City of Toronto HOV (DIamond) Lanes open for Motorcycles & Scooters.

[unL33T]

Last Wednesday I was in TO and there were so many people in the HOV lane that it wasn't any faster than the other lanes. I saw 3 cruisers on that road and still no one was getting pulled over for using those lanes when they shouldn't have been. I can't remember what road it was but the sign indicated only buses, taxis, and cyclists and it was full of people in SUVs and cars.

[vkhamphi]

Last Wednesday I was in TO and there were so many people in the HOV lane that it wasn't any faster than the other lanes. I saw 3 cruisers on that road and still no one was getting pulled over for using those lanes when they shouldn't have been. I can't remember what road it was but the sign indicated only buses, taxis, and cyclists and it was full of people in SUVs and cars.

I spent the entire summer going down the length of Don Mills in the HOV lane and I found it too dangerous. Too many cagers using it as a passing lane to skip ahead 5 cars then back into their lanes only to repeat again further down. I prefer the stop and go on the DVP.

[Acuratech]

That's a good thing, I think. Maybe sharing lanes with taxi's is not a good thing. They always want to be out in front no matter what and are forever making U turns at any given point.

Has anyone noticed all the major highway over pass display signs lately. 400 series highways are all displaying watch out for motorcycles for the past 4 weeks.

[Sher]

yep, saw it last saturday going westbound on the 401 collectors, right before mcCowan.

[bigbody300]

this is great!

[bassguitar]

Too bay Bay St. isn't on that list!
I saw two bicycle cops giving tickets out just south of Queen St. last week. Lucky I saw them and got over to the right lane.

[baz]

Cause your actions help solve everything. Way to draw more attention to negitive views of motorcycles.

Relax, he was just applying a little lesson to an idiot cager. I wish we could all drop this cringing terror of what the 'public' might say about motorcycles if we offend them in the slightest way. Screw the cagers. If they act like a-holes, they deserve to be told. With fuel costs and environmental concerns, two-wheel machines are here to stay and really, they always have been. Too many cops, politicians and media big shots ride bikes for them to ever go anywhere within a million miles of being banned. As North America loses its security blanket of isolation and becomes more global, bikes and scooters will become far more common. It's the big SUVs, minivans and land-barge passenger cars that are destined to become extinct. So go ahead and apply those lessons to the idiot cagers. I've taught English in 8 different major cities in Europe and Asia and Lord knows, I have never seen the mind-boggling stupidity, incompetence and plain nastiness displayed by GTA drivers. Anyway, that's my rant and I'm stickin' to it.

[cbrugman]

Saw a bunch of bikes in the HOV on the 404 today. Have they opened that up now?

[Rob MacLennan]

No. Provincial HOV lanes do not permit single passenger bikes.

[Elena P.]

Dufferin, from Sheppard to Finch - it used to be HOV lave with bike access allowed. Today I've noticed that they changed it - now it is bus only lane.
Life sucks : (

[Gixxer6]

Not too sure why anyone would want to ride behind buses or in the vacinity of cabbies (by and large the worst drivers on the road) seems both dangerous and nauseating.

[toastywaffles]

naa the HOV's are great. I take Don Mills the whole way down each day and I'm always thankful because it's usually bumper to bumper cars in the other lanes till York Mills or so. Just need to be on guard when going through greens (left turners go when traffic is stuck) and know where the buses typically stop.

Sure, there are PLENTY of 'I-don't-care' single occupancy cars that end up using the HOV, (what I've seen many do is turn their right-turn indicator on and just before they get to a street, turn it off and turn it on again once they pass it.) but it still saves me considerable time both ways... and no, I've never had a single problem with taxi's or buses.

[vkhamphi]

Anyone notice they are installing HOV lanes in the southbound DVP? wonder if it will be City of Toronto rules line the other Diamond lanes in Toronto.

[Comrade Yeti]

Anyone notice they are installing HOV lanes in the southbound DVP? wonder if it will be City of Toronto rules line the other Diamond lanes in Toronto.

GO Bus only.... at least that was the plan:
http://www.torontosun.com/news/toron.../13926446.html

[Politicalobservor]

what is the price of the BMW and need specs?

[sylvain]

Being allowed on Toronto diamond lanes is nice... but the 404 and other highways would be even better (at least for me). Given the highways are provincial and elections are coming, is it time for riders to organize and start writing to our MPs?

I'll send my note this afternoon.

[Rob MacLennan]

Being allowed on Toronto diamond lanes is nice... but the 404 and other highways would be even better (at least for me). Given the highways are provincial and elections are coming, is it time for riders to organize and start writing to our MPs?

I'll send my note this afternoon.

Write to the PCs or NDP. The Liberals have already stated that it isn't gonna happen.

[craygun]

I really wish they would open up the lanes on Bay St. to bikes. I hate riding down from Bloor (to Dundas), minding the law while some a**hat flies down in his Acura/MB/BMW SUV to skip ahead a few cars.

[Salos Dafee]

FYI, the federal standard in the United States is that motorcycles are allowed to use HOV lanes.
(Yes, I know this thread covers Toronto, but some of you may want to know the situation to the south.)

Here is the situation, according to
http://ops.fhwa.dot.gov/freewaymgmt/faq.htm#faq15

Why are motorcycles allowed in some HOV lanes?
Motorcycles are permitted by federal law to use HOV lanes, even with only one passenger. The rationale behind allowing motorcycles to use HOV lanes is that it is safer to keep two-wheeled vehicles moving than to have them travel in start-and-stop traffic conditions. States can choose to override this provision of federal law, if they determine that safety is at risk.

What this means to me is that every motorcycle can use every HOV lane in the USA, except lanes where a state has chosen to erect a sign prohibiting motorcycles. Specifically, I do not much like riding on I-77 through Charlotte NC, but I sometimes do it. OK, there is a HOV lane through most of the city, and I prefer to use every inch of it in both directions. You are welcome to do the same, or not, as you choose.

[Rob MacLennan]

FYI, the federal standard in the United States is that motorcycles are allowed to use HOV lanes.
(Yes, I know this thread covers Toronto, but some of you may want to know the situation to the south.)

Here is the situation, according to
http://ops.fhwa.dot.gov/freewaymgmt/faq.htm#faq15

Why are motorcycles allowed in some HOV lanes?
Motorcycles are permitted by federal law to use HOV lanes, even with only one passenger. The rationale behind allowing motorcycles to use HOV lanes is that it is safer to keep two-wheeled vehicles moving than to have them travel in start-and-stop traffic conditions. States can choose to override this provision of federal law, if they determine that safety is at risk.

What this means to me is that every motorcycle can use every HOV lane in the USA, except lanes where a state has chosen to erect a sign prohibiting motorcycles. Specifically, I do not much like riding on I-77 through Charlotte NC, but I sometimes do it. OK, there is a HOV lane through most of the city, and I prefer to use every inch of it in both directions. You are welcome to do the same, or not, as you choose.

I wouldn't rely on this, as it's State purview. It can also be overridden within urban areas, where cities are responsible for road construction.

in other words don't do it, unless you know the area you're in permits it.