some court to the back of a police car with your coat over your face with people yelling things at you and everyone would hate you and it would ruin the rest of your life. there would be a injured or dead child and a family grieving and you in jail so everyone would loose and after its done it cant be taken back and you would regret it and think if I would have just pulled off and went in a store or something none of this would have ever happened
The ordinance seems to say that the bus must be stopped, which you said it was not at the moment you passed. If the bus was really moving, then you should not be convicted of the infraction. However, I guess it is possible that the driver will testify that he was stopped and the photographic evidence, if there is any, might be a still photo instead of a video, and might therefore not prove that the bus was moving. So in that case, I could see you possibly losing.
In every state in the US I am familiar with Motor Vehicle law, it's illegal to pass a school bus with the lights flashing. Same with the stop sign. You are supposed to stop as soon as you SEE IT. Not when you think it is fully deployed.
Not just VA. They are using camera's now; don't be shocked if a ticket shows up in a few days as well.
yes. the lights flashing mean you should stop.
Technically you're clear. Realistically you're an idiot. There were children on the curb near you and your impatience put them in danger. As indicated by the horn honking at the stop sign, you saved no time whatsoever. I hope you do get a ticket and a hefty fine.
