PhilipMSPT

iTrader: (5)

Motorcycle Lanes reduce fatalities by 90 percent
Friday, 16 April 2010
News Link


A simple change in how traffic uses the road has significantly decreased motorcycle accidents and fatalities according to Malaysian officials.

Studying motorcycle lanes introduced in the cities of in Kuala Lumpur and Klang, a three year study found. Officials noted that it appears motorcycle lanes can help reduce fatalities among motorcyclists and pillion riders by up to 90 percent.

"That's why motorcycle lanes should be provided. By separating motorcycles from other vehicles, the accident rate in the country can be reduced," Road Safety Department director-general Datuk Suret Singh told reporters yesterday.

Internationally, motorcycle safety experts are applauding the Malaysian efforts, but how the system can be used in other regions such as North America and Europe are not known.

Many road users in countries such as Malaysia use smaller sized engine motorcycles and scooters as their main form of transportation. Testing and licensing standards also differ.

Even the differences in highway infrastructure were highlighted in a statement by the Road Safety Department director-general yesterday.

"We are also in the midst of tackling other problems involving motorcycle lanes because some of them are found to be infested with stray dogs, poorly lit and obstructed by trees," he said.



Can it work in the U.S?

What do you think?

bagwell

that's the main reason I don't ride on the street anymore....I'm too scared some fool will not see me and bye-bye. I had enough close calls.

I say bring it.

IS-SV

It could be helpful, but sounds very expensive to implement in the US.

I personally no longer ride on the street, too unsafe IMO.

rominl

iTrader: (4)

car pool lane is supposed to be for cars meeting certain criteria too, and in CA most of the time it's only at certain region you can get in and out.

but you see people violating all the time, that's the main problem. having a bike lane will be expensive, but main idea is still to keep people out of it

4TehNguyen

iTrader: (1)

i can see this working easily. I dont think it will be easy to get large amounts of highway with motorcycle only lanes. That sucks up a disproportionate amount of lane space for use on a small % of people. Here you can ride in the HOV lanes even if you are single rider.

RX300-BV

One of the things they have done in SoCal, specifically in Orange County has been to make some of the carpool lanes completely accessible, no double yellows. Cars can enter and exit at any point. From casual observation, it does seem to have improved the traffic flow compared to some other HOV lanes where the one exit right before the next freeway interchange is just all bottlenecked. It does make you more vigilant since a car may enter/exit at any point. I'd be curious to see a study that confirms better traffic flow and less car and motorcycle accidents.

bagwell

that's only on 1 stretch of I-10 and they make you pay if you're a single rider in the HOV (right?)

rominl

iTrader: (4)

same idea has been used in norcal for a very very long time (no double yellow lines for car pools), and it's worked quite ok, but then norcal people don't drive as aggressively as socal. aggressiveness a lot of times become the problem, and yes, getting in and out always make it more "stressful" when it can happen randomly

geko29

Easy....don't make it wide enough for a car. You can't do that with an HOV lane, but motorcycles are narrow, and you only have to make the bike lane wide enough to make riders comfortable. They don't have to be the standard 8-10 foot; 3 would probably do.

rominl

iTrader: (4)

lol you gotta see how some crazy CA drivers get on shoulders just to pass. a 3 ft bike lane would seem to be a much more "interesting" challenge for them to attempt, haha

CK6Speed

iTrader: (1)

Sounds like a good idea, but the roads in my state are already too narrow with the lanes themselves often narrower than the mainland, so I don't see how they could fit another motorcycle lane (Even if it is a narrower still) to the roads we have now. There is just not enough room. They already keep condemning peoples yards to widen the freeways and roadways as it is. Pretty soon the freeway will be right at the peoples front door. My opinion is there just isn't enough people riding motorcycles at this time, nor is there enough space to make a dedicated lane for them.

Also, I rode a moped to work before. Sure it only went up to 50 MPH and I rode them on city streets, but I would be afraid to ride a full sized motorcycle at speed in a 3 foot lane. It was bad enough riding 35-40 MPH on full sized city streets. I can't imagine any motorcyclist feeling comfortable in a 3 foot lane.

jaseman

Totally agree.

Would be nice to have MC only lanes, but this isn't SE Asia or India, where motorcycles are the primary transportation for a large percentage of the population.

The other problem, as I see it, is that here in the U.S., most accidents are not on the highways, but around town. Especially intersections, where people blindly turn in front of oncoming riders.

TJW98LS

iTrader: (1)

I say implement it. I've had too many friends wreck their cycles because someone else isn't paying attention. Instead of a 3ft Lane, make it more like 5ft Lane - Not quite big enough for Today's SUV's/Trucks, but gives the rider and other drivers on the road enough room to maneuver their vehicles, reducing chance of contact between the motorcycle and standard vehicle lanes.

rinthiran

BTW, most of the Malaysian motorcycle-only freeway lanes in Kuala Lumpur and the surrounding metropolitan areas are actually separate roads from the freeway and are often times only 4-5 feet wide in each direction. No chance for a car to get there on those roads. HOWEVER, where there are major freeways with motorcycle-only lanes, I doubt the statistic still holds true. Malaysians (including myself driving in Malaysia) about never stay in our lane and no one bothers to wear any riding gear other than an open-face helmet.

4TehNguyen

iTrader: (1)

any HOV they let you ride in single, Tolls are a different thing. I've seen motorcycles ride in the 59 HOVs a lot as well when I went to school