# motorbikes in bike lanes
**URL:** https://fixed.org.au/t/motorbikes-in-bike-lanes/34510
**Category:** Pub
**Created:** [July 6, 2006, 11:55pm UTC](https://fixed.org.au/t/motorbikes-in-bike-lanes/34510 "2006-07-06T23:55:24Z")
**Posts on this page:** 13
**Page:** 2
### Author:  [@chromeo](https://fixed.org.au/u/chromeo)
#### Post date: [November 6, 2008, 11:14pm UTC](https://fixed.org.au/t/motorbikes-in-bike-lanes/34510/21 "2008-11-06T23:14:11Z")
it may also increase the number of people ditching their car in favour of motorbike as there might be a perception that it’s less dangerous.
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### Author:  [@p.m](https://fixed.org.au/u/p.m)
#### Post date: [November 7, 2008, 2:40am UTC](https://fixed.org.au/t/motorbikes-in-bike-lanes/34510/22 "2008-11-07T02:40:37Z")
does this mean they will be able to clog up the free bus lanes of hoddle st
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### Author:  [@nexus](https://fixed.org.au/u/nexus)
#### Post date: [November 7, 2008, 2:15pm UTC](https://fixed.org.au/t/motorbikes-in-bike-lanes/34510/23 "2008-11-07T14:15:32Z")
> [@\-tim](#):
>
> This all sounds a bit hypocritical to me…
> The thing that bothers me is that it may increase the likelihood the inexperienced motorcyclists and scooterists to sit on the left side of the lane/bike lane, making them an even greater liability.
It’s not hypocritcal, it’s unsafe, as you later point out, to both them and, moreso, to us bike riders.
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### Author:  [@tim](https://fixed.org.au/u/tim)
#### Post date: [November 9, 2008, 10:14pm UTC](https://fixed.org.au/t/motorbikes-in-bike-lanes/34510/24 "2008-11-09T22:14:39Z")
> [@nexus](#):
>
> > [@\-tim](#):
> >
> > This all sounds a bit hypocritical to me…
> > The thing that bothers me is that it may increase the likelihood the inexperienced motorcyclists and scooterists to sit on the left side of the lane/bike lane, making them an even greater liability.
>
> It’s not hypocritcal, it’s unsafe, as you later point out, to both them and, moreso, to us bike riders.
I get your point.
The hypocrisy I was referring to related more the aguments that were being made that had a lot in common to those made by car users.
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### Author:  [@Samuel](https://fixed.org.au/u/Samuel)
#### Post date: [November 10, 2008, 4:46am UTC](https://fixed.org.au/t/motorbikes-in-bike-lanes/34510/25 "2008-11-10T04:46:22Z")
Isn’t half the point of bike lanes because cyclists are unable to physically go as fast as cars? Motorbikes can… why do they need a seperate lane? Makes no sense at all.
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### Author:  [@nexus](https://fixed.org.au/u/nexus)
#### Post date: [November 10, 2008, 2:19pm UTC](https://fixed.org.au/t/motorbikes-in-bike-lanes/34510/26 "2008-11-10T14:19:39Z")
It’s the new wave of scooter riders that are the problem. They buy the things to cut back on petrol costs but don’t like (still) being caught up in the traffic. TOUGH!
SOLUTION: Buy a new bike !
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### Author:  [@tim](https://fixed.org.au/u/tim)
#### Post date: [November 10, 2008, 6:31pm UTC](https://fixed.org.au/t/motorbikes-in-bike-lanes/34510/27 "2008-11-10T18:31:10Z")
> [@nexus](#):
>
> It’s the new wave of scooter riders that are the problem. They buy the things to cut back on petrol costs but don’t like (still) being caught up in the traffic. TOUGH!
>
> SOLUTION: Buy a new bike !
Yep. And they expect to be able to operate it acceptably without any sort of training or safety awareness.
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### Author:  [@snowflake](https://fixed.org.au/u/snowflake)
#### Post date: [November 10, 2008, 8:01pm UTC](https://fixed.org.au/t/motorbikes-in-bike-lanes/34510/28 "2008-11-10T20:01:03Z")
> [@\-tim](#):
>
> > [@nexus](#):
> >
> > It’s the new wave of scooter riders that are the problem. They buy the things to cut back on petrol costs but don’t like (still) being caught up in the traffic. TOUGH!
