Bus lanes

[cowpatz]

Unfortunately yesterday I had to be at the airport at 0830 for a day course finishing at 1630. The worst possible times for a commute from Waimauku.
I thought that this would be a great opportunity to take the bike. Well it didn't start out well (excuse the pun). My trusty steed uncharacteristically coughed and died and despite efforts to revive it the battery ended up flatter than a bashed Lynfield college student. Bugger. Managed to roll start it down the drive and it spluttered into life. It didn't take long to discover it was only running on 3 and didn't clear after a couple of K's. That mean't back to the house to swap for the cage. This of course was going to make me late as fliltering with a Mitsubishi Legnum is frowned upon but most commuters.
It was while I was sitting in a jam on the Nor Western and watching bikers filtering past that I noticed the empty bus lane. In fact I only saw 2 buses use it the whole time I was sitting in this constipated stream of cars.
With the speed, agility and few in number (in comparison to cars) of bikes using the motorway, why cant we use the bus lane instead of having to weave thru traffic.
Instead of the numb nuts Minister of Transport making the riding with headlights on compulsory (which we all do anyway) why not do something useful and allow the use of the lanes by bikers. Is 2 buses an hour the most effective use of that valuable piece of real estate? Some things in life just cause you to shake your head .....this is one of them.
I understand some bus lanes can be used but you need to be a bush lawyer to work out which ones can and can't that it just isn't worth it.

Which brings me to my main reason for posting. Is there a recognised bikers lobby group and if so how do I contact them to add my support?

[TygerTung]

I thought you were allowed to use the bus lane?

[p.dath]

This is referring to the bus lanes on the motorway, I believe. They fall under the jurisdiction of Transit NZ, and if so you can't use them.

[YellowDog]

Yes, it is great using the bus lanes to get to the motorways.

I believe and agree that the motorway bus lanes are like rail tracks. You can't go on those either.

If you were to open motorway bus lanes up to other vehicles this would defeat their object of providing unobstructed travel.

Whilst I would personally benefit hugely by shooting down it at 100kph, or whatever was allowed, there would be many slower riders that could cause serious obstructions to the bus service.

[Forest]

I make a point of flagrantly using the bus lanes on the motorway.

Haven't been pulled over yet, but I expect it is only a matter of time.

[Hahn]

Yes, it is great using the bus lanes to get to the motorways.

I believe and agree that the motorway bus lanes are like rail tracks. You can't go on those either.

If you were to open motorway bus lanes up to other vehicles this would defeat their object of providing unobstructed travel.

Whilst I would personally benefit hugely by shooting down it at 100kph, or whatever was allowed, there would be many slower riders that could cause serious obstructions to the bus service.
Perhaps bus's could have 'right of way' throughout the bus lane to prevent hold ups. Probably be in the too hard basket to implement though.

[p.dath]

The motorway bus lanes are a bit different though. They tend to go in and out of purpose built bus stations. They often only have entry and exit and specific points, rather than generally allowing you to return to the roadng network.

The transit bus lanes were created to solve a specific problem. Probably best they are kept the way they are to insure the problem is contained.

[Swoop]

With the amount of fucktards on 50cc scroters that I am seeing on the motorway recently, having them in the buslane would get quite messy.

Bus drivers would not appreciate having to remove a scroter from between the wheels.

Also, all the shit from the road ends up in that lane (glass, stones, etc, etc.)