Bikers in bus lanes?

[Fatt Max]

Yes indeedy folks, another point of clarification,

Wont bore you with the details but a rather piddled off cager pulled alongside me today and remonstrated with me for what seemed like hours.

The point he was trying to force (before I told him to go shove his winkie up a dead dogs arse) was that motorcycles MUST travel in bus lanes when permitted (ie when they are not bus only bus lanes).

This started a heated discussion at work but no-one had a road code.....so....

Can anyone of you lovely people enlighten me on this one.

:2thumbsup

[Gremlin]

:laugh: Motorcycles can use the city bus lanes, or the normal lanes (that everyone can use). We don't HAVE to use the bus lanes only during those times, but we choose to for flippin' obvious reasons.

[disenfranchised]

That's bollocks...even busses don't HAVE to travel in the bus lane.

You could look at it from the "keep left" point of view...the bus lane being the left most part of the road, but consensus seems to be that the keep left rule only applies to the lane you're currently in.

[Swoop]

It is not compulsory to use the bus lane.

Your caged friend needs educating.

[swbarnett]

, but consensus seems to be that the keep left rule only applies to the lane you're currently in.
This is the first thing I'd change if I had the chance. In Switzerland they have the rule that you must keep to the inside lane (right for them, left for us) unless you're overtaking (and you're not allowed to pass on the inside). This made dropping of the rental car of a Monday morning in Basel absolute bliss. The left lane was often fairly full and moving at the speed limit (120kph) which left the other lane for me at 140. 60km of winding motorway with not one car in front of me (but plenty beside me).

[mattian]

You can use the bus lanes in Auckland, North Shore city on a motorcycle but, as has already been said before you don't have to. You can't use them on the motorway. It sounds like your friend was so incensed by the incident he would have gone away and done some research...... I am sure he is feeling like a right twat now :laugh:

[portokiwi]

I have never used the bus lanes as many bikers will know as they all pass me while I am sitting there on my bike with all the cagers and bikes passing me on both sides.
I can see why cagers get pissed of with bikes passing them on the right in slow traffic......... I had one go flying past me so close even I thought Fu@#en biker. And I was sitting on mine. There is no need to zoom past so close beside other vechs. If you are crossing a yellow line then you shouldnt be doing it.
When I am in the cage I wish I am on the bike using the bus lane..... just never remember to do it.:doh:

[discotex]

You can use the bus lanes in Auckland, North Shore city on a motorcycle

Only the T3 lanes, not the bus (only) lanes...

http://www.northshorecity.govt.nz/transport_and_roads/Public-transport/support.html

[Usarka]

Only the T3 lanes, not the bus (only) lanes...

http://www.northshorecity.govt.nz/transport_and_roads/Public-transport/support.html

still to be tested in a court of law as far as i'm aware. but i don't have enough money for a pair of vibrating pussy lips let alone a lawyer (is there a difference?)

[klingon]

Yes indeedy folks, another point of clarification,

Wont bore you with the details but a rather piddled off cager pulled alongside me today and remonstrated with me for what seemed like hours.

The point he was trying to force (before I told him to go shove his winkie up a dead dogs arse) was that motorcycles MUST travel in bus lanes when permitted (ie when they are not bus only bus lanes).

This started a heated discussion at work but no-one had a road code.....so....

Can anyone of you lovely people enlighten me on this one.

:2thumbsup

What a Wally! (The cager I mean.) Of course you don't have to use the bus lane! If you were a learner on a little 50cc bike you'd be in danger of getting mashed by a speeding bus. It's up to you to judge where the safest place is for you.

Max, I'm so envious of the adventures you have every day. I've never had an argument with an idiot cager in my two years of daily commuting. :argue:

[Fatt Max]

Thanks guys for your wise words.

Once again, legends one and all, bling on the way

[Devil]

I can see why cagers get pissed of with bikes passing them on the right in slow traffic.........

Errr, well it's the correct place to do it, despite kiwi's having real trouble with keeping their vehicle left. As for doing it at speed, well thats just silly.

