Should new roads have motorcycle lanes added?

Artisan · Post by **Artisan** » Fri Jun 13, 2008 12:47 am

We all know about bike lanes but with gas prices being so high and the record number of rides being sold should we petition that new roads also have a half lane just for motorcycles and scooters? Maybe not for 35-40mph 2 laners but 45mph and up 6 lane roads and highways. Yes I know that cagers would still try to edge over on them but how about at least making the attempt?

Dooglas · Post by **Dooglas** » Fri Jun 13, 2008 12:57 am

The problem would be who rides in them - 50cc Hondas and 150mph Hayabusas? Doesn't seem like small scooters, big sport bikes, and Harleys would mix very well.

jfrost2 · Post by **jfrost2** » Fri Jun 13, 2008 1:05 am

I think a motorcycle lane is a bit crazy, if you needed to make a left or right turn you couldnt get over. I think the way the current roads are are perfectly fine. You just gotta play it safe and make sure you'll be safe.

Artisan · Post by **Artisan** » Fri Jun 13, 2008 1:11 am

It would have the same set speed limit as the rest of the road of course. If a 50cc can not keep up at a posted 55mph then they should not be on that road in the first place. And if you want to pass then get into another lane then come back in. Treat it rather like an HOV lane but for use only for motorcycles. Of course you can make turns ! It's not on a road just for bikes but part of it! To make your left get over just as bicyclists do all the time! And it can be lane for times when regular traffic grinds to a halt with traffic jams rather than dangerous lane splitting.

ryder1 · Post by **ryder1** » Fri Jun 13, 2008 1:15 am

Who will pay for the newly classified lane?

jfrost2 · Post by **jfrost2** » Fri Jun 13, 2008 1:16 am

Your paycheck's tax.

BuddyRaton · Post by **BuddyRaton** » Fri Jun 13, 2008 1:30 am

don't forget that ifyour scoot isbigenough forthefreeway you can legally ride the HOV lane solo.

I love passing hundreds of cars on my way to work!

Artisan · Post by **Artisan** » Fri Jun 13, 2008 1:36 am

Here I thought that with safety being a major concern on this forum the idea would be better accepted. They are currently building side roads out here 6 lanes were 2 lanes will do. They are putting in roundabouts at a million and a half a pop then discovering the angles are wrong and tearing them out. Spent 2 million in traffic lights last year and took them out for a cloverleaf project. This all within 10 miles of where I live! I'm sorry but an extra 6 ft of pavement and white paint seems to pale in comparison. Yet here I live off an interstate where I personally know ex Hells Angels fear to ride. Huge housing developements but no side or frontage roads to even get to the stores . It's a 7 mile ride on a PACKED 4 lane interstate before you can get on any side roads. To get to a work area at least 20 miles! A special lane...any extra lane would be a blessing.

Dooglas · Post by **Dooglas** » Fri Jun 13, 2008 1:57 am

Artisan -

Its not that we don't appreciate that you're thinking about how to give a scooter a break. I'm just not so sure the gain would make up for the safety risks of mixed speed vehicles in a 6 foot wide lane with limited visibilty and possibly parked cars to the right. I say this because I think that bike lanes on busy streets are also a mixed blessing at best. Are you aware of anyplace in the US or Europe where this has been tried with some success?

If we're mainly talking suburban Interstates here, Buddys are pretty much out of their league IMO. As BuddyRaton observed above, generally larger scoots and motorcycles are allowed to use the HOV lanes in those circumstances.

jfrost2 · Post by **jfrost2** » Fri Jun 13, 2008 2:17 am

This idea would be funded by all tax payers, even those who dont ride. Having a little lane on the side for 2 wheels only is a big waste if you cant even use it but helped pay for it. There are many many more car drivers then there are motorcycle/scooter, most funding comes from them, but they couldnt use these lanes, a bit unfair.

ryder1 · Post by **ryder1** » Fri Jun 13, 2008 2:34 am

I think if there is a vass invasion of scooterists, they will eventually take over the roads and ride the streets like Asians.

