WITH must-give-way zones soon, you'd think buses will be the new royalty, king of the roads, with cars bowing out in their wake. Not so, said bus drivers, if current bus-lane behaviour is anything to go by.

They said they still face harassment from inconsiderate car drivers who cut into their path or refuse to give way.

Mr Wong Hai Hock, 44, an SBS Transit bus captain, said some drivers show rude hand gestures or honk at him when he tries to squeeze out of the bus bay during peak hours. It is almost a daily occurrence.

Mr Wong said: 'My colleagues say some drivers even step out of their vehicles and bang on the buses. Usually, the bus captains just say sorry even though they aren't in the wrong.'

As a result, many buses ended up being stuck in bus bays for a few minutes during a jam.

This in turn increased travelling time by almost 10 per cent, according to Transport Minister Raymond Lim, who revealed this figure in a speech yesterday.

So, the Land Transport Authority has decided it will make it mandatory for motorists to give way to buses from bus bays later this year.

In addition to bus lanes, new must-give-way zones will be marked on some roads.

Also expect to see more lanes marked out for buses by June, up from 120km to 150km. And full-day bus lanes - like those along Orchard Road - will be implemented in more places in the city.

All these changes are meant to reduce travelling time and make buses a more reliable form of transport, even during peak hours.

BOOKED

Last year, some 22,652 motorists were booked for bus-lane offences.

MrWong said: 'Being punctual is our biggest concern, we are late because of inconsiderate drivers who refuse to give way.'

Agreeing, his counterpart, Mr Mong Kok Chong, 38, a bus driver for SMRT, hoped the rules will enable buses to meet their schedules.

He said: 'Some car owners accelerate when they see a bus trying to come out from a bus bay. They think that buses are slow-moving and they don't want to be stuck behind them.

'Of course, occasionally there are nice drivers who would slow down and give way to buses.'

Indeed, Mr Wong received a complaint last week because he had not given way to a driver who wanted to turn left from the first lane at Toa Payoh Lorong 6.

Mr Wong was trying to turn right into the bus interchange from the centre lane.

Although he was not in the wrong, Mr Wong, who has had a clean record so far, had to write a report on the incident.

Mr Wong said: 'Hopefully, the new rules will educate the public and show them the need to be patient.

'All it will cost is a few seconds, just slow down a little and everything will be okay.'

Some motorists say they understand the need to give way to buses but are worried if the new give-way-to-bus zones could contribute to traffic jams or, worse, cause accidents.

Property agent Fung Chi Shing, 43, who has been driving for 18 years said he has seen his share of arrogant bus drivers on the road.

He said: 'I've seen buses exiting bus bays and swerving fiercely over three to four lanes to get to the other side of the road.

'Now with traffic rules in their favour, some may become more reckless. They may not even check before they exit bus bays. If we have to brake to give way to buses and cause an accident, whose fault would it be?'

MrFung feels that he is a safe driver and usually slows down to give way to buses exiting bus bays.

He said: 'I agree that buses should be given certain priority on the road. But they should also practise good driving habits.'

Another driver, Mr Michael Lee, 38, a marketing manager, felt that the authorities should not just look at bus lanes as a way to control traffic.

'Often, traffic jams are caused by drivers who stop indiscriminately along roads. If authorities can be more stringent, buses and cars will have a smoother journey,' he said.