Bus Lane fines - Harbour Bridge (Police Harassment/shameless Revenue raising)

(please read both parts of posting).

Sorry for reposting, but an important related issue:-

I have third hand info of motorcyclists being fined for crossing the "solid white lines" back into the Bus Lane just after the toll
gates at the northern end.

ie City-bound, if you dont have an E-tag, you cross from the Bus lane/E-toll lane, go thru the toll gates on the left then rejoin
the bus lane immediately after the gates.

There is a sign clearly stating Bus Lane just after the toll gates so first instinct is to accept the invitation.

Agreed with Simon, losing Bus Lane access is a major backward step. London bus lanes do not cater for bikes either.


-----Original Message-----
From: Simon Disney [mailto: XXX deleted for spam]
Subject: Police harassment/shameless revenue raising


Howdy folks,

I, along with about 12 other riders (that I saw while I was being lumbered), were pulled over and booked in the bus lane feeding
into York Street off the Harbour Bridge this morning at 7.30AM. (2/3/4) The cops were reeling us in and still reeling them in
as I rode off.

I have happily sailed past Officer Dibble before on several occasions as they were booking cars using the bus lane but this is
outrageous.

After the usual protestations- the cop said "mate, I'm not booking you for riding in a bus lane- I'm booking you for disobeying a
"No Entry" sign and trousered $127 as he pointed to a sign at the traffic lights that said Buses and Taxis only- 6.30AM to 9.30PM.
How long has this been there?

Now what really gets on my wick is that by the time you get to see the sign, the movable barriers in this bus lane mean you can't
get out of the lane, so it's like a Koori fishtrap for motorcycles because you've usually got a bus up your freckle. There's no
stopping, no turning around and no going back. And like I said- I have never been pulled over by the cops for using the bus lane
here before and I use it 5 days a week at the same time every morning.

This is shameless revenue raising at it's worst. As insidious in my view as fining motorcyclists for not having an Unleaded Only
sticker on the tank- despite the fact that you can't buy leaded petrol anymore.

I'm not paying this. I'm having my day in Court. And looking for a pollie to raise this with the Minister for Roads. Good thing I
know a few.

Enough is enough. Please let any other riders you know who got whacked get in touch with me. Hopefully, the six degrees of
separation rule will put a few people in touch with me so I can get a blistering missive.

Be warned. Apparently the bus drivers are annoyed at having to share the lane with bikes - or so the copper said. There have
been "complaints".

If this isn't nipped in the bud early, it will be the beginning of the end of bikes being able to share the bus lanes. I don't
really mind- as long as the government rips up the railway lines and lets me ride on the new dedicated motorcycle easements instead.
They don't seem to be much use for sending trains down...........................


Grrrrrrrrrr..................

Simon Disney
(M) 0408 161 466
Hornsby

 

he broke the law.. he got done, the problem is?

 

He does have a point when he states that by the time you see the sign there
is no exit point so you have no choice but to continue in your path.
However, if you've been riding it for years I think there would be a hassle.
If you can prove it was your first time, or near first then I think people
are being hard done by.

Cam
'03 954

 

The issue boils down to "the law is an ass".

Biggus, I bet you're not even color blind, you only see black and white.

 

In some contexts, yes. In this case it's not though.

It's really quite simple. The sign said "Don't go there".
He went there. He got fined. My question is not "What's
wrong with the law?" but "Which part of 'Bus Only' don't
you understand?". It's not rocket science.

His colour vision seems fine to me.

G

 

Yeah that sign has been there for years, well at least 1.
I can't remember what the road says, eg "Bus Lane or "Bus only Lane". But
if they allow taxi's then it should also allow Hire Cars and Bikes.

As for crossing the white line, Taxi's do that also... I wonder where they
were pulling them over as there is no where to stop without stopping peak
hour traffic.

--

Wocka
( '99 CBR600 F4 )
Now with added Staintune.

"solid white lines" back into the Bus Lane just after the toll

lane/E-toll lane, go thru the toll gates on the left then rejoin

first instinct is to accept the invitation.

bus lanes do not cater for bikes either.

lumbered), were pulled over and booked in the bus lane feeding

The cops were reeling us in and still reeling them in

they were booking cars using the bus lane but this is

for riding in a bus lane- I'm booking you for disobeying a

lights that said Buses and Taxis only- 6.30AM to 9.30PM.

sign, the movable barriers in this bus lane mean you can't

you've usually got a bus up your freckle. There's no

never been pulled over by the cops for using the bus lane

as fining motorcyclists for not having an Unleaded Only

pollie to raise this with the Minister for Roads. Good thing I

get in touch with me. Hopefully, the six degrees of

the lane with bikes - or so the copper said. There have

end of bikes being able to share the bus lanes. I don't

me ride on the new dedicated motorcycle easements instead.

