Today I looked very dumb, I guess.

[Gianz]

How's the law regarding on ramp lights? Do motorbikes have to stop?
I'm new to this country and I always found amazing the motorway traffic light, never seen before, I thought it was like a dragstrip for cars:msn-wink:

So today it was the first time with the m'bike and I was queuing like everybody else, when I saw another m'bike pass on the left with nonchalance, ignoring the lights and giving me a look like this :laugh:

I rightly felt a bit dumb. Did I have to stop or not?

what's the traditional custom?

[meteor]

It's a traffic light so yes you do. Maybe next time you see that other bike he'll be at westpac bank paying his $150 fine... Lanesplitting is one thing, running red lights is another.

[kiwi cowboy]

How's the law regarding on ramp lights? Do motorbikes have to stop?
I'm new to this country and I always found amazing the motorway traffic light, never seen before, I thought it was like a dragstrip for cars:msn-wink:

So today it was the first time with the m'bike and I was queuing like everybody else, when I saw another m'bike pass on the left with nonchalance, ignoring the lights and giving me a look like this :laugh:

I rightly felt a bit dumb. Did I have to stop or not?

what's the traditional custom?

Ramp lights?????????????????? i think i need a road code.

Must be north island.....

[superman]

Ramp lights?????????????????? i think i need a road code.

Must be north island.....

It's only in bloody Auckland, they are ridiculous. On the bike I just ignore them, a cop would have to be a real cunt to pull you over for it.

[FJRider]

I rightly felt a bit dumb. Did I have to stop or not?

what's the traditional custom?

Kiwi tradition ... DONT GET CAUGHT ...

[kiwi cowboy]

It's only in bloody Auckland, they are ridiculous. On the bike I just ignore them, a cop would have to be a real cunt to pull you over for it.

So how do they work??.
I assume you talking about on ramps?

[superman]

So how do they work??.
I assume you talking about on ramps?

They are there to try and sort out congestional issues. DOES NOT WORK!

Set of lights about half way down on-ramps, off during most of the day. But during peak times when motorway is packed they cycle red through green every 7 or so seconds so that only 2 cars are added to the motorway per 7 seconds. Pointless waste of money, causes back ups through intersections and if the motorway is really packed then it does absolutely nothing.

[kiwi cowboy]

They are there to try and sort out congestional issues. DOES NOT WORK!

Set of lights about half way down on-ramps, off during most of the day. But during peak times when motorway is packed they cycle red through green every 7 or so seconds so that only 2 cars are added to the motorway per 7 seconds. Pointless waste of money, causes back ups through intersections and if the motorway is really packed then it does absolutely nothing.

Thank fuck i dont live in auckland.
Sounds like a politician thought that one up:eek:

[superman]

Thank fuck i dont live in auckland.
Sounds like a politician thought that one up:eek:

Meh, just means you start splitting before you're even on the motorway. :msn-wink:

[Coolz]

Last time I was down in Auckland I noticed some of the onramps had a lane just for trucks and buses that was not controled by lights. Bikes were also also useing them .Don't know if it's legal or not.

[Gremlin]

Last time I was down in Auckland I noticed some of the onramps had a lane just for trucks and buses that was not controled by lights. Bikes were also also useing them .Don't know if it's legal or not.
Depends on the lane. There is the one leading up to the Southern from the ports (road is The Strand). That lane is a truck lane, trucks only. Most of the extra lanes are designated T2, and motorcycles are allowed to use them. Contrary to a recent askphoebe section, where she said motorcycles couldn't. However, haven't gone around finding the official stuff to send to her...

edit: Found some stuff and sent to askphoebe

[danchop]

those on ramp lights do work to an extent,as long as theres no cop in the lines waiting,just ride through,same goes for the truck lane up the strand on ramp,lane split at speed also on any part of the motorway until you come up near a cop,they are easy to spot if your concentrating on the traffic(which you should be)

[Scuba_Steve]

It's only in bloody Auckland, they are ridiculous. On the bike I just ignore them, a cop would have to be a real cunt to pull you over for it.

