Bike cop learns me of bus lane law...

[Swoop]

Bulldog. Can you phone the copper and ask for more information on this?

If the rule has changed recently, details would be wonderful!

There has been a lot of talk on KB regarding the motorway lanes, and if this officer could clarify, at the least it would certainly give us an idea of how the police are looking at the issue.

[Kwaka14]

Bikes are "specifically" excluded from Motorway bus lanes, the Sign states "Buses Only".... everything other than buses "specifically" is excluded... Sux eh

[Swoop]

Bikes are "specifically" excluded from Motorway bus lanes, the Sign states "Buses Only".... everything other than buses "specifically" is excluded... Sux eh

Here we go again...
No we are not "specifically excluded" since there isn't a sign saying "No motorcycles".
An example of "specific exclusion" is the sign at the entrance of each motorway, which has a graphic of a person walking, with a circle around it and a bar across it... = NO pedestrians... = specific exclusion.

[Sanx]

A sign that reads "Buses Only" - a specific inclusion - by definition implies all other vehicles are excluded. If it were otherwise, then the pole would be festooned with round signs with little pictograms of different vehicle types with lines through them. No pedestrians, no bicycles, no tractors, no electric golf carts, no horses, no people dressed as clowns riding unicycles whilst juggling flaming clubs. That sort of thing.

However, there are some motorway bus lanes that are (or at least were a few months back) incorrectly signed. There was no specific inclusion or explicit exclusion and although Transit's intention was to prohibit use by motorcycles, the incorrect signs meant that any Police tickets wouldn't stick. It wasn't a Police failure - it was purely procedural.

[Jantar]

A sign that reads "Buses Only" - a specific inclusion...

No, The court has already ruled that "Buses Only" simply defines it as a bus lane. Motorcycles are not specified, and therefore are not specifically excluded. In order for motorcycles to be specifically excluded then they must be specified.

[BevanPT]

you wont see one that says " No Motorcycles" or any other "Specific Exclusion" either which means to the letter of the law we are allowed on them, if they are a bus lane which they sign them as, but say they are not, but are emergency stopping lanes they let scheduled buses on, but they are not bus lanes........

The signs on Motorway bus lanes read "Buses Only" which in itself excludes all other vehicles and is correct under the transport regulations. As for any change in using these lanes, looks like some research is required.

[sAsLEX]

Bikes are "specifically" excluded from Motorway bus lanes, the Sign states "Buses Only".... everything other than buses "specifically" is excluded... Sux eh

The signs on Motorway bus lanes read "Buses Only" which in itself excludes all other vehicles and is correct under the transport regulations. As for any change in using these lanes, looks like some research is required.

Both of you seem to have read the regulations quite carefully I see........ note dripping sarcasm there.


As a few have pointed out it must be a specific exclusion as other wise bus lanes are open to bikes. All the buses only sign does it help identify it as a bus lane to cagers.

[Biff]

Why does all beer in the UK taste terrible?

Arse biscuits.

1. Spitfire.
2. Brains S.A
3. London Pride

The top three best tasting beers in the world IMO. And all from the UK. None of that imported fizzy European shite.

Now I've got to infract my arse for going off topic. Thanks dude.

[Toaster]

So, according to the council website.... yes to town bus lanes, no to motorway bus lanes.

[twinkle]

I had to check my dictionary... but jantar saslex and swoop are right I think. Maybe someone has already tested this in court and that was why the copper said that?

[McJim]

Guess to be on the safe side I'd best keep using the motorcycle lanes on the motorway then, y'know the one between lanes 1 & 2 and the one between lanes 2 & 3

And the reason beer tastes so bad there is that they sell Steinlager in the UK now!

Go north young man and get a pint of Younger's Number 3 ale doon yer throat.

[Swoop]

Guess to be on the safe side I'd best keep using the motorcycle lanes on the motorway then, y'know the one between lanes 1 & 2 and the one between lanes 2 & 3

"1A" and "2A"

And the reason beer tastes so bad there is that they sell Steinlager in the UK now!

Now???
They sold it back in '88 when I was there.
Vile stuff.

"They're drinking our beer here" was the marketing slogan. "Thank f*ck for that - it means less of the shite in NZ!" was my slogan.

[Bulldog]

Well as far as I'm concerned I'll be keeping his details on me and stating his name should I ever get pulled. I'll be damned if I'm not using the bus lanes. I've always used them anyway as it's much safer than filtering and probably much safer than sitting in the traffic.

FOr the occasional fine (should they get away with one) I'm happy to keep using them.

[sAsLEX]

Now I've got to infract my arse for going off topic. Thanks dude.

Yeah better be careful what I type these days might end up in the sin bin for adding a bit of colour to a post that someone then takes as a serious question.....

We all know it tastes average as they drink it warm....

[Kwaka14]

Both of you seem to have read the regulations quite carefully I see........ note dripping sarcasm there.


As a few have pointed out it must be a specific exclusion as other wise bus lanes are open to bikes. All the buses only sign does it help identify it as a bus lane to cagers.

I pulled this off the herald, I am possibly wrong but the article below is what I based my reply on....

Get moving: Bus access, safety mean no end to rush-hour hassle
5:00AM Tuesday May 01, 2007
By Phoebe Falconer

I live on Sylvan Ave in Northcote. There is often a morning rush-hour queue of 10 to 15 minutes to get through the traffic lights at the intersection of Sylvan and Onewa Rd. Will the roadworks that are being completed on the motorway and the Onewa offramp improve the Sylvan Ave traffic situation? Andrew Bruce, Northcote.
Not really. The Onewa Rd interchange upgrade is not designed to provide any greater level of private car access to the motorway southbound during peak hours. It will, however, improve the capacity on Onewa Rd and the Onewa-Sylvan intersection during off-peak hours. Isn't that helpful?
The two main purposes of the upgrade are safety and improved bus access. Safety is enhanced by separating the southbound on- and offramps, and providing greater clearance under the new bridges for motorway traffic. The Northern Busway will be extended past the Onewa interchange towards the Harbour Bridge, so buses will get an easier run. It's all designed, of course, to get us out of our cars and into public transport.
I ride a motorcycle to work in the city every day from Henderson. I am told by friends that I am allowed to ride in the bus lanes in Auckland and Waitakere cities. I assume that includes the motorways. Is this correct? Steve King, Henderson.
No. While your friends are right, and you can ride your motorbike in city bus lanes, the motorway bus lanes are just that - for buses only.
With the western rail line double-tracking, is there any intention of realigning Titirangi Rd? There is a real bottleneck under the railway overbridge as traffic tries to go from two lanes to one. John Reynolds, Glen Eden.
The second line is going to go on existing bridge piers, so there is no chance the road will be widened just yet. A road-widening plan is to be designed but will not be used until there are new bridge piers. There is no timeframe for this.
And a clarification for last week's column: The extra lane at Tristram Ave needs to wait for the Northern Busway to be operational. It has not been delayed by funding issues. The bridge at Tristram Ave means there is no spare room for the roadworks to take place while the buses are using the temporary bus lane. The Tristram Ave section will go ahead as soon as the busway is operational early next year.