Using Bus Lines on the Northern Mway in Auckland

[pommie girl]

Hi

I'm new to the site and not sure if this has been answered elsewhere, but does anyone know what the deal is with using the bus lanes on the northern motorway in Auckland? Thought the govt had ruled bikes could use all bus lanes, but someone else said there was some local bylaw that prevented bikes from using the bus lanes on the northern.

Any advice greatly appreciated.

[Hitcher]

Yes. It has been done before. It appears that Tranzit has some out to prevent bikers using motorway bus lanes, along the lines that these are actually "emergency shoulders". On bus lanes anywhere else it's OK for bikers -- both motor powered and un -- to use them.

[Hitcher]

Oh, and welcome. Good first post!

[pommie girl]

Thanks Hitcher. Just seems utterly bizarre - surely it'd be safer to allow bikers to use the bus lane rather than having to filter through the traffic??

Are the police ticketing bikers using the bus lanes? As I sit filtering through the traffic, I do see the occasional bike using the bus lanes and also a couple on the right hand side of the right lane...

A friend of mine is a police officer but he couldn't clarify the situation either - just said to give it a go and see what happens. Hmmm....

[Zed]

Hi

I'm new to the site and not sure if this has been answered elsewhere, but does anyone know what the deal is with using the bus lanes on the northern motorway in Auckland? Thought the govt had ruled bikes could use all bus lanes, but someone else said there was some local bylaw that prevented bikes from using the bus lanes on the northern.

Any advice greatly appreciated.Hi PG and welcome to this site. :wavey:

Personally I wouldn't take a chance on riding in any of the motorway bus lanes. Thankfully in my new job I can avoid the motorway system altogether (first time in about 10 years) so I'm no longer tempted to ride in bus lanes or split traffic during rush hour...which I hated btw!!

Anyway, here's a link to some previous KB threads on the subject with plenty of useful info for ya!
http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/search.php?searchid=314509


Be safe,

Zed :innocent:

[Indiana_Jones]

Another pom! :D
And on the shore too lol

"We could only dream of riding a GSX250..........the best we could manage was a piece of wood with 2 buttons for wheels...........IF WE WERE LUCKY!"
:2thumbsup

NOTE: Be sure to see my "Dig it?" thread.....I'm sure you will lol

-Indy

[c4.]

Kia Ora PG, Film, TV, or both???

[Indiana_Jones]

More importantly.........what's your number? :D

-Indy

[Waylander]

More importantly.........what's your number? :D

-Indy
Dude, rein in your hormones.:whocares:

[Indiana_Jones]

Dude, rein in your hormones.:whocares:

They've at "mach 2 with your hair on fire" :D

-Indy

[FROSTY]

short answer --NO YA CAN"T
long answer--in the interest of science I pushed the point for a couple of weeks to see what happened.
I finally got pulled over by a cop and although he agreed that a new law should supercede an old law transit Nz are a law untoo themselves.
Ohh hey welcolm to the forum--

[crashe]

Welcome to KB...

Nope, you can't use the bus lanes on the motorway....
The LSTA paperwork says that m/bikes can use all bus lanes UNLESS stated otherwise.

On the Nor-western motorway there are signs up saying "Buses ONLY"

So if you do use the bus lanes on the motorway and get caught expect to get a $150 fine and most likely a loss of demerit points as well....

I think that we should be able to use the motorway bus lanes.... then we wont have to lane split or risk a car hitting us..... and then more riders would ride into the city.... IMHO.

[pommie girl]

Yeah, that's generally what I figured seeing as I haven't seen many people trying it. Wonder if they'll ever get around to changing it.

Hey and thanks for being so welcoming everyone!

C4 - film, TV, both? Sorry, having a dense moment and it's been a looooooonngggg day. If you mean Monty Python (my favourite type of comedy) then ALL of it!! Got the box set for Xmas and it's still as funny as the day they released it! My fave is The Holy Grail.

Haven't been riding long - only about a year and about to take my full test in the next few months - finally!! Can anyone recommend some advanced courses to improve my skills?

