HOV Lane....fingers crossed everyone | Page 7 | GTAMotorcycle.com

HOV Lane....fingers crossed everyone

These threads always make me laugh, just beating a dead horse. The Transit/traffic problem in the GTA will never be fixed, allowing motorcycles to filter/use HOV will not fix anything neither will increasing the limit to 120. The infrastructure is terrible, our highway designs suck, and we have built more than our roads can handle. Highways can't be expanded or built, and too many idiots on the road are accustomed to driving 10 under in the fast lane or cutting into HOV lanes from a dead stop. As terrible as it is now its just going to get worse and I don't see any real solutions to fix it
Exactly.... I don't get why everything reguarding transport infrasture is so poorly impletmented in this city and around. Even the new stuff they are building is badly designed. Just look at the 412 extension off the 401 to the 407. Terrible no room for expansion, and the traffic there bottlenecks all the time, when before it didn't.
 
There is a lack of focus on public transportation and rail transport in order to take trucks off the road. That, combined with the requirement to commute long distances (from a functional perspective) means the highways/roads are overfull. From my understanding, there is no competing highway allowed to be built along where the 407 corridor as well, so that's not a possibility.

In order to make a reasonable impact to traffic and general transportation infrastructure, there would need to be a huge amount of money spend and expropriation of property to support that infrastructure. Given the duration required to complete a project like this, and the cost, the likelihood of this happening when we elect short term governments looking for short term results is very unlikely. Even if one government got started, the amount of money they would be spending in a short period of time would probably bomb their chances of getting reelected, and the next government would campaign on not continuing the project, or at least changing the scope to the point of making it unrecognizable, cancelling contracts and wasting a ton of money in the meantime. Massive expansion of rail, both for transportation and shipping would be needed, at a minimum. Changing municipal rules to stop the NIMBY folks from stopping highrise buildings from being built near existing GO Train stations would be required as well.

Anyways, regarding HOV lane use, I'd like to see bikes be able to ride in the space between the HOV lane and the standard lane (the /// area) as they do in California. You essentially get your own lane, and it's quite effective. Given that people SHOULDN'T be crossing this area, it should be very safe for bikes to use (I understand the reality is different, but that's an enforcement issue, because cops would rather hand out speeding tickets).
 
Anyways, regarding HOV lane use, I'd like to see bikes be able to ride in the space between the HOV lane and the standard lane (the /// area) as they do in California. You essentially get your own lane, and it's quite effective. Given that people SHOULDN'T be crossing this area, it should be very safe for bikes to use (I understand the reality is different, but that's an enforcement issue, because cops would rather hand out speeding tickets).
That's not a bad solution. A dedicated lane-splitting lane. Probably with markings to push you either left or right prior to the merge sections and then rejoin the splitting lane after the dashes. As we all know though, it would be deadly. As much as it's scary riding HOV with people jumping in, there is no way in hell that drivers jumping the slashes would safely check for bikes in the splitting lane (and nowhere for said bike to go to avoid the crash). Realistically, to stop that behaviour, the charge needs to be way higher (no need to reinvent the wheel, just issue careless or dangerous driving tickets to vehicles crossing the slashes).
 
"Sources at the MTO told MMIC this afternoon that the new HOV laws allowing motorcycle riders to use the King & 400 Series highways without a passenger are in effect now. Official notice will come out July 1st after the province has had the opportunity to notify the applicable agencies and change the signage." WoooHooo!

Post today from MMIC FB page.
 
"Sources at the MTO told MMIC this afternoon that the new HOV laws allowing motorcycle riders to use the King & 400 Series highways without a passenger are in effect now. Official notice will come out July 1st after the province has had the opportunity to notify the applicable agencies and change the signage." WoooHooo!

Post today from MMIC FB page.
Excellent news
 
Now if only there could be HOV lanes all along QEW ...
 
Now that we can use the HOV lanes, let's start lobbying for MORE HOV LANES. I mean, EVERYWHERE. Yonge St., 401 through T.O., Gardiner, 400 all the way up to BARRIE. Also want some kind of divider, like those flexible reflectors that looks like a fence but fall over when you hit them, like this:
0002819_delineator-posts-tubular-markers-1.jpeg
 
"Sources at the MTO told MMIC this afternoon that the new HOV laws allowing motorcycle riders to use the King & 400 Series highways without a passenger are in effect now. Official notice will come out July 1st after the province has had the opportunity to notify the applicable agencies and change the signage." WoooHooo!

Post today from MMIC FB page.
How reliable is this "source" though? If someone were to start using the lanes now would we still get a ticket? AFAIK if its not posted, doesn't matter what the "new" law is, cop will ticket you for whats posted at that current time. I'm no expert though.
 
How reliable is this "source" though? If someone were to start using the lanes now would we still get a ticket? AFAIK if its not posted, doesn't matter what the "new" law is, cop will ticket you for whats posted at that current time. I'm no expert though.
Everything put into law has an effective date, until that time it is not 'the law' and you would get a ticket.
 
OOppppssss. I was on the HOV from Burlington, QEW, then onto the HOV onto the 403 heading East. This afternoon.

Boy oh boy. Need to have your head on a swivel. Cagers obviously did not like me being there. No obvious threats. Today being a Sunday did not speed up travelling time. All lanes where moving fast. Had a few idiot cagers in the regular lane stayed pace with me and did not like it when I speed away. They dodged traffic lanes just to get back next to me. Idiots. Had fun though. Po Po where busy with all the accidents going West.
 
OOppppssss. I was on the HOV from Burlington, QEW, then onto the HOV onto the 403 heading East. This afternoon.

Boy oh boy. Need to have your head on a swivel. Cagers obviously did not like me being there. No obvious threats. Today being a Sunday did not speed up travelling time. All lanes where moving fast. Had a few idiot cagers in the regular lane stayed pace with me and did not like it when I speed away. They dodged traffic lanes just to get back next to me. Idiots. Had fun though. Po Po where busy with all the accidents going West.

Quite the phenomenon here in Ontario. Cars can't stand bikes getting past them. Totally enrages them. They'd rather run into you than let you past. We need a study on the hyper-competitive nature of Toronto drivers.
 
Sounds like it might actually be the reverse.
 
Sounds like it might actually be the reverse.

I do not mind anybody going past me. In fact I prefer it. they are my radar detectors. The situation yesterday was different as I was one up on a motorcycle. That annoys cagers.
 
I don't think I will be using those lanes until it is officially announced and the signs are up, and even then, only if the main traffic lanes are stopped or nearly so, and the HOV is open. Even then, keep speed difference down and be on the lookout for cars jumping lanes, like the situation that killed a rider on 403 last year.
 
Called the Ministry this morning. 30 minute wait. Called the OPP. They told me to call the Ministry. Then called the OPP. Talked to the operator. Who dismissed me. Talk about rude. Complety useless. Public servants. So cannot give you an update. Sorry.
 
I do not mind anybody going past me. In fact I prefer it. they are my radar detectors. The situation yesterday was different as I was one up on a motorcycle. That annoys cagers.
But from the sound of your post, it does upset you, at least as much as you think it upsets them.
 
Called the Ministry this morning. 30 minute wait. Called the OPP. They told me to call the Ministry. Then called the OPP. Talked to the operator. Who dismissed me. Talk about rude. Complety useless. Public servants. So cannot give you an update. Sorry.

They're all just upset that you get to use the HOV. Call your MPP for the answer.
 

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