[portokiwi]

Yes passing on the right is correct but when you cross over the yellow center line is that right?
I dont think so.... Last time I looked in the road coad that was illeagle.
Yes the guy that went past at speed was on a decatti. I didnt mind the fact that it was raining. I was expecting to go around one of the bends and see him and his bike on the ground.

[Badjelly]

Max, I'm so envious of the adventures you have every day.

He makes them up.

I mean, come on!

Surely he does! :blink:

[Gremlin]

Yes passing on the right is correct but when you cross over the yellow center line is that right?
Passing on double yellows is illegal... 35 demerits and $150 fine. :shutup:

As long as you don't cross the magical yellow line, no problem.

[Eng_dave]

Living in central East Auckland bus lanes are springing up like summer flowers, Its seems half of them have a little Bike symbol going into them half of them don't. It don't matter I travel in the lane with least people less chance of getting smacked by another thoughtless zombie in their early morning cage commute. I haven't been fined yet and I wave to the Auckland transport guy filming Khyber Pass road everyday in the happy knowledge my license is behind me and not on camera.

[Fatt Max]

Living in central East Auckland bus lanes are springing up like summer flowers, Its seems half of them have a little Bike symbol going into them half of them don't. It don't matter I travel in the lane with least people less chance of getting smacked by another thoughtless zombie in their early morning cage commute. I haven't been fined yet and I wave to the Auckland transport guy filming Khyber Pass road everyday in the happy knowledge my license is behind me and not on camera.

Love your words big man, greatly put

[Ixion]

Living in central East Auckland bus lanes are springing up like summer flowers, Its seems half of them have a little Bike symbol going into them half of them don't. It don't matter I travel in the lane with least people less chance of getting smacked by another thoughtless zombie in their early morning cage commute. I haven't been fined yet and I wave to the Auckland transport guy filming Khyber Pass road everyday in the happy knowledge my license is behind me and not on camera.

Within Auckland City, any non-motorway bus lane is legal for bikes, no matter what symbols they may have. Ditto any T2 or T3 lanes on motorways etc, anywhere. Whether they have a bike symbol or not. North Shore, Manukau, Waitemata, any bus lanes that do not specifically exclude motorcycles (there may not be any that exclude motorcycles , I don'know. In Auckland city none of the bus lanes exclude bikes). The only bus lanes you cannot ride in (even there the law is dodgy at best, and a volunteer to challenge it would be warmly welcomed) are the motorway bus lanes and the busway thing.

[swbarnett]

In Auckland city none of the bus lanes exclude bikes
I know of one - Wellesley St. between Mayoral Drive and Queen St.

[Forest]

still to be tested in a court of law as far as i'm aware. but i don't have enough money for a pair of vibrating pussy lips let alone a lawyer (is there a difference?)

Whenever I'm in Auckland, I always make a point of riding on the bus lanes on the bridge approaches.

It is my only regular act of civil disobedience.

I haven't been pulled up. But I know that others have been.

[Squiggles]

I know of one - Wellesley St. between Mayoral Drive and Queen St.

Its probably a "pedestrian mall" like alfred st which runs through the university (i intend to challenge that one)

[swbarnett]

Its probably a "pedestrian mall" like alfred st which runs through the university (i intend to challenge that one)
No, it's just a normal road. They turned the stretch between Mayoral dirve and Lorne St. into a bus only lane a while ago. This means that if you come off the motorway and want to get to Wellesley St. west (legally) you have to take Mayoral Drive and come back down Queen St., then do a left back into Wellesley St.

[Counter-Steer]

Brothers mate, a lawyer, got a nice picture in the mail due to travelling in the buslane up Esmonde rd, North shore. He did his research, and sent his findings back to the police. If the sign reads "Buses only" you cannot ride in it. But if it reads plain "Bus Lane" you are legally allowed to use it. Apparently that stretch of bus lane has since been re-labelled... lol. For the record he got off the fine, but they did not admit he was right...