[Indiana_Jones]

Grail is my fav too, though the 4 yorkshiremen sketch is the best ever :D

still no number? :killingme

-Indy

[pommie girl]

The 4 yorkshiremen was a classic - but I don't think anything beats the Live at Drury Lane recording - they were on form that night!! The Dead Parrott sketch was probably one of the funniest things I've ever heard.

:-) Can I pick any number? How about 42?

[Indiana_Jones]

well one with 09-XXX-XXXX would be more useful :whistle:

I downloaded the top gun anthem techno mix........:|

-Indy

[pyrocam]

Hi and welcome to the site PG


im 22 tall dark and handsome PM ME

Rofl Indiana.

[Lou Girardin]

$500 is the going rate for riding in m/way bus lanes.

[HDTboy]

$500 is the going rate for english girls numbers :)The message you have entered is too short. Please lengthen your message to at least 10 characters.

[pommie girl]

Jesus, HDTboy, you can't have known any nice english girls if you're only paying $500... That's what happens when you go cheap!

[Indiana_Jones]

Woe is me lol :D

-Indy

[HDTboy]

nah, i got mates rates :p

[Indiana_Jones]

$500...........bugger that I'll just use my good looks and charm :2thumbsup

-Indy

[HDTboy]

has it worked yet? maybe the $500 would help the cause

[Indiana_Jones]

lol I'll stick to the charm and wit :niceone:
what what

-Indy

[Motohaus]

Hi All
Well just to add to the confusion go to www.landtransport.govt.nz/road-user-safety (http://www.landtransport.govt.nz/road-user-safety)

//
and in black and white it saysspecialvehicle lanes and bus lanes only buses and motorcyclist are allowed to use them it say nothing about m/ways or suburbs so this would indicate to me u can use them and this is off the web site willtry and clarafy or get pulled over and take it to couurt to prove a point

[Lou Girardin]

lol I'll stick to the charm and wit :niceone:
what what

-Indy

That'll be $750 then.

[surfchick]

yay another girlie!! I just started riding- someone in a bike shop said it was sweet to use the bus lanes so I did- but then switched to the fast lane as it moves along OK on the north western most of the time. i see a good few bikes in the bus lanes tho... but the north western always seems to have a cop just before the patiki off ramp heading into town so... me a drivin in da other lane...not have time to stop and get my lane ettiquite education from ze traffic cop- no matter how big heees flashing lights...

[Waylander]

lol I'll stick to the charm and wit :niceone:
what what

-Indy
I think I know the real reason you want that NZAF uniform now.:msn-wink: That's ok, was the same reason I wanted an USArmy Rangers one. Then found out that the USMC uniforms look better but they wouldn't let me in...

[Indiana_Jones]

Come on guys, your cramping my styles :D

-Indy

[pommie girl]

yay another girlie!! I just started riding- someone in a bike shop said it was sweet to use the bus lanes so I did- but then switched to the fast lane as it moves along OK on the north western most of the time. i see a good few bikes in the bus lanes tho... but the north western always seems to have a cop just before the patiki off ramp heading into town so... me a drivin in da other lane...not have time to stop and get my lane ettiquite education from ze traffic cop- no matter how big heees flashing lights...

Hey there surfchick! Was beginning to think there weren't any other girlies in the forum!! I've only been riding for about 14 months myself and can't wait to upgrade my bike to something with a bit more va-va-voom :-) Been just filtering through the traffic on the northern, which is ok, but keep eyeing up the woefully empty bus lanes and wondering whether it's worth taking the chance ... A girlfriend of mine travels in on the north western as well every day - says it's always pretty packed! I've seen cops waiting on the northern - one by the Northcote and occasionally just after the bridge in town. Very cheeky!!

[surfchick]

I would go for it in the bus lanes if the rest is at a stand still, as my guess is that you can plead ignorance and bat your eyelids... I've never been stopped. maybe flag it if the other lanes are going OK. I might have been passed by you about a month ago- a girl was in the fast lane (i think) in all black leather pants?? that you? my helmet&bike are white. me got bright red trim on the shoulders of my new (old school) jacket-not ze one in my pic. toot if you fly by me.

there are other girls here- I've met some of them- but i think there's miles more- it's such a boy thing riding eh?

