Discuss - Dedicated Freeway Motorbike lane?

[saCUL]

I had a great run along the Mitchell and Kwinana to Murdoch this morning. No accidents noted - unlike yesterday and many times previously over the past couple of months.
Unfortunately, a significant number of freeway accidents recently are involving us bikes.

As I cruised along the Mitchel noticing how wide the lanes are - which absolutely encourages filtering (which I readily practice when things slow to a crawl) I wondered about taking the bikes away from potential immediate lane changers and into a little private world on the extreme right of the freeway - space stolen from minimising the other lanes by maybe 75cm each.

If such a lane was used, and not abused by blasting along at unreasonable speeds, it would take away one grievance that envious car drivers make of motorcyclists breaking the law with impunity and would on the other hand emphasis the real advantage of riding a bike..

watchathunk?

saCUL



Black 2008 BMW K12OOS
Perth, Western Australia

[Desmo]

What makes you think you're so special that you deserve your own lane?

[out_in_front]

dont make sensible suggestions - they are not used in making perths road's safer... Speed is the root of all evil dont you know??

I would like to see it done IMO - the lane only needs to be 1/3rd to 1/2 the width of a typical car lane (so cars cannot fit in it) cost would not be that large a factor and it would encourage more people to take up motorcycling - which reduces fuel consumption, the need for parking in the city, road wear and tear, congestion etc

But as I said - it's too sensible for WA to use the idea...

[saCUL]

Desmo - come on I do ride a BMW :-P

[Cap'n James086]

I don't see a big enough need for our own lane. Sure it would be nice but I cant really justify it so I hardly expect a bureaucrat who makes those calls to justify the expense.

[Doug68]

What the free way needs are HOV lanes, the one in Houston I used to use had a wall on both sides, the direction of the lane switched between morning and night. Being in there was the only time I felt safe on the free way. See below which is the junction of the I-10 and I-45 and clearly not at peak time, in the middle on the ground floor are the HOV lanes.

[Wedge]

I could see it being abused a bit, hell I had a woman this morning move and drive in the bus lane on the Kwinana fwy heading south to try and overtake some vehicles..
All for a HOV lane or Taxi/emergency vehicle/Bike lane. Have used them in America and in Brisbane to good effect.

[I Fancy Holidays]

the lane only needs to be 1/3rd to 1/2 the width of a typical car lane (so cars cannot fit in it)

Cars would still use it.

[Taz]

great idea but not going to happen

[russkigreg]

^^ Park Centre, East Vic Park?

[Darkbyte]

I remember seeing mc/scooter only lanes in Asia (cant remember if it was Malaysia or Thailand, probably the former), they were about the width of a pushy lane and ran up the side of the main motorway. They looked like a good idea. The driver of the taxi we were in loved the idea and commented that in his eyes there were less accidents.

Seemed like a good idea

[Hooligan]

Anything which encourages more two-wheeled vehicles rather than cars has to be a good thing for commuter efficiency and government infrastructure. This would be a good incentive for more people to ride in if combined with an extension of parking facilities in the city especially.

Abuse of any such lane would be illegal along the lines of bus lanes now I guess. Sure some may abuse it and run the risk of getting done, same as breaking any other road rule.

It would definitely get my vote.

[The Mase]

IF there was to be such a thing (which personally i don't think we need, just more lanes on the freeway south, 3 instead of 2 at every crossing) what restrictions do you think would be put in place? "only to be use in peak traffic" "speed cameras along it" etc
and the state hates MC's, so why encourage more?

[Billy]

it would encourage more people to take up motorcycling - which reduces fuel consumption, the need for parking in the city, road wear and tear, congestion etc

even more so if we could manage to do it on one wheel.
but seriously, would be a nice perk to have but I don't see it ever happening in my life time.

[Drasius]

Would also mean that anyone swinging into the emergency stopping lane on most sections of the freeway (many parts have a section on the right as well as the left) would have to negotiate bikes as well, which people heree can't do even when they don't need to GTFO of the way of the rest of the traffic.

[XSorXpire]

I thought we had a lane.
If it's not the big wide one, then it is the one between the cars.

[mekon]

look at Melbourne's dedicated taxi/bus lane from airport to city. Every man and his dog travels in it. No one polices it.

[Rhino]

What the free way needs are HOV lanes, the one in Houston I used to use had a wall on both sides, the direction of the lane switched between morning and night. Being in there was the only time I felt safe on the free way. See below which is the junction of the I-10 and I-45 and clearly not at peak time, in the middle on the ground floor are the HOV lanes.

We had that when the Narrows was only 5 (or even 3?) lanes wide.
Now if someone would just dig up that pesky railway line, we can make this shit happen again!

[Waikikablukar]

Same idea i sent to Main Roads about 3 years. Won't happen and cars would still use it

[Deborah]

It's almost exactly a year ago that I made this proposal on this very website, well who's laughing now: