Parking in Cycle Lanes

Gussio

My commute has some sections of single lane road with cycle path and 40mph speed limits. Some of these are Red Routes and in almost all cases if a car or motorbike parks against the kerb, there is not room for a bike to overtake at the same time as a car. Timing entry into busy 40mph traffic streams is not ideal, nor is pulling to a halt behind the parked car and waiting for a gap. Wouldn't have to do either if there wasn't a parked car in the way!

Cars parked in cycle lanes probably annoy me more then anything else on my ride, because of the complete disregard for cyclists. Is there a law about parking in cycle lanes? If so, what is the penalty and has anyone ever heard about it being enforced? If I had more guts, there would be several cars in West London with shoe-shaped dents in their doors and the odd upended motorbike!

BentMikey

This is one reason why I hate cycle lanes. I normally negotiate into the stream of traffic fairly aggressively, and that seems to work well for me.

Lbaguley

Parking restrictions in cycle lanes varies - they will usually have parking restriction markings as well as the green paint - most have double yellows which the local council (via traffic wardens) are responsible for policing. Red routes are policed by the Met Police (in London). The usual penalties apply.

Clever Pun

A friend mentioned that he spits on the door handle

I'm not sure if it's effective or not

Random Vince

i find a patch of mud and roll the bike over to make tyre tracks over the car.

mikeitup

one of the roads I use has cars parked on the side of the road all the time. What did the council do? Put a cycle lane exactly where the cars are parked? WTF??
:shock:

BentMikey

Random Vince wrote:

i find a patch of mud and roll the bike over to make tyre tracks over the car.

LOL, that's actually pretty good!! Maybe white paint would be better, you could give them go faster stripes on their car?

RossC

Richmond Council, London has painted a mandatory cycle lane outside Kew Gardens but cars may park on the single yellow lane there for all but 2 rush-hour hours on weekdays, so most likely you wont know it's there, least likely actually use it. Still, there's a mandatory contraflow cycle lane outside parking in Ebury Street, London (where the ex-CIA ex-head of TfL used to live) which, obviously, cars cross to get in or out of the parking bays and it seems to be a good cycle route,. despite the ubiquitous builders around there

afctumike

Clever Pun wrote:

A friend mentioned that he spits on the door handle

I'm not sure if it's effective or not

Your friend must have quite an accurate aim if he's cycling at speed

Oddballcp

Ignore the cycle lane and ride wide enough to pass the parked cars (with door room).

ddraver

RossC wrote:

Richmond Council, London has painted a mandatory cycle lane outside Kew Gardens but cars may park on the single yellow lane there for all but 2 rush-hour hours on weekdays, so most likely you wont know it's there, least likely actually use it. Still, there's a mandatory contraflow cycle lane outside parking in Ebury Street, London (where the ex-CIA ex-head of TfL used to live) which, obviously, cars cross to get in or out of the parking bays and it seems to be a good cycle route,. despite the ubiquitous builders around there

I love that cycle lane........totally pointless

Wynne G Oldman

One of my pet hates! Doesn't it just annoy you! Cars in cycle lanes. Moving or parked. I'm not sure which type annoy me more. At least with the parked ones, they're relatively easy to negotiate. The ones that gradually pull into the side of you, or see you in their mirror, and intentionally pull nearer to the kerb to prevent you from getting past them, are even more of a danger. More than one of this type has incurred my wrath before!

BentMikey

I don't mind cars parking in cycle lanes, I don't want to use the cycle lanes anyway!!!

dondare

Cycle-lanes generate conflict between motorists and cyclists (and, indeed, motor cyclists). They should all be painted out.

Wynne G Oldman

I quite like cycle lanes. I commute from Bury to Trafford Park, in Manchester, and I tend to feel a lot safer using the cycle lanes, as motorists in general keep out of them, giving me much more room. The cycle lanes in Trafford Park are mainly dedicated, off the roads. You may not be able to travel as quickly on them as you would on the road, but you're not mixing with all the HGV's that are traveling at 40mph. I don't like using them on roundabouts though. You tend to get cut up by some motorists, as you pass the exits.

ddraver

Wynne G Oldman wrote:

One of my pet hates! Doesn't it just annoy you! Cars in cycle lanes. Moving or parked. I'm not sure which type annoy me more. At least with the parked ones, they're relatively easy to negotiate. The ones that gradually pull into the side of you, or see you in their mirror, and intentionally pull nearer to the kerb to prevent you from getting past them, are even more of a danger. More than one of this type has incurred my wrath before!

a well placed comment on their penis size goes down well here - seeing as its all about proving whos the bigger man and they ALWAYS loose, just go round the back and on the outside

neilg4rqn

I've often wondered why they are called "cycle lanes" because they are not there for the benefit of cyclists but really for the benefit of motorists by keeping us out of the way. Last time I encountered a van on a contra-flow path just as the driver was about to leave I forced him to manouver around me before he could get going, satisfaction in a small way!
Liked the one about gobbing on the door handles - much better if you can make the front window...

dondare

Cycle-lanes are supposed to benefit cyclists by encouraging people to cycle instead of drive, therefore reducing the number of cars on the road. They confer no benefit in themselves, and are frequently harmful.
A well-designed road does not need a cycle-lane.

neilg4rqn

Very true DonDare - I suppose I was really reffering to those 'political' cycle paths, you know the ones that do little more than allow the council or whoever to say "we are creating facilities for cyclists".
end of rant...

RossC

dondare wrote:

Cycle-lanes generate conflict between motorists and cyclists (and, indeed, motor cyclists). They should all be painted out.

I heard recently that 'someone' said they have increased the number of cyclists (perhaps just in London) without actually making cycling safer - I cant remember who and how they worked it out

there must be some that are useful (if respected)

dondare

Cycle-lanes and cycle paths are supposed to encourage people to cycle instead of driving,and perhaps they do. On one hand it is reprehensible to encourage people to use these facilities when the roads would actually be safer, but since any cycling confers benefits both to those who do it and to society generally then they can be justified on these grounds.
But a well designed road is safer, by far, than one with a cycle-lane or shared-use path alongside, and a better way to encourage cycling would be to let everyone know that it is not that dangerous, rather than pretend that it is dangerous but that issue is being tackled by the provision of cycle-lanes.

donnie murdo

I know it's wrong and I know the law.

But on occasion I have felt an overwhelming need to remove these cars wing mirrors.

:oops:

Cyclegent

RossC wrote:

Richmond Council, London has painted a mandatory cycle lane outside Kew Gardens but cars may park on the single yellow lane there for all but 2 rush-hour hours on weekdays, so most likely you wont know it's there, least likely actually use it. Still, there's a mandatory contraflow cycle lane outside parking in Ebury Street, London (where the ex-CIA ex-head of TfL used to live) which, obviously, cars cross to get in or out of the parking bays and it seems to be a good cycle route,. despite the ubiquitous builders around there

What is a mandatory cycle lane? I thought a recent test case in the courts had rejected the concept?

whome

Mandatory for motor vehicles to keep out of, not mandatory for cycles. i.e. the ones with solid lines like a bus lane.

Advisory lanes are just advisory (to motor vehicles), often used where the cars will have to encroach.

Unfortunately I don't think these terms appear in the Highway code, but AFAIK they are official terminology.

All cycles lanes in UK (not Ireland though I hear) are at the cyclists discretion.