God bless Transit NZ and all that sail in her...

[Devil]

I spoke to the council a while ago about this, they confirmed that no, you couldnt use the bus light. Would be nice if we could, get stuck into them.

[kerryg]

nope if you are legally in the bus lane and the light goes red and you are at the front of all the busses, when the bus light come s on to let the bus lane through you are to wait for a green disc before moving!! Or as was suggested by the coiuncil guy move your bike to the side of the lane so the busses could sneak by likely hitting you!!!

Another piece of brilliant law from our Gunmints LTSA

Well I'm speechless...no I'm not. That is completely barking mad. I can't believe that it can be right, it's too insane. I catch a bus sometimes to town and I can tell you, at the top of Chinaman's Hill when the "B" light comes on those buses hit the accelerator like Michael Schumacher (they only get a second or two before the other traffic gets a green light) and there are often 3 or 4 in a queue so if you want to get rolled flat by 3 or 4 buses the way to do it is to stubbornly sit in the bus lane while waiting for a green light...if the running over doesn't kill you the subsequent kicking and punching by 3 or 4 large Maori bus drivers will finish you off.

On those admittedly (ahem..) rare occasions I take a bike along Great North Rd to the city I don't use the bus lanes, not because of the traffic light issue but because it's so f*****g hazardous. People pulling out from side streets and driveways have to briefly intrude into the bus lane (usually sprinting to out-accelerate a bus bearing down on them at great speed) to get into the traffic, and they pay no respect to anyone in doing so, least of all to MOTORCYCLES who they probably believe should not be in the bus lane anyway and who pose the least physical threat to them. On my last trip into town I had to take evasive action several times in the space of a few kilometres. Bastards just pull out as though you're invisible and as soon as there is the merest semblance of a gap. Better/safer in the normal lanes...

[vifferman]

On those admittedly (ahem..) rare occasions I take a bike along Great North Rd to the city I don't use the bus lanes, not because of the traffic light issue but because it's so f*****g hazardous.

Not just the hazards you've outlined, but these: oil and diesel on the road, exhaust fumes, and being unable to see past the buses so you're aware of what potential hazards are ahead.
I gives me the anus-clenching heeby-jeebies when I commute on those very rare damp days we get in D'Auckland and I see the film of filth on the road (and that's just from other bikers using the transit lane!)
So I've taken to not taking the bike if it looks like I might get damp. No point in doing so, if the back tyre spins up instead of the front one elevating.:sly:

[That Guy]

Was he a bike cop?
I got abused (but not ticketed) by some frothy-mouthed shouty guy on an ST1100 for carefully lane-splitting past stopped cars. He got quite aggro, and yelled, "Maybe if you rode like a proper motorcyclist instead of an idiot, you'd stop giving the rest of us a bad name!!"
I was flabbergasted (and I can tell you, I'm not at all fond of having my gast flabbered, no sirreee, JimBob), and to this day (after 4 years of consdering this) I'm still not sure WTF he meant by "riding like a proper motorcyclist". My best guess is: "Maybe if you pretended you were driving a car, ignored all the advantages and fun of bike ownership and riding, and sat in the traffic jams sucking up the noxious fumes, while talking on your cellphone, shaving, and having breakfast and reading the paper, instead of riding very carefully and safely while saving time, you would be adhering to my fascist view of life, have no life or friends, and be a total wanker like me!! So there!! Hmm hmmm!!"

Yes he WAS a bike cop. 4 years later he obvioulsy still pissed at you and passed it on to me. Clearly he enjoys making people's gast's flabbered.

[Coldkiwi]

So I've taken to not taking the bike if it looks like I might get damp. No point in doing so, if the back tyre spins up instead of the front one elevating.:sly:

you wuss! thats what makes damp days on slimy roads so much fun. Get that rear end fish tailing away from the lights!

[ManDownUnder]

you wuss! thats what makes damp days on slimy roads so much fun. Get that rear end fish tailing away from the lights!

You'll bloody need to if you're at the top of Chinaman's hill with a bus up your butt and that "B" comes on...

... oh hang on, I don't think you're allowed to. Obey the law I say! Sure you'll get run over by a BUS (and and his mates behind him) but you'll have a very righteous funeral.

MDU

[ManDownUnder]

In short - no, do not proceed through the white "B" (I thought it were Green?) or you will get a ticket. (Check the URL in the email below... I think that answers the q!)

... course you COULD get mown down by the bus behind you - but that is what the law requires.

No go forth and be good citizens, or road kill, as the law requires.
MDU
=== this is quoted from the email (in fact it is the WHOLE email...)

I have received your further email asking to clarify the issue of motorcyclists using bus lanes.

The issuing of any fines is always at the discretion of the enforcement authorities. The Land Transport Safety Authority (LTSA) has no jurisdiction over infringements.

Bus lanes must show an image, symbol or words indicating that only buses can enter them. If the vehicle you're driving isn't shown, you can't use the lane (unless otherwise advised by the local District/City Council).

Under Section 18, (5)(k) of the Traffic Regulations 1976 it states:

(k) [While a white ``T'' on a black background or a white ``B'' on a black background is displayed, a driver of a light rail vehicle or omnibus] facing the traffic signal may—

(i)Travel straight ahead or turn right or turn left:

(ii)Turn to the right or to the left even though a traffic signal is displaying a red signal in the form of a disc:

Therefore, only the vehicles mentioned above are able to go when the "B" light signals to do so.

I have also attached a link to a page on the Road Code website, which advises that 'all other vehicles must wait for the appropriate green traffic signal'.
http://www.ltsa.govt.nz/roadcode/giv...sections6.html

Regards

Christina Winitana
Senior Customer Service Representative

[ManDownUnder]

So then I wrote to the Minister of Transport Safety... Harry Duynhoven

I'll let you know if he writes back (I actually knew the guy out of hours - one of the few in that building I have any respect for...)

[rodgerd]

So then I wrote to the Minister of Transport Safety... Harry Duynhoven

I'll let you know if he writes back (I actually knew the guy out of hours - one of the few in that building I have any respect for...)

I remember even a lot of hard-core Nats in New Plymouth vote for him. Pretty impressive.