More Transit discrimination against bikes. FIGHT BACK

[Ixion]

Shortly Transit NZ intends to extend ramp signalling to all motorway ramps

Ramp signalling is a traffic light at the end of the motorway on ramp. It will go green to red every 5 or 10 seconds (it is claimed, though the red period is bound to be much longer). They have been trialling it in Mangere and it has been a disaster. It will be a disaster elsewhere too, because HUGE queues build up on the ramps. Fine once you're actually on the motorway of course, course not many people will be able to get on.

Details here

http://www.transit.govt.nz/projects/rampsignalling/

BUT -- many ramps are going to have a priority lane. Vehicles in th3 priorty lane can zip straight on to the motorway.The priority lane is for buses. Trucks. And cages with more than one person. BUT NOT BIKES

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/index.cfm?c_id=1&ObjectID=10410057

Once again, Transit shows it's hatred of motorcycles

The man responsible is :
Peter Spies
Regional Manager
Transit New Zealand
tel (09) 368 2000
fax (09) 368 2059
peter.spies@transit.govt.nz

I'll be phoning Mr Spies tomorrow, and emailing him. And I'll raise it with BRONZ on Wednesday

Reasons why we should be allowed to use the priority lane.

Safety: Bikes are vulnerable when in stop start traffic. Cars can easily run into the back of us when traffic is constantly starting and stopping. And what is a minor fender bender to a cage can kill us
Practicality: A car can stop and start every two or three seconds repeatedly (especially an automatic). A bike can't . Once we reach unstability speed, we must stop completely, put foot down, select neutral.Then to restart, select gear, move off,and we must have enough clear space in front to be able to reach stability speed -about 10 kph. (yes yes, I know, but HE won't). So a bike caught in such a queue is going to slow everybody down - instead of moving every three seconds it will be every 30 seconds.
Justice: If cars are allowed because they are efficiently moving people, then we move them even more efficiently.

One voice isn't very loud. Lots of voices get heard. This affects YOU. Get off y'r arse , and for once lets see if bikers can get past their characteristic apathy. Call Mr Spies. Email him.

[The_Dover]

I'm gonna phone this cunt every fifteen minutes.

All day long.

[xwhatsit]

Too right. I have to use the one in Mangere Bridge every day (or I do when I have a big ). It is a massive problem. Being a newbie as well, I'm not too flash at low-speed riding and starting from a stop, and the air-cooled old girl doesn't like being stuck idling with no air for ages either. Have been a couple of hairy moments involving trucks that got waaay too close for my liking (good thing I left some distance in front of me!).

It got to the point where I was (probably illegally) riding over the old bridge that runs parallel to the new bridge. Only fishermen, joggers and cyclists on there -- just have to ride down a steep footpath at the Onehunga side to get back to the road.

Will definitely send an email tomorrow. Have no idea what the point of these on-ramps are -- it just shifts the congestion problem further upstream, into suburban areas which can't cope well with traffic congestion. Ridiculous.

[Ixion]

Good point. I missed that one. air cooled engines overheat when stationary for more than a few minutes, don't they. (Hey, it worked in California).

To highlight the absurdity of the Transit position:

If a car has a driver and a passenger, two people , it can use the bypass lane. If a bike has a rider and passenger , two people, it can't. Just cos it's a bike.

(Best not to push that point though, the cunts would prolly agree to bikes with pillions only)

[Mr. Peanut]

Why can't all the lanes be priority lanes? How about roads instead of a stadium?

Im so confused...

[Karma]

Why not just filter up to the lights as normal?

[Ixion]

Granted. But (a) some people don't like to. (b) Cops are going to be watching these ramps closely, and don't always like filtering (c) in many cases they're going to have to make 2 lanes out of ine, and the lanes are going to be damn tight (d) cagers are going to get really pissed off when they sit for hours and see us filter past, which invites nasty stuff (e) why the hell should we be discriminated against?

[Karma]

Everyone is always descriminated against... that's life mate.

I see your point, but from what I read they'll only be having these lanes at like 3 on ramps, so it's not really that big a deal is it?

[Ixion]

Three in the first tranche of signals , early next year, followed by at least eight more in the next tranche. And more after that until all 61 are in.

[Pixie]

Flood the prick's mailbox with polite complaints.
Use the power of the internet

[Zapf]

Everyone is always descriminated against... that's life mate.

I see your point, but from what I read they'll only be having these lanes at like 3 on ramps, so it's not really that big a deal is it?

Yes 3 onramps for now... wait till they extend the program. Remember the cheese gaters?

Ixion, I think we need a strong voice for this. Something like a protest ride...

Also, giving trucks piority... thats great NOT. Encouraging more heavy traffic... they need RAIL!

[Ixion]

I reckon this could be a bit of an acid test for BRONZ too, it's a nice open and shut case. If they wimp on this one, they're probably a lost cause.

[Gremlin]

Safety: Bikes are vulnerable when in stop start traffic. Cars can easily run into the back of us when traffic is constantly starting and stopping. And what is a minor fender bender to a cage can kill us

Very true, closest I have been to being wiped out, was when a cager behind me was too late on the brakes, I saw him in my mirrors, and got out of the lane...

Need to careful about splitting on on-ramps etc, as the same overtake on the right law applies... Cops DO NOT like you going up the hard shoulder

hmmm I wonder if I should make a program to send enough messages to flood his inbox?

[phaedrus]

7. What stops motorists ignoring ramp signals and driving straight through?

Ramp signals look identical to regular traffic lights to avoid any confusion.

RUNNING A RED RAMP SIGNAL LIGHT HOLDS THE SAME PENALTY AS A REGULAR TRAFFIC LIGHT.

This will be monitored by police with CCTV camera surveillance. This also applies to solo drivers attempting to skip queues by using the truck/HOV priority lane.

hmm, they've got you stopped for a nice clear shot and have a camera pointed at you. Looks like these are your toll booths.

[Karma]

Very true, closest I have been to being wiped out, was when a cager behind me was too late on the brakes, I saw him in my mirrors, and got out of the lane...

Who said I was trying to break?