# Stopping for school buses - median **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [May 23, 2014, 4:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stopping-for-school-buses-median/689067 "2014-05-23T04:47:20Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![John\_DiFool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_difool/32/19543_2.png) [@John\_DiFool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_DiFool)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2014, 12:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stopping-for-school-buses-median/689067/21 "2014-05-24T12:33:47Z")
> [@md2000](#): > > It’s been a while since I took any formal driver training, but… > > In several provinces in Canada, my understanding is that the other side does not have to stop on a divided roadway - i.e. curbing or grass median or similar obstacle (as mentioned, a painted center turn lane or such does not count as “divided”. But what if the grass/curbed median in question is only _intermittent_, broken up by a regular series of center turn lanes? Florida here. ---
**Author:** ![md2000](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/73ab20/32.png) [@md2000](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/md2000)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2014, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stopping-for-school-buses-median/689067/22 "2014-05-24T16:40:18Z")
> [@John\_DiFool](#): > > But what if the grass/curbed median in question is only _intermittent_, broken up by a regular series of center turn lanes? Florida here. Openings for cross streets, obviously the highway is still “divided”. If the median curb or grass disappears for significant stretches - you’d have to ask your local law enforcement, or better yet, stop anyway, especially if the school bus is stopped and flashing on a stretch where there is no median. Waiting a minute when you might not have to is better than a ticket - how much is it Florida? ---
**Author:** ![Senegoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senegoid/32/6606_2.png) [@Senegoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Senegoid)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2014, 9:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stopping-for-school-buses-median/689067/23 "2014-05-24T21:37:48Z")
> [@Snnipe\_70E](#): > > When I was in elementary school the buses in California had the red lights. That was in the 1950’s But the rule about having to stop for them is rather newer, isn’t it? I first began to be aware of such rules in the mid-1970’s. This was also about the same time that school buses began to have those built-in stop signs. This was also about the same time that streets began to have a blue reflective marker in the middle of the street to indicate where a fire hydrant was nearby. ---
**Author:** ![Snnipe\_70E](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5a626/32.png) [@Snnipe\_70E](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snnipe_70E)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2014, 10:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stopping-for-school-buses-median/689067/24 "2014-05-24T22:03:35Z")
> [@Senegoid](#): > > But the rule about having to stop for them is rather newer, isn’t it? I first began to be aware of such rules in the mid-1970’s. This was also about the same time that school buses began to have those built-in stop signs. > > This was also about the same time that streets began to have a blue reflective marker in the middle of the street to indicate where a fire hydrant was nearby. No in the 50’s if the bus driver turned on the red flashing lights you were required to stop. The difference was the only time they were used was when a student was crossing the street. So they were not used at every stop. ---
**Author:** ![PurpleClogs](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f04885/32.png) [@PurpleClogs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PurpleClogs)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2014, 10:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stopping-for-school-buses-median/689067/25 "2014-05-24T22:13:48Z")
Considering all the various responses it obviously varies from place to place. Regarding the stop signs, [look at this old dope thread I found](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=479985)… [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stopping-for-school-buses-median/689067.md?page=1)