No more excuses; Seattle cops issuing tickets in bus lanes

Despite warning the public about their increased efforts to nab sneaky drivers, the Seattle police are doling out tickets to drivers in the downtown bus lanes.

KING 5 shadowed traffic cops Sept. 17 as they lined Howell Street in downtown Seattle, nabbing driver after driver who attempted to squeeze by stalled traffic in lanes reserved for buses.

In total, traffic cops handed out 21 tickets for signage and lane violations, three tickets for inattention, and five warnings during the afternoon commute.

It’s a joint effort between Seattle’s police department and department of transportation in response to repeated complaints about the violators, and the effect they have on traffic. It’s a common sight to downtown commuters; drivers coasting through intersection after intersection in the bus lane. But it stalls bus traffic and that stalls all traffic, according to the police department. The effect trickles throughout an already jammed traffic system during peak hours.

Related: Seattle police begin bus lane emphasis in downtown

Thursday’s afternoon commute was the second time Seattle traffic cops increased their patrols. The first was on Aug. 27, however, only warnings were issued then with the notion that education was the goal. This time, offenders received a $136 ticket; a consequence that will be enforced from now on.

One such driver was Michelle Filler, who was allegedly caught cruising through an intersection in the bus-only lane.

“We’ve been trying to get over for several blocks, but of course, no one would let us in,” Filler told one downtown Seattle traffic cop as he was filling out a ticket.

The excuse didn’t help.

“He said that the sign is clearly marked and you are not supposed to pull through the intersection,” Filler told KING 5. “Ya know, I guess he has a point, but this is insane. They need to do something. I don’t know what they need to do … but they need to do something.”