Have you used the Northern Busway on your motorcycle yet?

**nudedaytona** · 29th July 2008, 14:35

Originally Posted by jrandom

Probably. And that'd be lovely. Feel free to put that effort in so that I may benefit from it.

I can't personally be arsed with it, though. Attempting to create genuine political pressure is difficult and very time-consuming.

If getting Transit to agree to let motorcyclists use the busway instead of filtering is more important to you than all the other things you could be doing with your spare time, then I wish you the best of luck.

We all know that the politicians can't be arsed changing anything when the people who think they might want change don't even know if they want change and can't be arsed doing anything about it.

When presented with the opportunity to change something like the busway, the first thing any politician would ask is, is there support for it? And without wider support its not going to happen

Here is what I think the opinions from different groups would be for letting bikers use the busway:

Car drivers: Don't really care, but if it takes those pesky bikers off the motorway then it's probably a good thing.

Bus drivers: Don't really like it, but I generally have to deal with a lot worse traffic than a few bikes so I don't really mind

Cyclists: Want to use busway too but can't pedal fast enough!

Motorcyclists: We don't know if we want to use busway or not, and can't decide because we're too busy bitching about it and would rather filter.

**jrandom** · 29th July 2008, 14:41

Originally Posted by nudedaytona

Motorcyclists: We don't know if we want to use busway or not, and can't decide because we're too busy bitching about it and would rather filter.

You're the one bitching about it!

Fine. Show me a petition and I'll sign it. Mm kay?

**Sanx** · 3rd August 2008, 00:39

Originally Posted by jrandom

Unfortunately, the northern busway has big signs up everywhere saying 'BUSES ONLY'.

If the Northern Busway has been declared a bus lane, then it's entirely legal for motorbikes to use it until such time as Transit learn what a 'specific exclusion' is. A sign saying Buses Only is not a specific exclusion; it's a specific inclusion and, as such, is not sufficient to override the bus lane-related provisions of the Land Transport Act.

The same applies to every bus lane that has 'Buses Only' signs.

However, it would depend on whether the Northern Busway is actually an official bus-lane. Other bus lanes on motorways can be legally used. This isn't Transit's intention and you could still very well get tickets for doing so, but they've been overturned due to incorrect signage before and they will be in the future.

**Big Dave** · 5th August 2008, 13:31

I got the irony of the post, random.

We are excluded from using the freeway bus lane due to a 'risk factor' - yet the road code allows for passing within the same lane - as long as it is done on the right hand side - even though there is always significantly more room on the left.

The laws are collective asshats. Fortunately most coppers are appropriate in their administration of them.

**coop** · 5th August 2008, 20:44

I was pulled over this morning on my way to work. South bound on the Auckland Harbour bridge, stayed in the far left lane past Shelly Beach off ramp and then around the blind left hander. I was not aware that the bus lane had started at the off ramp, I thought it was after the bridge. Anyway copper was around the corner, on his bike waiting to meet his quota.

He was pretty good about it, gave me a warning and continued on his revenue raising ways in cutting down fatal crashes on Aucklands motorway.

**NodMan:Me** · 6th August 2008, 19:43

Originally Posted by coop

I was pulled over this morning on my way to work. South bound on the Auckland Harbour bridge, stayed in the far left lane past Shelly Beach off ramp and then around the blind left hander. I was not aware that the bus lane had started at the off ramp, I thought it was after the bridge. Anyway copper was around the corner, on his bike waiting to meet his quota.

He was pretty good about it, gave me a warning and continued on his revenue raising ways in cutting down fatal crashes on Aucklands motorway.

Hey mate get our stories right!!!
I dont have a quota...I can write as many notices as I like till I run out of customers!

I dont gain any revenue from my interaction with the public BUT....

I have peoples details noted down that hopefully I dont have to transfer to a toe tag down at the morgue on a later date!!(No fatal crash is a pleasure to attend and especially a fellow motorcyclists!)

