City of Toronto HOV (DIamond) Lanes open for Motorcycles & Scooters. | Page 3 | GTAMotorcycle.com

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

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 : (
oops. I saw that the sign is very unspecified (showing only a bus)... each time now checking my mirrors to see a cop behind :evil4:
 
Does anyone know the rule on roads within the city (eg: Eglinton) that have diamond lanes, but do not show a motorcycle on all the signs?
I figure it should be fine to ride because it's no different than where the motorcycle is on the sign at other parts of the same street. Know what i mean?
I'd like to know the actual rule on that though.
 
Does anyone know the rule on roads within the city (eg: Eglinton) that have diamond lanes, but do not show a motorcycle on all the signs?
I figure it should be fine to ride because it's no different than where the motorcycle is on the sign at other parts of the same street. Know what i mean?
I'd like to know the actual rule on that though.

[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]On City of Toronto roadways with HOV lanes, all motorcycles and scooters with number plates can now operate along with other eligible vehicles in the HOV lanes when they are in effect ( i.e. during the weekday morning and afternoon peak periods) . With the HOV lanes situated next to the curb, safety for these motorists is expected to be improved.[/FONT] [FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]A motorcycle means a self-propelled vehicle having a seat or saddle for the use of the driver and designed to travel on not more than three wheels in contact with the ground, and includes a motor scooter, but does not include a motor assisted bicycle[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Once the existing HOV signs are altered to include a motorcycle/scooter pictogram, this change will take effect.[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]The City of Toronto HOV corridors include: [/FONT]

  • [FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Don Mills Road
    between Overlea Boulevard and Finch Avenue East
    [/FONT]
  • [FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Dufferin Street
    between Steeprock Drive/Overbrook Place and Finch Avenue West
    [/FONT]
  • [FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Dundas Street West
    between Etobicoke Creek and Aukland Road
    [/FONT]
  • [FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Eglinton Avenue East
    between Leslie Street and Cedar Drive
    [/FONT]
  • [FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Overlea Boulevard
    between Millwood Road and Don Mills Road
    [/FONT]
  • [FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Pape Avenue
    between Danforth Avenue and Millwood Road
    [/FONT]
  • [FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]William R. Allen Rd
    between Sheppard Avenue West and Steeprock Drive/Overbrook Place
    [/FONT]
  • [FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Yonge Street
    between Bishop Avenue/Hendon Avenue and Steeles Avenue
    [/FONT]


Source: http://www.toronto.ca/transportation/news/2008-04-30/index.htm
 
Thanks mate!
but what about the other sections of Eglinton that are west of Leslie st. that have diamond lanes marked?
 
I found out yesterday, that the HOV lane on Bay St. has only Bus-Cab-Bicycle indication on the sign... Is it not allowed for bikes???
http://goo.gl/maps/OuGpu

That's exactly like what I'm talking about!
There is no motorcycle on the signs, but all diamond lanes within Toronto city are open for bikes, right?
That is what I understand from what I've heard.
 
I've been riding the diamond lane ALL along Eglinton as well, but I'm curious about what the rules are for those sections.
 
So I'm assuming know-one really knows the definitive rule on the "other" diamond lanes within the city.....
 
So I'm assuming know-one really knows the definitive rule on the "other" diamond lanes within the city.....

See the originally posted bylaw PDF. You'll find this:

"The permitted use of plated motorcycles under this By-law in the reserved lanes under
By-law No. 132-93 shall take effect upon the erection or display of signs authorizing the
use of plated motorcycles at the location(s) set out in Schedule 1 to By-law No. 132-93,
as amended."


In other words no sign, no motorcycles.
 
Yup, I use the HOV lane even when there is no traffic so people get used to seeing single rider on HOV lanes. I have seen some drivers giving me a weird look when I use the HOV during rush hour lol
 
All HOV lanes in Ontario are now legal for motorcycles to operate in, regardless of number of passengers; 400 series or otherwise.

[/URL]
Well that's a craptastic webpage. I don't think they cleanly say what you stated anywhere on that page. I think you are right in your statement based on what they wrote/didn't write, but that now means that all Toronto HOV lanes now only require two people. I wonder if that was an expected change or just another oversight.
 
Well that's a craptastic webpage. I don't think they cleanly say what you stated anywhere on that page. I think you are right in your statement based on what they wrote/didn't write, but that now means that all Toronto HOV lanes now only require two people. I wonder if that was an expected change or just another oversight.

It's right in the main section:

The following vehicles have unrestricted access to HOV lanes, no matter how many passengers they are carrying :
  • buses of all types
  • licensed taxis and airport limousines until June 30, 2020
  • emergency vehicles
  • vehicles with Ontario green licence plates
  • motorcycles

And they talk about HOV locations:

Locations
Ontario has HOV lanes on Highways 403, 404, 410, 417 and the QEW.
 
It's right in the main section:



And they talk about HOV locations:
I was referring to the differentiation between municipal and provincial HOV lanes. They do not specifically comment on whether the HOV rules presented are only applicable to provincial HOV lanes. They constantly mention HOV lanes, but then only list the provincial roads with HOV lanes then muddy the waters by bringing up municipal lanes as an afterthought without commenting on the applicability of the law to them.

Q6: How are HOV lanes on provincial highways different from municipal HOV lanes?
Provincial HOV lanes are located on the inside (leftmost) lane of highways, while municipal lanes are typically the curbside (rightmost) lane.

Municipal HOV lanes operate in a different environment than provincial highway HOV lanes. The primary making frequent stops.
 
Hmm, yeah that's fair. I went to take a look at the actual HTA and it looks like the amendment has yet to be published (Regulation 620/05, made on July 1st. Their last update is from the amendments on June 13).

The section on HOVs states it is up to the Minister to determine which vehicle types, classes, designations, etc, are allowed on each HOV lane (the act explicitly recognizes Ministry designated lanes only for this purpose) but there are lots of other provisions as well that allow municipalities to set their own rules for municipal roads that are not recognized in the document. This supports why we have seen HOV lanes for motorcycles in North Toronto for a while now, and during the Pan Am games the Gardiner and DVP game lanes also allowed bikes. The latest amendment is likely to spell out all the details we seek. I look forward to checking up on it in, hopefully, the near future.

I found this link which gives a summary of the decision on when motorcycles were added to the allowed vehicle list: Highway Traffic Act - High Occupancy Vehicle Lanes | Environmental Registry of Ontario
 
Something to also note I suppose, throughout Toronto: many of the HOV lane signs have covers over where the motorcycle spot used to be. (Eglinton East/Scarborough, Dufferin north, and i think Leslie?) But I believe they are still applicable?
Lots of confusion...

Sent from my LG-H873 using Tapatalk
 
Something to also note I suppose, throughout Toronto: many of the HOV lane signs have covers over where the motorcycle spot used to be. (Eglinton East/Scarborough, Dufferin north, and i think Leslie?) But I believe they are still applicable?
Lots of confusion...

Sent from my LG-H873 using Tapatalk
Indeed.

I read this entire scenario as;

Provincial (major highways): Motorcycles go nuts
Municipal: Allowed depending on signage

That being said, i debunked the municipal charge/ticket in another thread. It's only a by-law ticket and no insurance impact. So, go nuts in Municipal if you don't mind the risk of coughing up a few bucks once in awhile.
 

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