Motorcycles in HOV lanes - Petition and Protest! | GTAMotorcycle.com

Motorcycles in HOV lanes - Petition and Protest!

M

MarkR

Member
Forum Sponsor
You read it here first - I'm fed up with motorcyclists being prohibited from riding in Ontario's HOV lanes unless they have a passenger on the back. Not only is this dumb, but Ontario is the only jurisdiction in the entire world to have this ridiculous law. So I've begun an online petition here, and a Facebook page that links to it at www.facebook.com/MotorcyclesInOntarioHovLanes.

The plan is to get 50,000 signatures over the winter and then ride to Queen's Park in the spring and present the petition to the Minister of Transportation. Are you in? Then sign the petition and Like the Facebook page to find out about the protest!

- Mark Richardson
 
What about people that do not FB?
You do realize they will just laugh at you.
The general public do not like bikes, it scares them.
The Government do not like bikes because it costs them more in healthcare.
The Insurance company do not like bikes because it costs them more for accidents and bikers are much more likely to get injured.

So in essence you are asking people that do not like you to take up and support your cause/
What's in it for them?

My suggestion. You get a rolling convoy of bikes during rush hour am/pm and take over the roads but do NOT ride in the HOV lanes. Everyone proceed at 99km/h on the hwy.
Have some simple signs on your backs e.g. The Government forces me to ride in this unsafe lane. It has to be simple and catchy that said drivers will want you out of the way.

Do this about 10 times in a month and you will get their attention.
The problem with this idea is good luck getting 20 bikers to even start much less 100 bikers.
 
I thought you were able to ride in the HOV lane as long as theres a little motorcycle picture on the sign which they are slowly implementing O_O
 
There was a similar idea about raising our speed limits. It was met with intense hostility on these boards. No matter what the cause, even if someone had a full proof way of lowering insurance scams, certain members on GTAM will find some way to piss all over you.

With that said though, you've got my support. I just hope you keep going despite the hostile responses you are likely going to receive.

PLau said:
I thought you were able to ride in the HOV lane as long as theres a little motorcycle picture on the sign which they are slowly implementing O_O
Click to expand...

He is referring to the 404 most likely. I think it's utter ******** too that we're not allowed on it.
 
PSY said:
My suggestion. You get a rolling convoy of bikes during rush hour am/pm and take over the roads but do NOT ride in the HOV lanes. Everyone proceed at 99km/h on the hwy.
Have some simple signs on your backs e.g. The Government forces me to ride in this unsafe lane. It has to be simple and catchy that said drivers will want you out of the way.
Click to expand...

good idea. but you have a better shot at what OP suggests, than getting 50 bikers to ride 99 on a highway
 
I signed it. Not that I think riding in the HOV is our right or that anything will come of this, I just like the idea of riding HOV legally ;)
 
Signed. Although I doubt i want to ride in an open lane at 80-100kph beside slower cars. I'm sure plenty jump in during the day and cut off cars.
 
mimico_polak said:
Signed. Although I doubt i want to ride in an open lane at 80-100kph beside slower cars. I'm sure plenty jump in during the day and cut off cars.
Click to expand...


Yup.

It's illegal to cross the double white between ramps, but people do it anyways. both going in and out... and some even without a passenger.
 
Diamond lanes downtown are fine to ride in.
HOV's are not.


PLau said:
I thought you were able to ride in the HOV lane as long as theres a little motorcycle picture on the sign which they are slowly implementing O_O
Click to expand...
 
PLau said:
I thought you were able to ride in the HOV lane as long as theres a little motorcycle picture on the sign which they are slowly implementing O_O
Click to expand...
The City of Toronto looks after the HOV lanes on Don Mills Road because that road is a city responsibility - the City allows bikes to ride in its HOV (Diamond) lanes because it's pretty progressive with motorcycles and permits bikes to park for free downtown (for up to three hours).

The Province of Toronto looks after the HOV lanes on the 404, 403 and QEW because the 400-series highways are a provincial responsibility, and the province is barely aware that motorcycles exist. Bikes are not allowed in the HOV lanes unless they're two-up, and there is no move to change this - yet.
 
Last edited:
MarkR said:
You read it here first - I'm fed up with motorcyclists being prohibited from riding in Ontario's HOV lanes unless they have a passenger on the back. Not only is this dumb, but Ontario is the only jurisdiction in the entire world to have this ridiculous law.
Click to expand...

cars, SUVs, pick-ups... they're all subject to the same rules.
its a lane to promote carpooling, it is to reward people for bringing less vehicles into the city, thus reducing congestion on the roads, it may even have hte side effect of less pollution because of less cars. Riding a motorcycle alone does not do any of those things. So, why exactly do you feel this sense of entitlement?

Edit:
I'm not trolling, i'm just saying that just because you get a lot of signatures and start whining about it doesn't mean you deserve what you want. Bring them some reasons telling them why you deserve what you want. Tell them you fit the definition, that the vehicle you ride does solve the kind of problem that making these lanes was meant to achieve.
here is the HOV lane website... halfway down the page they have definitions, and pictures showing you what the lanes intend to do, convince them that motorcycles do that, and then you have a shot at getting it. http://www.mto.gov.on.ca/english/traveller/hov/index.shtml#whatis

Also, they seem to have taken a liking to "green" vehicles, they see that those vehicles provide a benefit to environment, and are rewarding people for using those vehicles by granting access to HOV lanes. http://www.mto.gov.on.ca/english/dandv/vehicle/electric/ev-green-plates.shtml

find some reasons about why you believe motorcycles provide some sort of benefit.

personally, despite regularly riding in HOV lanes. i think its perfectly justified not being allowed in them w/o passengers. even with a passenger, a motorcycle takes up a whole lane space, which could be taken up by a car carrying 4-7 people, if they all rode motorcycles instead that would be 2-4 bikes. motorcycles seem like an inefficient use of space in those lanes.
 
Last edited:
insert said:
cars, SUVs, pick-ups... they're all subject to the same rules.
its a lane to promote carpooling, it is to reward people for bringing less vehicles into the city, thus reducing congestion on the roads, it may even have hte side effect of less pollution because of less cars. Riding a motorcycle alone does not do any of those things. So, why exactly do you feel this sense of entitlement?
Click to expand...

Because 2-4 motorcycles = one car.
 
insert said:
cars, SUVs, pick-ups... they're all subject to the same rules.
its a lane to promote carpooling, it is to reward people for bringing less vehicles into the city, thus reducing congestion on the roads, it may even have hte side effect of less pollution because of less cars. Riding a motorcycle alone does not do any of those things. So, why exactly do you feel this sense of entitlement?
Click to expand...

油井緋色;1919145 said:
Because 2-4 motorcycles = one car.
Click to expand...

Point proven, but Id say more like 2-3 motorcycles = one car legally...
Forum Sponsor
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Back
Top Bottom