**fLaThEaD FreD** · 6th August 2008, 19:51

Originally Posted by NodMan

Hey mate get our stories right!!!
I dont have a quota...I can write as many notices as I like till I run out of customers!

I dont gain any revenue from my interaction with the public BUT....

I have peoples details noted down that hopefully I dont have to transfer to a toe tag down at the morgue on a later date!!(No fatal crash is a pleasure to attend and especially a fellow motorcyclists!)

Hopes NodMan dosent have my details noted down.....

**Devil** · 8th August 2008, 13:44

Originally Posted by coop

I was pulled over this morning on my way to work. South bound on the Auckland Harbour bridge, stayed in the far left lane past Shelly Beach off ramp and then around the blind left hander. I was not aware that the bus lane had started at the off ramp, I thought it was after the bridge.

I thought the rather large overhead sign about Bus Lane was pretty unambiguous. Lucky you got a warning!

**southernmike** · 8th August 2008, 13:52

Wots a bus lane? Wots traffic congestion? Oh, that's right I'm in the SI.

**McJim** · 8th August 2008, 14:08

Filtering was fun - don't take away our excuses for fun....oh, I live in Invercargill...I can't filter any more (note to self ..move back to London

)

**Sanx** · 11th August 2008, 19:34

Originally Posted by Devil

I thought the rather large overhead sign about Bus Lane was pretty unambiguous. Lucky you got a warning!

Yeah. The Land Transport Act is pretty unambiguous about the types of vehicles allowed to use a bus lane too.

Have a look here and scroll down a bit. It says that bus lanes can be used by:

buses; and
cycles, mopeds, and motorcycles (unless one or more are specifically excluded by the sign)

I have never seen a sign on any bus lane anywhere that says, either in words or pictorially, no motorcycles. Unless the sign says no motorcycles, motorcycles are legally allowed to use the bus lane.

So, actually, no warning should have been given at all.

**Big Dave** · 11th August 2008, 23:10

Originally Posted by Sanx

Yeah. The Land Transport Act is pretty unambiguous about the types of vehicles allowed to use a bus lane too.

Have a look here and scroll down a bit. It says that bus lanes can be used by:

buses; and
cycles, mopeds, and motorcycles (unless one or more are specifically excluded by the sign)

I have never seen a sign on any bus lane anywhere that says, either in words or pictorially, no motorcycles. Unless the sign says no motorcycles, motorcycles are legally allowed to use the bus lane.

So, actually, no warning should have been given at all.

My guess is that there are by-laws that apply to the motorways authority that supplement the act.

**MarkH** · 12th August 2008, 10:24

Originally Posted by nudedaytona

The proportion of bikers in NZ is so small that we are having a hard time getting any movement from the government on a nationwide issue like the wire rope barriers.

Does anyone know where to find the figures on number or motorcyclists in NZ?

I gotta figure that there has been a decent increase over the last 3 or 4 years. Even though the price of petrol has gone down a little recently I think it is only a temporary reprieve. Supply/demand forces mean that petrol will get more expensive and that will push more motorists to bikes & scooters.

**Jantar** · 12th August 2008, 10:30

Originally Posted by Big Dave

My guess is that there are by-laws that apply to the motorways authority that supplement the act.

You are right Dave. Unfortuantely for the roading authorities, bylaws do not take precedence over legislation, and may only supplement it. All that is needed, if they don't want motorcycles in the bus lanes, is a sign saying "Motorcycles Prohibited". As there is no such sign then motorcycles can legally use the bus lane.

**Big Dave** · 12th August 2008, 10:38

Originally Posted by Jantar

You are right Dave. Unfortuantely for the roading authorities, bylaws do not take precedence over legislation, and may only supplement it. All that is needed, if they don't want motorcycles in the bus lanes, is a sign saying "Motorcycles Prohibited". As there is no such sign then motorcycles can legally use the bus lane.

So from that one of us could ride up the bus lanes - get a ticket - take it court - and get off?

That could be a publicity and profile exercise etc he thinks.

But then 2 weeks later they'll just put up the sign.