Watch out cagers, the scooterists are multiplying quickly and will take over the roads.

Post by **ericalm** » Fri Jun 13, 2008 4:40 am

Artisan wrote:Here I thought that with safety being a major concern on this forum the idea would be better accepted. They are currently building side roads out here 6 lanes were 2 lanes will do. They are putting in roundabouts at a million and a half a pop then discovering the angles are wrong and tearing them out. Spent 2 million in traffic lights last year and took them out for a cloverleaf project. This all within 10 miles of where I live! I'm sorry but an extra 6 ft of pavement and white paint seems to pale in comparison. Yet here I live off an interstate where I personally know ex Hells Angels fear to ride. Huge housing developements but no side or frontage roads to even get to the stores . It's a 7 mile ride on a PACKED 4 lane interstate before you can get on any side roads. To get to a work area at least 20 miles! A special lane...any extra lane would be a blessing.

This is just poor urban planning, but having been to Phoenix recently, it doesn't surprise me. I'm sure the intent with the 6-lane roads and roundabouts was to build capacity for the growing population. It was just badly executed.

The idea of a motorcycle-only lane is interesting, but I think it would do much more good on surface streets than freeways. On freeways, if the capacity is there for another lane, they're going to open it up to all vehicles to ease congestion across the board—not just to make 2-wheelers' lives easier.

I think making a case for this, you'd have to show how a separate MC lane benefits all drivers (and I'm not sure if this point can really be made). That's the only way it'd get any kind of attention or funding.

addictionriot · Post by **addictionriot** » Fri Jun 13, 2008 5:34 am

I dont think its a good idea. I think we (scooters & motorcycles) fight for the right to be considered a true vehicle.. ie cagers see us as just another car. They wouldnt pull out in front of a car or cut someone off as much as they do 2 wheelers. (Well some might)

My bf gets it in his head that every time he rides he lets cars go first at lights. If he is turning right he lets the guy turning left across from him go first. This disrupts the whole intersection. I tell him to pretend no one sees him but ask for the same rights as a car.

By adding a lane just for motorcycles its saying, pass me, drive like a bigger idiot, dont pay attention.

My .02

(forgive me for not making sense I know what I mean.. my co-worker is in serious need of a NEW JOB)

7eregrine · Post by **7eregrine** » Fri Jun 13, 2008 1:30 pm

addictionriot wrote:I dont think its a good idea. I think we (scooters & motorcycles) fight for the right to be considered a true vehicle.. ie cagers see us as just another car. They wouldnt pull out in front of a car or cut someone off as much as they do 2 wheelers. (Well some might)

1,000% agree. We have the same right to the road as anyone else.

jmazza · Post by **jmazza** » Fri Jun 13, 2008 2:57 pm

Artisan wrote:Here I thought that with safety being a major concern on this forum the idea would be better accepted. They are currently building side roads out here 6 lanes were 2 lanes will do. They are putting in roundabouts at a million and a half a pop then discovering the angles are wrong and tearing them out. Spent 2 million in traffic lights last year and took them out for a cloverleaf project. This all within 10 miles of where I live! I'm sorry but an extra 6 ft of pavement and white paint seems to pale in comparison. Yet here I live off an interstate where I personally know ex Hells Angels fear to ride. Huge housing developements but no side or frontage roads to even get to the stores . It's a 7 mile ride on a PACKED 4 lane interstate before you can get on any side roads. To get to a work area at least 20 miles! A special lane...any extra lane would be a blessing.

Wow that sucks. Definitely poor city planning. I don't think a special lane is the answer though.

Unfortunately some places are good for scooters (or at least those of a Buddy's size) and some aren't. It doesn't sound like a buddy is very practical for your particular situation. Maybe a maxi-scoot would be better.

What a drag though!

jfrost2 · Post by **jfrost2** » Fri Jun 13, 2008 3:09 pm

If we need our own lane, we might as well be considers 50cc mopeds with a max speed of 18mph and ride on the edge of the road so traffic can fly by us.

We have the ability to go 60+mph, we've been riding on the main road for a long time now, I dont see much of a point to add a separate lane.

Artisan · Post by **Artisan** » Fri Jun 13, 2008 3:30 pm

Thanks, great response. Just trying to get feelers out. I'm origonally from back east and have traveled (and lived) across most of our country. One thing that I have noticed is that road layouts vary greatly from area to area. Back east were I grew up I was easy without bike lanes to bicycle ride from one town to another with traffic. Roads were mostly 2 lane and posted at lower speeds. In rocky mountain area severe winding roads kept drivers alert and speeds down. Cities...well cities everywhere are a mess to drive in. But out here we are known as little LA. Rapid growth and roads are a mess. This is Not like old town roads back East or the Midwest. We have very few (almost nil) nice 2 lane roads here yet alone those that allow on road parking (mostly in old small towns), even new subdivisions are 4-6 lanes. Yet the interstate into the city is still only 4 lanes across. NO HOV lanes until well into the city. As far as safety is concerned those from the southwest will understand that it is an extra priority with the number of unlicensed drivers and the road rage we encounter daily on our roads. So this idea may not work in other parts of the country but out here in the southwest we have to do something with our traffic flow to make it both safer and faster for scooters and cagers alike.

illnoise · Post by **illnoise** » Fri Jun 13, 2008 3:36 pm

Lots of good points made against, and I agree. Bike lanes are great, and bicyclists deserve them, but scooters and motorcycles are motor vehicles and perfectly capable of riding in traffic.

I can picture a couple specific situations where it might be useful just to funnel two-wheeled commuters in and out of the city to reduce congestion, or as a bypass, but I'd much rather see that effort and money going towards parking resources and rider safety education.

Post by **ericalm** » Fri Jun 13, 2008 4:40 pm

illnoise wrote:I can picture a couple specific situations where it might be useful just to funnel two-wheeled commuters in and out of the city to reduce congestion, or as a bypass, but I'd much rather see that effort and money going towards parking resources and rider safety education.

+1

I actually have a lot of ideas for legislation and changes to municipal codes that would benefit riders. But these generally pertain to the two things you mention: parking and education.

As I've mentioned before, with the current scooter rush one of my big concerns is that safety and education are being underemphasized while ease of riding is being overemphasized. Of course, by the time anything could be done about it, the boom will have passed and it will be too late.

StL_Stadtroller · Post by **StL_Stadtroller** » Fri Jun 13, 2008 4:49 pm

A special motorcycle lane would be assinine. All we really need is:

1) Mandatory rider AND driver education
2) tiered licensing
3) legalize lane-splitting in all 50.

k1dude · Post by **k1dude** » Fri Jun 13, 2008 4:52 pm

I think bicycle lanes everywhere are a must. For the most part, scooters can handle normal traffic. The only exception I can see for scooters is on some high-speed critical commuter parkways (not highways) where it would be a death wish otherwise. These parkways often carry as much traffic as the main highways during the commute. Speeds are often just a little slower than the highways but are just as important for the volume of traffic. They are often used as detours when highway construction is going on. I would be happy to see scooter/motorcycle lanes on these surface streets to provide a safer commute. It would be a safer alternative to the highways.

illnoise · Post by **illnoise** » Fri Jun 13, 2008 8:05 pm

ericalm wrote:by the time anything could be done about it, the boom will have passed and it will be too late.

I was totally going to say that, too, but I know everyone's sick of my gloom and doom talk, ha.

illnoise · Post by **illnoise** » Fri Jun 13, 2008 8:27 pm

StL_Stadtroller wrote:A special motorcycle lane would be assinine. All we really need is:

1) Mandatory rider AND driver education
2) tiered licensing
3) legalize lane-splitting in all 50.

I agree, at least on 1 and 2, but It kinda sucks that the main forces behind motorcycle legislation in the US (ABATE and the AMA) are more or less *against* those two ideas.