Settle a bet - Harbour Bridge, afternoon peak hour

**chickenfunkstar** · 3rd May 2007, 18:52

Hi,

Lets say you were riding from the city to the shore during afternoon peak hour. Assuming you were going to get off at Onewa road, would you;

(a) Go over on the Nippon clippon which is slower on the way up but faster on the way down, also wider so you can lane split more easily.

(b) Go over on the middle lanes which are alot faster on the way up but slower on the way down and swing across the lanes in order to get off at Onewa road.

I'm convinced that option (a) is better but my flat mate disagrees.

**FROSTY:Me** · 3rd May 2007, 18:54

DEFINITELY--Nippon clippon -er cant tell ya how I know

**The Pastor** · 3rd May 2007, 18:54

I always go for option C, don't lane split.

**Toaster** · 3rd May 2007, 19:16

I work in Albany then head north LUCKY ME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Ever try to lane-split on a three-foot wide cruiser???

**Swoop** · 3rd May 2007, 19:59

Originally Posted by chickenfunkstar

on the Nippon clippon which is slower on the way up but faster on the way down, also wider so you can lane split more easily.

How can this be slower when in 1a???

???

**chickenfunkstar** · 3rd May 2007, 20:07

Lanes 4 and 5 can often be doing 90 or so while lanes 1 and 2 are practically stopped. I usually stop lane splitting when the speeds get past 50-60km/h.

**pritch** · 3rd May 2007, 20:14

None of the options really suited me. I hate Auckland traffic, and I couldn't tell you the last time I rode across the bridge.

Otherwise good luck with the poll

**jrandom** · 3rd May 2007, 20:41

Clipons, for sure. Plenty of space in 1A to do the deed, north or south bound, but 3A gets pretty hairy.

Surely nobody actually sits in traffic on the bridge?

**bobsmith** · 3rd May 2007, 21:06

always the clip on for me. too many idiots on the middle lanes who drive way too slow, especially if the barrier machine is working (not applicable at lunchtime though)

**The Pastor** · 3rd May 2007, 21:30

anyone done a wheelie while lane splitting?

**bobsmith** · 4th May 2007, 09:02

definately the clip on following this:

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/1/...ectid=10437754

**placidfemme** · 4th May 2007, 09:10

Originally Posted by chickenfunkstar

Hi,

Lets say you were riding from the city to the shore during afternoon peak hour. Assuming you were going to get off at Onewa road, would you;

(a) Go over on the Nippon clippon which is slower on the way up but faster on the way down, also wider so you can lane split more easily.

(b) Go over on the middle lanes which are alot faster on the way up but slower on the way down and swing across the lanes in order to get off at Onewa road.

I'm convinced that option (a) is better but my flat mate disagrees.

Nippon Clip-on is the way to go...

As you mentioned its a bitch going up the bridge, but splitting is good cause of the space, just watch for morons changing lanes without indicating... it does speed up going down the other side.

**ManDownUnder** · 4th May 2007, 09:18

Originally Posted by FROSTY

DEFINITELY--Nippon clippon -er cant tell ya how I know

LOL - that post is good enough for me... I'd go with that.

**more_fasterer** · 4th May 2007, 09:24

Originally Posted by bobsmith

definately the clip on following this:

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/1/...ectid=10437754

I was indifferent til I saw this article, in which case I will use the clip-ons more & more.

Although, bit confused by the Road Transport Association's spokesman claims that "the public needed to remember there was no public transport solution for what trucks do" - has he forgotten about trains?

**vifferman** · 4th May 2007, 09:58

Having commuted by bike for 7 years over the bridge, I'd say it doesn't make much difference. I almost always took the outside lane, except when the traffic was hardly moving and another lane was positively ripping along (in comparison). But changing lanes (especially moving to your left) is increasing the possibility of "catastrophic interference" with brain-dead commuters.

Interestingly (no, not really), yesterday was the first time since I started working in Albany that I had to make the "over the Bridge commute". I made the mistake of going into the CBD at 5-ish, and of riding up Hobson (OK) and down lower Queen St (hell on wheels), then back to the Shore. The bike had the radiator fan going for nearly half an hour, and I was overheating (physically and mentally) by the time I got home. What a c%*t of a trip!
The only non-umpleasant bits were riding in the buslane up Fanshawe St, and scaring the crap put of jay-walking pedestrians three times: twice by nearly running them over, and once by giving them a BLARRRP!! on my triple-horned pedestrian warning device as they filtered across the road through grid-locked traffic. One of the poor little bastids slopped his milkshake everywhere as he nearly leapt out of his shoes...

Oh - and about the clipons. Have any of you ever stopped your bike atop the Bridge? I had to yesterday, and it's scary how much it leaps up'n'down. Probably better than not moving though, and falling apart from stress cracks...