+1 they are absolutely retarded. It's a bloody good example tho of how the people in power have no fucking idea what they are doing.

[superman]

those on ramp lights do work to an extent,as long as theres no cop in the lines waiting,just ride through,same goes for the truck lane up the strand on ramp,lane split at speed also on any part of the motorway until you come up near a cop,they are easy to spot if your concentrating on the traffic(which you should be)

Lane split till you come up to a cop? Wouldn't you just keep going, cops don't pull over bikers for splitting. And imagine trying to part heavily congested traffic to chase after you! I hear they only consider going after splitters if they're being dangerous about it. I've happily sat behind a cop biker splitting on the motorway.

[danchop]

Lane split till you come up to a cop? Wouldn't you just keep going, cops don't pull over bikers for splitting. And imagine trying to part heavily congested traffic to chase after you! I hear they only consider going after splitters if they're being dangerous about it. I've happily sat behind a cop biker splitting on the motorway.
yes but i slow right down when splitting past cops,and give them a curteous wave

[The Everlasting]

Yeah those things dont work,it just causes extra congestion. I usually stop,unless no one else is..:lol:

[javawocky]

Some of them are marked as T2 or T3 which I use with glee, but others are marked Buses Only - I used one by mistake once but got not letter from plod.

When using the drag strip, I unusually split right up the middle of the cars, wait for the green light and begone before the cagers have woken up.

Do they work? Who cares, makes a drag race out of an otherwise boring commute.

[The Everlasting]

Do they work? Who cares, makes a drag race out of an otherwise boring commute.


Yeah,then causes an accident when the road turns back into one lane before the motorway..

[jasonu]

They are there to try and sort out congestional issues. DOES NOT WORK!

Set of lights about half way down on-ramps, off during most of the day. But during peak times when motorway is packed they cycle red through green every 7 or so seconds so that only 2 cars are added to the motorway per 7 seconds. Pointless waste of money, causes back ups through intersections and if the motorway is really packed then it does absolutely nothing.

But they appear to work everywhere else in the world where I have encountered them...

[superman]

But they appear to work everywhere else in the world where I have encountered them...

Lol maybe they do help, maybe the motorway crawls 2km/h faster than it usually does because of them. I just assume they don't because congestion is still absolutely terrible.

[meteor]

But they appear to work everywhere else in the world where I have encountered them...

Yep, that's the argument that was given when Transit NZ went through the consultation phase, probably about 2006 ish, and showed videos of some innocuos on ramp in the USA where the ramp was about 600 meters long and there was about 7 lanes of motorway to merge into... worked well. Police and Councils didn't support them as the peak queues onto the on ramps would create havoc across all the feeder roads and beyond, but it was a done deal. Transit couldn't care less about what happens on city roads so long as it's not on their motorway. Was seen as a quick fix to congestion... Looking forward to the review paper, now there's a Tui ad if I've ever seen one.

[Gremlin]

They do keep the motorway flowing better, but the improvements especially around the 4 lane southbound to Greenlane has helped heaps.

Unfortunately, it's created a right mess of the feeder roads to the motorways...

[Gianz]

Thanks everyone for the tips, in the end it's a big mess. Today I was riding in Quay st towards the city and I found 7 or 8 Bus lane sign, some with only a bus drawing, others with m'bikes as well. On the same bus lane... I guess it's up to me to choose whether or not to use it:mellow:

[Big Dave]

Unfortunately, it's created a right mess of the feeder roads to the motorways...

Yeah - what was it $65 million? - to relocate the problem.

[Gremlin]

Yeah - what was it $65 million? - to relocate the problem.
To Transit (or whoever) it's a big success... the motorway is flowing better. But that's the problem when different agencies are managing the road network... what's been awesome for one has been shocking for the other... :eek: