Bus Lane Bullshit

[Bevel]

Back me up

I'm having an email battle with Transit over bus lane usage. Please help out and see if we can change that stupid regulation. Here is the corespondence to date.

6/6/06
I travel via motorcycle during peak hour on SH1 in Auckland from Esmonde Rd over the Harbour Bridge.

I have heard that Transit does not allow motorcycles to use the Bus lane because it is considered too dangerous.

I have to ask have the people who made this decision ever had to ride a motorcycle between two rows of impatient cars that merge at random and are only inches from their bike?

As an experience motorcyclist with over 20 years of riding experience I can assure you that traveling in the bus lane is far safer. When in a bus lane I can see a bus coming from miles away and I am in a position to avoid it. He can also see me.

Car drivers are not expecting motorcycles to zip between the lanes and are not looking for them. Even if a driver was to indicate a motorcyclist may not be able to see their indicators because of the close proximity of other vehicle masking their indicators. Some drivers actually resent motorcyclist squeezing past them and go out of their way to hamper their progress as has happened to me on numerous occasions.

Please reconsider the existing ruling as it currently does not make sense to put motorcyclist in harms way. I promise that I will hamper the progress of any buses on my Italian sports bike.

Thank you


19/6/06
Dear ****

Thank you for your message to Transit New Zealand’s (Transit’s) website about motorcyclists using motorway bus lanes.

The shoulders on Auckland’s motorways are primarily emergency stopping areas and are not constructed as running lanes. They are at a lower level than the main carriageway and not surfaced with the same material.

Restricting the use of clearly defined sections of the shoulder to timetabled bus services at specified peak times on weekdays - only when the motorway is congested - means Transit can achieve some control over driver behaviour. Three licensed bus operators currently use the shoulder lanes and advice and direction on shoulder lane use forms part of the training programme for bus drivers. If inappropriate driver behaviour is observed, it is addressed through the bus operators, ensuring that both usage and speed are managed safely.

If vehicles in general were to use the shoulder as a normal running lane (at normal speeds) there would be safety issues with vehicles moving on and off the shoulder with the different carriageway heights and different levels of skid resistance. The stability of motorcyclists would be of particular concern when moving to or from the shoulder.

If motorcyclists were permitted to ride on the shoulders the number of lane changes would be greater than normal because the main carriageway shoulders end at on and off-ramps and motorcyclists would need to change lanes (merge back into the main traffic flow) frequently. The speed differential between the congested main motorway lanes and motorcycles on the shoulder would be problematic and a real safety concern. Unfortunately, for these reasons, it is not currently practical or safe for motorcyclists to ride on the motorway shoulders.

Transit does not have any plans to review its policy on the controlled use of the motorway emergency stopping shoulders in the short term. However, if Transit were to revisit this policy it would consult with representative interest groups, rather than individual users. That would include bus operators, the NZ Automobile Association and a representative national motorcyclist’s association.

I trust that this clarifies the issues raised in your email.

Thank you for your enquiry.

Yours sincerely

Warwick Mason

Warwick Mason
Traffic Engineer
Transit New Zealand
Ph 368.2026

19/6/06
Dear Mr Mason
Thank you for you replying to my email and thank you for your concern about motorcycle safety.
Unfortunately I do not agree with you that the bus lane hazards you identified with their different road levels and lane changing requirements are significant issues.
Motorcyclist have to constantly change lanes to maneuver through crawling rush hour traffic. Using bus lanes will actually reduce that hazard. Motorcycles can also adjust their speed up or down to match merging traffic faster than any other vehicle on the road.
The different surfaces and heights is unfortunate but if a motorcyclist cannot handle them then he shouldn't be riding a bike. After all we encounter them all the time with roadwork's. As an aside I have just returned from Melbourne where there are thousands of motorcycles and hundreds of miles of tram tracks. If different road surfaces where such an issue Melbourne would have to either ban motorcycles or trams altogether.
Another anomaly with banning motorcyclist from Transit NZ roads is that we are allowed to use bus lanes controlled by local councils in urban areas. These bus lane have the added hazards of driveways, cyclist and pedestrian to deal with yet are deemed safer.
As an experience motorcyclist with over 20 years in the saddle I can assure you that I am much safer in a bus lane than sandwiched between unsuspecting cars and trucks. I invite you to join me for a ride across Auckland Harbour Bridge one morning to experience first hand the reality of the situation from a motorcyclist perspective.
Yours sincerely
****

[Titanium]

But save some time and give it a miss.

[Bevel]

Here is the response to my last email. Don't waste your time reading it if you read the last one. It's exactly the same and obviously a standard letter. They didn't bother responding to the arguments I put forth disputing their logic.
let's generate a campaign to allow us to use the bus lanes. If you support this cause please email the following:

Joseph.Flanagan@transit.govt.nz
Warwick.Mason@transit.govt.nz
Nigel.Downing@transit.govt.nz
bronzauckland@hotmail.com

Hi ****

Thank you for your message to Transit New Zealand's (Transit's) website about motorcyclists using motorway bus lanes.

