When you’re thinking about using a bus‑lane to slip past the vehicle ahead of you, the important thing to know is that you generally cannot use a bus‑lane as a general overtaking lane. In many jurisdictions, such lanes are reserved for buses and sometimes other specific vehicles.
In places like Australia, the rule is clearer: a private car is only allowed in a bus lane for up to about 100 metres if it’s making a turn, leaving the road, avoiding an obstruction or overtaking a vehicle turning right.
In other words, if the reason for entering the bus lane is simply to “overtake the car in front” with no other qualifying reason, you risk violating the rule.
The crucial points to check are:
- Is the bus‑lane active at the time? Some are only for certain hours.
- Are you entering because you’re turning or leaving the road, or because you’re overtaking someone turning right (common exception)? If yes, a short entry may be allowed.
- If you’re just passing a slower vehicle with no turn or obstruction involved, you’ll often be in breach of the rule.
In short: The maximum distance is usually about 100 metres, in the cases where private vehicles are permitted to use the lane for a valid reason. Outside that, the lane is off‑limits for overtaking.