Bus Lane Bullshit

[grandpa_dave]

Does anyone else think we should ressurect common sense policing?
Overtaking at 100k's? (Should be on a tui billboard)
Lane splitting, if done carefully is fine, but if some crazy is lane splitting at 100k's through traffic doing 50 nail him then....Bring back common sense.
Fines for holding up traffic? Fines for speeding up at passing lanes and slowing down after?......Nah....Just chuck it in the Too hard basket.....after all how could you possibly police it covertly with tinted windowed vans?

[MWVT]

Best thing to do..... just ride on the bus lanes if you think they are safer. Take the tax on the nose. Unfortunately for us, transit want us to be perfectly safe. Cages are safer than bikes (for the occupant anyways) and therefore transit won't be giving us any nice treatment anytime soon.

[Bevel]

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.

One of the biggest danger to motorcycist is cars. In fact they are probably the biggest danger. By riding in a bus lane I'm staying further away from them.

[Bevel]

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.

I don't agree with you that there is more debris in a bus lane than on the rest of the motorway but even if there was in rush hour traffic when I'm advocating we should be able to use bus lanes I am able to see as far ahead as the next corner. In a lane I can only see as far as the car in front of me and that is likely to be less than 4 seconds in front. If I leave a bigger gap some one will always cut in and still reduce it further.

[Skyryder]

In a lane I can only see as far as the car in front of me and that is likely to be less than 4 seconds in front. If I leave a bigger gap some one will always cut in and still reduce it further.

So you can see ahead of you further in a bus lane than in the standard traffic lane. So on that basis you saying that bus lanes are safer................???

Well if that's your take on riding in bus lanes................you seem to forget that there is a bus in this equation and rest assured the bus driver is more interested in what is going on up front than in his/her rear. Nine times out of ten the bike is on the bus before the driver knows. If you only knew how little rear vision busses and large vehicles have you would stay well clear of them. They have about 4 or 5 degrees of view...................the rest is a bloody big blind spot.
Skyryder

[Bevel]

So you can see ahead of you further in a bus lane than in the standard traffic lane. So on that basis you saying that bus lanes are safer................???[/B]
Skyryder

The further ahead you can see the earlier you can react. If there was any debris on the road I would see it earlier in a bus lane. I would also see the big bus and any other hazards and avoid them.

...you seem to forget that there is a bus in this equation and rest assured the bus driver is more interested in what is going on up front than in his/her rear. If you only knew how little rear vision busses and large vehicles have you would stay well clear of them. [/B]
Skyryder

I have driven trucks and I know about blind spots. Unless the bus was going to reverse in the bus lane then being behind it wouldn't be a problem. Having said that riding where you can be seen in their mirrors is the smart thing to do.

The buses would also be able to see me easier in front of them as I wouldn't be masked behind other vehicles. Not only do I want to stay clear of buses I also want to stay clear of cars and trucks. Their are a lot less of them in bus lanes and that's is why they are safer for motorcyclists.

[JohnR]

[QUOTE=grandpa_dave]Does anyone else think we should ressurect common sense policing?
[QUOTE]

And common sense legislation!
If there are restrictions on buses using the lanes, i.e. speed, time of day etc, why not apply the same restrictions to other users?
No sensible rider/driver is going to use an occasional lane with an apparently substandard surface in normal conditions...are they?

[JohnR]

Well if that's your take on riding in bus lanes................you seem to forget that there is a bus in this equation and rest assured the bus driver is more interested in what is going on up front than in his/her rear. Nine times out of ten the bike is on the bus before the driver knows. If you only knew how little rear vision busses and large vehicles have you would stay well clear of them. They have about 4 or 5 degrees of view...................the rest is a bloody big blind spot.
Skyryder

So how do buses cope with buses in the bus lanes?

[Quartida]

If you only knew how little rear vision busses and large vehicles have you would stay well clear of them. They have about 4 or 5 degrees of view...................the rest is a bloody big blind spot.
Skyryder

While I see your argument Skyryder, this is as much of an issue when riding behind a normal bus as it is in a bus lane. However, it is rare to see a bus lane chock-a-block with buses. Oftentimes, there will be very few buses. In which case it is easy enough to keep a sensible distance away from them while enjoying the pleasures of not having to sit in traffic.

[Skyryder]

So how do buses cope with buses in the bus lanes?

They don't pass each other unless at a stop. This is one of the problems with with bus drivers v bikers. Often the bike is on top of the bus before the driver even knows about it.

Skyryder

[Skyryder]

The further ahead you can see the earlier you can react. If there was any debris on the road I would see it earlier in a bus lane. I would also see the big bus and any other hazards and avoid them.



I have driven trucks and I know about blind spots. Unless the bus was going to reverse in the bus lane then being behind it wouldn't be a problem. Having said that riding where you can be seen in their mirrors is the smart thing to do.

The buses would also be able to see me easier in front of them as I wouldn't be masked behind other vehicles. Not only do I want to stay clear of buses I also want to stay clear of cars and trucks. Their are a lot less of them in bus lanes and that's is why they are safer for motorcyclists.

Being if front is not the problem for a bus driver. That's where his attention is focused. It's the overtaking (usualy at speed) and the unexpected bike. \

Nine times out of ten passangers are behaved and let the driver do his job, but the general public usually only think of themselves and if the driver is distracted for any reason..................???????????????????

I am aware of your point on there being less traffic in bus lanes and agree that out in the open also where I like to be but having said that the last thing I want is a bus slamming into the rear of me because the driver has made a mistake.

AllI can say as a biker and an ex bus driver I keep well clear of them...........bin out for whatever reason and you will be lucky to walk away.

Skyryder

[Skyryder]

While I see your argument Skyryder, this is as much of an issue when riding behind a normal bus as it is in a bus lane. However, it is rare to see a bus lane chock-a-block with buses. Oftentimes, there will be very few buses. In which case it is easy enough to keep a sensible distance away from them while enjoying the pleasures of not having to sit in traffic.

That may well be 99% of the time..................but then I guess if we wanted to be 100% safe on the roads we would all stay home. All I can say is be carefull. There are bus drivers out there that go straight from a car licence on to a passanger licence......................standards have dropped.

Skyryder

[ajturbo]

Have you ever experienced Auckland rush hour traffic Imdying?

RUSH HR TRAFFIC?....now that is streaching the truth... my mum in her MANUAL wheel chair could go faster... and she has the use of only one arm , she is nearly blind, and would have to go to the loo every 20m.. and yet she would still get there quicker...
rush hr traffic what a joke... it gets a bit busy here some times... i have to wait for the cows to move out the way...

[tomthepohm]

Good on ya Bevel.
Damn rite, and nice one for trying to do something about it. Kiwis spend too long sitting on their arses and talking about it with out actually doin anything.

The police are a disgrace, the roads are terrible and the attitude to the whole thing gets right up my nose.

As for the bridge! Its a nightmare and just a matter of time before i or someone else gets squashed.

Good on ya, heres some rep.
Tom

[Filterer]

If they complain that their is too much shit on the bus lanes and they are uneen etc then why not get them to fix that??? Sure a bit of $$ but maybe it could be standard to always if possible put in a fully surfaced level shoulder without fuck loads of white lines all over them.

And set a maximum speed for buses and bikes of 80? or maybe slower - that way they would only be used when traffic is really heavy as otherwise you would just stick to main section