Bus lanes

[SpankMe]

While I was going around the bike shops today handing out the Kiwi Biker notice, I found out that the Auckland city council has made the use of the green bus lanes by motorbikes legal :bigthumb:

At last, some good news for bikers.

I've been pulled over by cops and told not to use the bus lanes before. It is very unlikely that the police know of this change, so you can inform them next time they pull you over.

[Nukles]

hehe, even i knew that and i'm a foreigner it's very useful to me since i live accross the street from Haldane motorcycles and work in the city on the corner of Whyndam and Albert. bus lanes make it a breeze for me.

[wari]

We should be demanding more bus lanes .... for the buses convenience of course.

[SPman]

Bus lanes have been legal for bikes for about a year and a half in Auckland City - but only the city. Dont try using them on the motorway or bridge, or the plod will take great delight in booking you!
They should be available on the motorways - much safer than lane splitting.

[Nukles]

very true about motorways but lane splitting is illegal there as well. only on municipal and rural roads.

lane splitting is a tricky thing as well. you're not allwed to do it between traffic and parked cars either.

here is why for those who don't know:

lane splitting is only a common term but it is not leagal to ride on the line on the ground. the reason why it is tolerated is because the road code allows for: "a motor vehicule to overtake another motor vehicule to the right within the same lane without crossing the boundaries of the road makings (lines)."

so technically when lane splitting you shouldn't cross the line to your right wile you pass a car that is on your left. a friend of mine got a ticket just for that, he wasn't speeding, he just crossed the line.

[SPman]

Very true.
It was explained to me in great detail by a cop, as he wrote me a ticket for obscured number plate!
However, I did put to him, that, if you crossed the line and eventually took up a place in the other lane (if you crossed the line), then technically, you would just be changing lanes, only taking a long time to do it.!
Also, you must have your indicator on when doing your "passing" manouvre

[Nukles]

very true as well but i was more refering to the situation where you "pass within" when there is only one lane per direction.

that's when you run the risk of scoring a ticket the most because you cannot pass it as "changing lanes".

in Canada it's simple. we just can't do any of that. a motorcycle is to be considered as wide and long a a car on a lane and all drivers and bikers respect that. bacause back home if a driver disrespects a biker in 90% of the time he's in for a broken leg and a few teeth so they just stay away. but that's besides the point right now i guess i tend to drift away from the point some times.

[Kiwibiker]

They did the same about 2 months ago in London makes a huge difference here with the traffic and all.. Just wish they would remove cars from the roads and all would be sweet

[Nukles]

AMEN brother ! :bigthumb:

this what we should do to car drivers
:roadkill:

[Kiwibiker]

Yeah I remember back in the 70's they had car less days
Maybe we should get an act passed to re introduce them.

[Rewalise]

I had heard that bikes could use the bus lanes and was, but didn't actually know for sure. It seems everytime I do a car pulls in behind me thinking I suppose " if he can so can I"

[crashe]

I had heard that bikes could use the bus lanes and was, but didn't actually know for sure. It seems everytime I do a car pulls in behind me thinking I suppose " if he can so can I"

Wow you hunted out a four year old thread........ well done.

Yep if you ring up Ackland City council they will send you a letter to carry with you should you ever get stopped by a nice police officer that still doesnt know the new/old rulings.....

[NinjaBoy]

Wow you hunted out a four year old thread........ well done.

Yep if you ring up Ackland City council they will send you a letter to carry with you should you ever get stopped by a nice police officer that still doesnt know the new/old rulings.....

to be pulled over by the only officer in Auckland who doesn't know about the most posted topic here is really really bad luck

[les king]

yep and if you are in the fastfast (bikelane) against the wall (cos there is room on a lot of the motorway) they will charge you with creating an exta lane.$150 instant.

[vtec]

Haha classic "creating an extra lane" you say? Shouldn't they be paying you to do that. You're saving the government/transit millions by "creating an extra lane", and they book you.