The shoulders on Auckland's motorways are primarily emergency stopping areas and are not constructed as running lanes. They are at a lower level than the main carriageway and not surfaced with the same material. Restricting the use of clearly defined sections of the shoulder to timetabled bus services at specified peak times on weekdays - only when the motorway is congested - means Transit can achieve some control over driver behavior.

Three licensed bus operators currently use the shoulder lanes and advice and direction on shoulder lane use forms part of the training programmed for bus drivers. If inappropriate driver behavior is observed, it is addressed through the bus operators, ensuring that both usage and speed are managed safely.

If vehicles in general were to use the shoulder as a normal running lane (at normal speeds) there would be safety issues with vehicles moving on and off the shoulder with the different carriageway heights and different levels of skid resistance. The stability of motorcyclists would be of particular concern when moving to or from the shoulder. If motorcyclists were permitted to ride on the shoulders the number of lane changes would be greater than normal because the main carriageway shoulders end at on and off-ramps and motorcyclists would need to change lanes (merge back into the main traffic flow) frequently. The speed differential between the congested main motorway lanes and motorcycles on the shoulder would be problematic and a real safety concern. Unfortunately, for these reasons, it is not currently practical or safe for motorcyclists to ride on the motorway shoulders.

Transit does not have any plans to review its policy on the controlled use of the motorway emergency stopping shoulders in the short term. However, if Transit were to revisit this policy it would consult with representative interest groups, rather than individual users. That would include bus operators, the NZ Automobile Association and a representative national motorcyclist's association. I trust that this clarifies the issues raised in your email. Thank you for your enquiry and apologies for the delayed response.


Warwick Mason
Traffic Engineer
Transit New Zealand
Ph 368.2026

[Mr. Peanut]

if Transit were to revisit this policy it would consult with representative interest groups, rather than individual users. That would include bus operators, the NZ Automobile Association and a representative national motorcyclist’s association.

I trust that this clarifies the issues raised in your email.

Thank you for your enquiry.

Hint, Hint.

[Bevel]

I've already contacted BRONZ and suggest that anyone else concerned with this issue do the same, as well as contacting Transit NZ directly. If you are an AA member get them involved too.
If you read the boards you will see that a lot of other people are concerned with this issue. Let's do something about it!

[imdying]

I don't see how riding between lanes of traffic within inches of cars is relevant to your argument. You don't have to lane split, you can sit in the line of traffic like everyone else if it worries you.

[Karma]

I wouldn't use the bus lanes on the motorway even if I could.

The amount of shit all over that lane, bits of metal and crap, I'd rather take my chances on the main road.

[avgas]

As long as there is no turning traffic your fine, dont make my mistake

[Bevel]

Have you ever experienced Auckland rush hour traffic Imdying?

[Skyryder]

I wouldn't use the bus lanes on the motorway even if I could.

The amount of shit all over that lane, bits of metal and crap, I'd rather take my chances on the main road.

Now that's a man who knows how to stay alive. Some of you bozo's who continuly bring up this bus lane thing and how safe they are don't know shit. When you have got your bus licence and have driven them for a job you might know what you're talking about. When I was driving busses I had this motto with grumpy passangers who got bitchy when the bus was late.

Better late than never. Not a bad way to ride too.

Skyryder

[imdying]

Have you ever experienced Auckland rush hour traffic Imdying?

I surely have... kind of like having to visit Auckland, always make sure I leave work extra early to catch my planes on time

Please save me from myself seems like a pretty bizzare argument to put forward to Transit though.

[Bevel]

If you can come up with another positive argument then please let us know and I'll pass it on.

[Filterer]

Here is the response to my last email. Don't waste your time reading it if you read the last one. It's exactly the same and obviously a standard letter. They didn't bother responding to the arguments I put forth disputing their logic.

And there was me thinking someone had taken a signifigant chunk of time out of their day to write a response to your question. Silly me, bloody beauracrates(sp?)

[InDeSkyz]

You don't have to lane split, you can sit in the line of traffic like everyone else if it worries you.

Don't have to, no.
Here's my reason why I do it:
I got told by an 'ol english geezer whoz name alludes me, but ain't emportant anysway. That it is unwise to sit yerself as last in a line o traffic. This being.. people are farken blind right. So their plan is to nose dive yer arse right into the car you are tenderly waiting for. Like a good wee lad.
You know, wouldn't want to play cutsies. It's rude n all. Opposed to one Honda Preludes headlight up yer orrifce. I dunno what horrific choice we should make on dis 'er dilemma.

All I'm concernded about is me heads gone all mash coz I just watched two flippin hours of some cute british comedy AND, I can't seem to getz rid of dis 'er 'orrible accent!


So anyway. Old dude said. Don't sit last in line of cars. You asking to be jam (unless yer in teh jam selling business, then don't hesitate to take your bargins when you can.)

[imdying]

Opposed to one Honda Preludes headlight up yer orrifce. I dunno what horrific choice we should make on dis 'er dilemma.

Agreed, and one reason why I myself split, although I normally only split stationary traffic.