Why motorbikes and vehicles have nothing in common

This article (Why motorbikes and vehicles have nothing in common) makes some great points. Especially the argument that motorcycles are not cheaper than cars when you factor in the cost of the funeral and cremation. The article also makes the obvious statement that both cars and motorcycles are viable forms of transport. However, that motorcycles are only treated as a hobby form of transport - at least in Britain and other Western, developed countries.

Why are motorcycles only a "hobby form of transport"? My answer is because they do not have safe infrastructure to travel on.

"If you build it, they will use it..."

This article from Portland shows that, with regards to bike lanes, " if you build it, they will use it..." I bet that this same logic would apply to EMLs.

.......Remarkably, the results showed that although only 8 percent of city streets are equipped with any kind of bike infrastructure, 51 percent of trips were taken on them. To Dill, this means that most riders are seeking out such routes, even if they are not the shortest. “People are going out of their way to use bike infrastructure,” Dill said. Roger Geller, the city’s bicycle coordinator with the Portland Office of Transportation, is excited by Dill’s findings. “Basically it confirms the story we have been telling — if you build it, they will use it,” he said.

http://www.portlandtribune.com/sustainable/print_story.php?story_id=122402296838932000

Exclusive Motorcycle Lane in Vietnam

Here is a picture of an EML from Vietnam that shows scooters, bikes and small motorcycles adjacent to a highway with cars and trucks. EMLs are found primarily in Asian countries where large numbers of motorcycle riders already exist. However, as gas prices rise and road congestion worsens, the benifits of commuting via motorcycle/scooter/bike are being realized throughout the rest of the world.

The following link from the The International Road Assessment Programme (iRAP) shows costs and benefits of EMLs, including a 40% crash reduction: http://www.irap.net/toolkit/default.asp?p=treatment&i=86.

Scooters and Motorcycles in Bus Lanes

In the UK a three year study has shown that scooters and motorcycles can safely use bus lanes.



Petition to use bus lanes
By MCN
Politics & the law
23 February 2007 14:41
Riders can now let Tony Blair know what they think about bikes in bus lanes by signing an online petition demanding we’re allowed to use them.

The petition, on Number 10’s website, says: “We the undersigned petition the Prime Minister to allow the use of "Bus Only" lanes by scooters and motorcyles throughout the UK without penalty at any time.”

More than 1,000 names have already been added with five months to go before it’s submitted to Blair.

We reported last month that transport authorities in London were still stalling on letting us use bus lanes despite a three year limited trial showing it would not lengthen bus journey times or deter cyclists.

Riders’ rights groups say access to bus lanes in the capital is a key step to access across the country.