Bus Lanes, Bus Only Lanes, Lane filtering, etc

[rastuscat]

From what is in the legislation/laws, there is nothing to prohibit lane splitting, provided that none of the rules mentioned in the previous post are broken.

Sorry, I thought you said Police had clarified it.

There are very, very few Police with even a passing knowledge of motorcycle-specific legislation.

[rastuscat]

Police without knowledge of the specifics of the law will generally rely on the offence "Overtaking In An Unsafe Manner"

Rule 2.6 (1)(a) refers.

Passing
2.6General requirements about passing other vehicles
(1)A driver must not pass or attempt to pass another vehicle moving in the same direction unless—
(a)the movement can be made with safety;

So even if you comply with all the specific sections on passing on the left or passing on the right, the cop can pull out the generic offence if he thinks "Ewwwwww, that doesn't look safe".

It's really subjective. The cop might think it's unsafe, but likely the rider will disagree.

Hence this debate.

[Swoop]

Gah! Blue wall of death.

[COLOR=#0099ff]Firstly, Bus lanes are explained in the Road Code,

Remember, the "road code" is not the law, but an interpretation of the law, broken down to "dumb bastard" speak and with lots of nice coloured pictures.
If you make a Boo Boo on the road, Mr Policeman will not charge you with an offence against the Road Code...

[Gremlin]

I seem to remember that there is no such thing as a bus lane along the motorway, just an "emergency stopping shoulder" or similar.

Yeah, that's another whole grey area. My vague memory was that the authority that granted the ability for buses to use the hard shoulder didn't actually have the authority to do so. ?

[Tazz]

That old chestnut.

It's illegal to ride your moped or motorcycle on a footpath.

Local authorities can issue a specific exemption to a company using motorcycles to deliver mail, parcels, junk mail etc. DX Mail, NZ Post et al rely on this exemption, despite often not having applied for it. It's just assumed as being granted.

I can't imagine the shit fight that will erupt when a mail man runs over an elderly pedestrian on his CT110. Most delivery folk are employees, and assume that they are allowed to ride on a footpath.

Down here in Chur Chur I contacted the council to see who had been given exemptions under the rules and nobody had ever applied. NZ Post and DX Mail had just assumed their right to operate on the footpath.

That might have changed, but I doubt it. If I was one of their riders I'd want to view the council authority before riding on a footpath.

It's a council by Council thing. Eg if DX Mail in Auckland applies for and gets an exemption from the ACC, that doesn't cover anyone riding on a footpath anywhere else.

Same deal with bus lanes so even though not implied everyone should check the rules for their specific city.

[Tazz]

Yeah, that's another whole grey area. My vague memory was that the authority that granted the ability for buses to use the hard shoulder didn't actually have the authority to do so. ?

Much like a bunch of speed zone Signs that disappeared recently...

[Old Steve]

Yeah, that's another whole grey area. My vague memory was that the authority that granted the ability for buses to use the hard shoulder didn't actually have the authority to do so. ?

It's my understanding that NZTA control motorways, and in Auckland AT control the urban streets.

So the bus only lanes on the Auckland motorway system (eg. the Northern Busway and the exit and entrance to the motorway at Fanshaw St - and its the Southern Motorway SH1 at that point, or so the road markings state) would be controlled by NZTA, and bus only lanes (eg. from Beaumont St after the Fanshaw St motorway exit) are controlled by AT. I don't think there are any bus only lanes off the motorway system, but am prepared to be wrong.

[Moi]

It's my understanding that NZTA control motorways, and in Auckland AT control the urban streets.

So the bus only lanes on the Auckland motorway system (eg. the Northern Busway and the exit and entrance to the motorway at Fanshaw St - and its the Southern Motorway SH1 at that point, or so the road markings state) would be controlled by NZTA, and bus only lanes (eg. from Beaumont St after the Fanshaw St motorway exit) are controlled by AT. I don't think there are any bus only lanes off the motorway system, but am prepared to be wrong.

My understanding is the same as yours, NZTA control the m'way system and designate for any bus lanes on the m'ways.

As for AT's responsibilities, have a look here for info on bus lanes and times and bus ONLY lanes. Plus the Transit Lanes [T2 and T3] which are AT's responsibilities - and who may use them.

[danchop]

It's my understanding that NZTA control motorways, and in Auckland AT control the urban streets.

So the bus only lanes on the Auckland motorway system (eg. the Northern Busway and the exit and entrance to the motorway at Fanshaw St - and its the Southern Motorway SH1 at that point, or so the road markings state) would be controlled by NZTA, and bus only lanes (eg. from Beaumont St after the Fanshaw St motorway exit) are controlled by AT. I don't think there are any bus only lanes off the motorway system, but am prepared to be wrong.

theres a really tiny one going down wellesy street east,its bus and bicycles only

[rambaldi]

It's my understanding that NZTA control motorways, and in Auckland AT control the urban streets.

So the bus only lanes on the Auckland motorway system (eg. the Northern Busway and the exit and entrance to the motorway at Fanshaw St - and its the Southern Motorway SH1 at that point, or so the road markings state) would be controlled by NZTA, and bus only lanes (eg. from Beaumont St after the Fanshaw St motorway exit) are controlled by AT. I don't think there are any bus only lanes off the motorway system, but am prepared to be wrong.

I found one the other day, if only I could remember where. It was bus only for a bus sized section before some traffic lights.

[rastuscat]

My understanding is the same as yours, NZTA control the m'way system......................

Like, as if anyone has much control over the motorway system.

[Moi]

My understanding is the same as yours, NZTA control the m'way system...

Like, as if anyone has much control over the motorway system.

It makes them feel wanted if we say that...

You should know... if it's north of the Bombays then it's totally uncontrollable...

[rastuscat]

It makes them feel wanted if we say that...

You should know... if it's north of the Bombays then it's totally uncontrollable...

I'm old enough to remember when there were traffic lights at the junction of Sunset Road and SH1. When Greville Rd wasn't a big bridge. When the Albany Hill was the main road north.

Control and motorway are mutually exclusive words.

[Old Steve]

Yeah Rastacat, I can remember when the Auckland Northern Motorway ended at Northcote Road where the Takapuna Golfcourse and Poenamo Hotel are. That was very handy, the motorway led you straight to the pub. On the Southern Motorway, it started at Takanini and I never took it any further into town than Greenlane Road.

To go north, from the end of the motorway you drove over to Taharoto Road, up Wairau Rd to Glenfield Rd, on through Albany (looking across at the earth sattelite station on the way, which stood all by itself over to the east) and up Albany hill, through Dairy Flat, Silverdale, Orewa and on to the North - all on SH1.

I remember no SW Motorway, SE Motorway, NW Motorway, no Upper Harbour Motorway, Upper Harbour Bridge or Auckland Harbour Bridge for that sake. There were flying boats at Hobsonville and the International Airport was at Whenuapai. Before the bridge there was a vehicular ferry across from Auckland to Devonport and you drove north from there or went around through Hellensville and Kaukapakapa to Wellsford.

[Old Steve]

Oops, duplicate post