[pommie girl]

I would go for it in the bus lanes if the rest is at a stand still, as my guess is that you can plead ignorance and bat your eyelids... I've never been stopped. maybe flag it if the other lanes are going OK. I might have been passed by you about a month ago- a girl was in the fast lane (i think) in all black leather pants?? that you? my helmet&bike are white. me got bright red trim on the shoulders of my new (old school) jacket-not ze one in my pic. toot if you fly by me.

there are other girls here- I've met some of them- but i think there's miles more- it's such a boy thing riding eh?

If I was on a grey GSX250 then yep, that was me :-) I'll keep an eye out for you next time! Think I'm just going to go ahead and use the bus lanes - after all, what's the point in having a bike in commuter traffic if you can't leave everyone else behind?? Plus you get to avoid the complete idiots who seem to have forgotten what their wing mirrors are for. If I get pulled over I'll just plead ignorance and flutter my lashes, feign distress that I hadn't realised I was doing something illegal - one of the many benefits of being female :2thumbsup

[placidfemme]

wow, I'm glad I read this thread, I ride on the northern motorway from Onewa Rd to Fanshaw street eeryday and I use the bus lane... guess I should stop :P

[pogz88]

Probably nothign new to the answers you've already received but thought I'd share my experience. I used to live on the shore. One day coming down the harbour bridge there is a section there that changes from "Lane Ends" to "Bus Lane" during peak hours. I was caught in this section and got a ticket. Actually I got 2 tickets, one for riding on the buslane and the other for changing lanes too quickly after I saw a cop camping around the bend. $300!

So answer is no to bikes on mway bus lanes but yes to bikes on normal road bus lanes.

Now about the filtering, I read it on the herald 2-3 weeks ago that yes it is allowed at traffic lights and mway if the traffic is very slow or not moving but then again no body really knows. Apparently, Pheobe Flaconer (journalist for herald) called and ask a Andy some rather from LTSA...so far I've called them myself and none of them knew. I've searched their site and there is nothing there. If someone knows, please do tell so I can read it myself.

Stupid cops on a blitz today. Ticketed me on Lincoln road.

[Yarg]

Welcome aboard , and using the bus lanes at present is a No No. :ride:

[Zed]

Now about the filtering, I read it on the herald 2-3 weeks ago that yes it is allowed at traffic lights and mway if the traffic is very slow or not moving but then again no body really knows. Apparently, Pheobe Flaconer (journalist for herald) called and ask a Andy some rather from LTSA...so far I've called them myself and none of them knew. I've searched their site and there is nothing there. If someone knows, please do tell so I can read it myself.I think many of us motorcyclists are in the same predicament as you L-Plate Rider, we know that the laws are 'cloudy' about filtering and we also know that a policeman can enforce these laws at his own discretion depending on the circumstances...keeping these things in mind we still *carefully* filter through traffic and take our chances with the law! :Punk:

Btw, no-one likes being ticketed, but only you know if you truly deserved it! But if you were wronged then you have my sympathies.

[pogz88]

I think many of us motorcyclists are in the same predicament as you L-Plate Rider, we know that the laws are 'cloudy' about filtering and we also know that a policeman can enforce these laws at his own discretion depending on the circumstances...keeping these things in mind we still *carefully* filter through traffic and take our chances with the law! :Punk:

Btw, no-one likes being ticketed, but only you know if you truly deserved it! But if you were wronged then you have my sympathies.

Thanks for the sympathies..but I don't think I deserve it..I do know I was on the wrong but I would appreciate a warning from them rather than a ticket. because I do not do it all the time. It was just by chance that when I decided to do it and a cop was there. But what's done is done so never mind that.

About the cloudy rules..hopefully we all get clarification. I do filter carefully. I've seena couple of guys on the nw mway that zooms pass everyone at 50 or something. Some of you might have seen them. One is a hayabusa (dark) and a GSXR1000 with a pillion.

[chris]

Hi

I'm new to the site and not sure if this has been answered elsewhere, but does anyone know what the deal is with using the bus lanes on the northern motorway in Auckland? Thought the govt had ruled bikes could use all bus lanes, but someone else said there was some local bylaw that prevented bikes from using the bus lanes on the northern.

Any advice greatly appreciated.

Are you really Wonder Woman??