> >
> > SOLUTION: Buy a new bike !
>
> Yep. And they expect to be able to operate it acceptably without any sort of training or safety awareness.
But it’s not entirely their fault. The rider licencing process doesn’t really provide adequate training, just like driver licencing.
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### Author:  [@horatio](https://fixed.org.au/u/horatio)
#### Post date: [November 10, 2008, 8:06pm UTC](https://fixed.org.au/t/motorbikes-in-bike-lanes/34510/29 "2008-11-10T20:06:23Z")
> [@snowflake](#):
>
> > [@\-tim](#):
> >
> > > [@nexus](#):
> > >
> > > It’s the new wave of scooter riders that are the problem. They buy the things to cut back on petrol costs but don’t like (still) being caught up in the traffic. TOUGH!
> > >
> > > SOLUTION: Buy a new bike !
> >
> > Yep. And they expect to be able to operate it acceptably without any sort of training or safety awareness.
>
> But it’s not entirely their fault. The rider licencing process doesn’t really provide adequate training, just like driver licencing.
Hey snowflake, are you a scooter rider now? :evil:
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### Author:  [@nexus](https://fixed.org.au/u/nexus)
#### Post date: [November 10, 2008, 9:13pm UTC](https://fixed.org.au/t/motorbikes-in-bike-lanes/34510/30 "2008-11-10T21:13:47Z")
Then training may not be adequate, but it doesn’t take much common sense to understand that a ‘bike lane’ is for bikes. Then again, they did go buy a scooter…!
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### Author:  [@kingsville](https://fixed.org.au/u/kingsville)
#### Post date: [November 10, 2008, 9:22pm UTC](https://fixed.org.au/t/motorbikes-in-bike-lanes/34510/31 "2008-11-10T21:22:05Z")
As a commuter from the western suburbs of Melbourne into the cbd, I guess I don’t really have a problem with motorbikes in bike lanes if…
1. the speed differential is not great. ie they don’t buzz me, or don’t cut in front from the car lane when I’m at speed. The bike lane is just another lane for traffic that is thinner (so that cars don’t fit).
2. they don’t queue in the bike lane. Whenever I get caught behind one at the lights and their exhaust pipes are angles up… right into a cyclists face.
3. they don’t block the bike lane in narrow sections that a bicycle can fit through.
So what are the chances of this wishlist coming true?!?
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### Author:  [@LAM](https://fixed.org.au/u/LAM)
#### Post date: [November 10, 2008, 9:32pm UTC](https://fixed.org.au/t/motorbikes-in-bike-lanes/34510/32 "2008-11-10T21:32:03Z")
> [@kingsville](#):
>
> As a commuter from the western suburbs of Melbourne into the cbd, I guess I don’t really have a problem with motorbikes in bike lanes if…
>
> 1. the speed differential is not great. ie they don’t buzz me, or don’t cut in front from the car lane when I’m at speed. The bike lane is just another lane for traffic that is thinner (so that cars don’t fit).
>
> 2. they don’t queue in the bike lane. Whenever I get caught behind one at the lights and their exhaust pipes are angles up… right into a cyclists face.
>
> 3. they don’t block the bike lane in narrow sections that a bicycle can fit through.
>
> So what are the chances of this wishlist coming true?!?
yeah, i wrote a list similar to yours, with added, no overtaking of cyclists while in the lane. and double demerit points and fines for offences committed while in the lane.
and then i deleted it all, because, at the end of the day, allowing motorcyclists (and you couldn’t only allow scooter riders in, because theres not much difference in real terms) in the lane, will not result in increased safety for anyone on the roads. it will just mean some people get to work 5 minutes quicker. and some scooters will ride into car doors and die, and some cyclists will give up riding because they find the scooters tailgating them in the bike lanes intimidating.
anyway, the whole thing is smoke and mirrors. it must be.
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### Author:  [@nexus](https://fixed.org.au/u/nexus)
#### Post date: [November 10, 2008, 9:47pm UTC](https://fixed.org.au/t/motorbikes-in-bike-lanes/34510/33 "2008-11-10T21:47:05Z")
> [@kingsville](#):
>
> The bike lane is just another lane for traffic that is thinner (so that cars don’t fit).
It’s not. It’s to separate the cars from the bikes so that it’s safer for the bikes.
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