 

oh once more with feeling:-

The other sign said "Go there".

See, the law is an ass.

 

Please confirm for me:

BUS ONLY = no motorcycles... ie BUS O N L Y ? yes?????

BUS LANE = taxi's, motorcycles and buses are allowed? yes?????

 

In aus.motorcycles on Wed, 03 Mar 2004 13:52:22 +1100

In NSW, yes. (hire cars with hired drivers, eg limos, are allowed in
Bus Lanes too I believe.)

The MCC is talking with various govt. bodies about allowing bikes in Bus
Only lanes and Bus Transitways. don't hold your breath though...

Zebee

 

(talking NSW here)

Yup. It's spelled out very clearly in the RTA's motorcycle
riders handbook. "Bus only" means buses only.

Bikes, taxis, yup. Maybe some others like hire cars,
not sure, but bikes for sure - that's in the handbook
too.

Bob

 

And rereading the post, once more with feeling - it IS a BUS LANE and was legit to travel in it.

BUS ONLY was never raised. Ctrl-Shift-F and search "bus only" if you don;t believe me.

The simplisticly silly analogy is that of being funnelled down a One Way street and being booked half way along because the ONE WAY
sign is reversed.... bit of a traffic jam too..

Or swimming across a river and getting to a small sign in the middle that states "Danger, sharks. Do not enter the water."

I'd draw you a picture but I broke my crayons hitting my head against the keyboard (they were stuck up my nostrils).

 

If YOU read it again, the post says "as he pointed to a sign at the traffic
lights that said Buses and Taxis only- 6.30AM to 9.30PM"

street and being booked half way along because the ONE WAY

states "Danger, sharks. Do not enter the water."

keyboard (they were stuck up my nostrils).

 

He does have a point when he states that by the time you see the sign there is no exit point so you have no choice but to continue in your path.
then take it to court.. Thats entrapment, even though its not illegal,
IM sure Mark Stenburg could help out www.lawstop.com.au

 

The issue boils down to "the law is an ass".
WIll always agree with that..

havent got my glasses on.

 

look at the bloke today got his life sentence reduced for KILLING 3
CHILDREN... one 6 mths old.. KILLED 3 KIDS, He got 3 life terms,
FUCKIN AWESOME!! The law works!

Umm then has sentence reduced and his excuse

"...that he was entitled to a discount because he was depressed at the
time over his limited access to the children."

ENTITLED TO A FUCKING DISCOUNT ON HIS SENTENCE??? WHAT THE ****?


http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2004/03/03/1078191369080.html

 

If I saw a sign saying Buses and Taxis only I would think it would include
Motorcycles just like Bus Lanes include Taxis, Motos etc etc. I giuess it's
one of those signs you don't quite study up on all the time in the handbook.
Atleast we know now!

Cam
'03 954

 

Take a photo if you can from where the entry point is pointing towards
the sign. That will show the court that the sign was not clearly
visible, and back up your claim that you could not read the sign from
that distance. Roughly measure out the distance, and draw a neat map
showing the loaction of entry point to the sign and the curvature in
the road and the bus lane and road barriers.

Not much use writing off to IPB as they won't do anything about it.
If you do elect to go to court, GO, otherwise if you are like some
people and forget/can't be bothered in the end, the magistrate has the
power to increase the fine (basically because you've pissed him off
and wasted his and the police prosecutors time) and award court costs
against you.

Write to the RTA first and find out when the sign was erected as it is
not a council sign. If the sign has been there sometime, I wouldn't
take it to court. If it is new, go for it.

Good luck mate. I ride the same route, only at 5.50am so I get there
before that sign kicks in.

Greg.

 

And if you READ the post, you have to reach the traffic lights to read the sign. There's no "BEWARE! Looney Sign Ahead, take
alternative legal route."

 

oh dear me! So that Ass won;t care much whether you;re a dentist or a proctologist Comin or goin, same diff.

 

Didn't you know you can use your FlyBuy points on a sentence reduction?