NZ Herald page 2 - lower speed limits in bus lanes

[Sanx]

The NZ Herald today (May 31) has an article on page two entitled protect pedestrians from buses city urged - website link. Ignoring the missing comma in the headline, it's yet another example of how Auckland City Council manage to completely ignore motorcyclists when doing any form of traffic planning.

Apparently, the Auckland Tramways Union wants the bus-lane speed limit cut to 40kph. Gary Froggatt, the Union chairman, has also called for all buses to drive with their lights on - apparently to help them be seen by pedestrians and other motorists. Driving with the lights on during daytime is something most bikers do anyway. Bikes are allowed to use Auckland City bus-lanes. Having the headlights on is one form of differentiation that bikers have and it helps them be noticed and helps them be seen.

Auckland City Council traffic safety manager (Tui moment) Karen Hay mentions in the same article that a number of cyclists have been knocked down by cars crossing bus-lanes from side streets. Not a mention of motorbikes. The article mentions that cyclists are entitled to use bus lanes. Not a mention of motorbikes.

Quite frankly, if a pedestrian or motorist needs the bus to drive with his lights on so he can spot a 15m long vehicle, then he's a prime contender for Ixion's Gene-O-Kleen anyway. Bikers should not be deprived of one method to help them be seen, just so some half-blind pedestrian doesn't step out in front of a bus.

[Morcs]

I Agree.

If someone is daft enough to walk in front of a bus, they deserve the consequences...

But of course from the governments point of view, they cannot factor common sense into anything. They have to assume that everyone is a fuckwit, and they probably do think that everyone is actually a fuckwit...

[Toaster]

Yep... apparently this has happened with startling regularity in our capital city. jaywalkers just step on out and get a free stagecoach ride... so to speak.

[avgas]

In the pedestrians defence - i've seen my share of dodgey bus drivers in auckland. And lots of buses with curbed wheels.
I think they get the drivers as rejects from NY's yellow cab co.

[Sanx]

If pedestrians stay on the pavement, they've got a 99% chance of not being hit. If the bus mounts the curb, then it having its headlights on won't make a squit of difference either way.

What Auckland City Council and the b&*$#%s in blue should do is start enforcing red traffic lights, especially when it comes to large buses running through them. Just sit on Anzac Ave / Symonds St some time and watch how many buses go charging through red lights. They're by far the worst offender in that area.

[Hanne]

Bikers should not be deprived of one method to help them be seen, just so some half-blind pedestrian doesn't step out in front of a bus.

I don't quite get this... How would the plans impact on bikers riding with their headlights on? They are not telling us to turn them off...
no mention of motorcycles in the article at all

[Theatre]

What Auckland City Council and the b&*$#%s in blue should do is start enforcing red traffic lights, especially when it comes to large buses running through them. Just sit on Anzac Ave / Symonds St some time and watch how many buses go charging through red lights. They're by far the worst offender in that area.

Yep, thats what I was going to say. A 40k limit wont stop you getting smoked if a bus hits you while you're crossing the road on a green signal.

[Sanx]

I don't quite get this... How would the plans impact on bikers riding with their headlights on? They are not telling us to turn them off...
no mention of motorcycles in the article at all

Nope - you're right. No mention of motorbikes at all.

However, most bikers ride with their lights on all the time. On my last two bikes, I couldn't even turn the lights off without resorting to removing the headlight bulb. Given that most cage drivers seem to this thy have an exemption from looking properly at intersections, having the our lights on helps us get noticed. Daytime running lights serve as a point of differentiation between us and other traffic.

Should buses be required to drive with their lights on during the day (which incidentally, the Auckland City Council Traffic Safety Manager - Karen Hay - has confirmed would be a Land Transport requirement, not Auckland City Council) then it removes the differentiation between bikers and the rest of the traffic. It would have the effect of making us less visible during daylight hours.

This has been a major bone of contention in the UK. Bikers are strongly fighting proposals to make all vehicles drive with their dipped beam on during daylight. Bikers haven't done themselves any favours there either, as ten years ago they fought just as hard against a proposal to make all bikes have their dipped beam on permanently.

[WRT]

I'm not that phased by the headlight thing - I dont rely on my headlights as the sole method of other road users (and peds) spotting me. In fact, I dont tend to rely on them spotting me full stop.

As for the speed limit - I have no problem with that being lowered to 40 either. I only use the bus lanes as an alternative to lane splitting, so effectively when the traffic speeds up again I tend to merge back into the main flow.

Major reason for doing this is that a lot of drivers dont look before they pull into/across the bus lane when heading for a side street or driveway. Couple that with a painted surface (and often rain as well), means that when riding the bus lane you need to exercise an even higher than normal level of care (if this is even possible).

[Hanne]

most bikers ride with their lights on all the time... having the our lights on helps us get noticed. Daytime running lights serve as a point of differentiation between us and other traffic.

That is true, they do help us to get noticed, but I also drive with headlights on when I am in a car. Our family volvo, for example, turns them on automatically when you start the engine.

Bikes are harder to see in general, agreed, but having headlights on serves to make all vehicles more visible in general.

[breakaway]

"NZ Herald page 2 - lower speed limits in bus lanes"

This sounds like one of those things that you read about in the paper one day and hear nothing of ever again.

[wybmadiity]

Who cares if buses have theirs lights on? Shouldn't you be riding definsively anyhow?... Especially in Auckland traffic where deadheads don't see a thing... Besides... isn't your bike loud enough for them to hear you coming?

[hazard02]

Theres a positive flipside to this; turn your headlights on and you might be mistaken for a bus. Drivers will take a lot more notice if they catch a set of lights in their peripheral vision...

[Skyryder]

You would be surprised just how many people step out onto the road without looking. When I was driving the city's yellow shuttles it was standard practice to be aware of pedestrians on the footpath. They had a habit of stepping out onto the road so as to avoid the sandwich boards............this usually at a time when you are pulling up to the kerb.

Skyryder

[Waylander]

Who cares if buses have theirs lights on? Shouldn't you be riding definsively anyhow?... Especially in Auckland traffic where deadheads don't see a thing... Besides... isn't your bike loud enough for them to hear you coming?

You have to remember these are Aucklanders. They don't like change.