Parking in Cycle Lanes

Gussio
Gussio Posts: 2,452
edited September 2007 in Commuting chat
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!

Comments

  • BentMikey
    BentMikey Posts: 4,895
    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
    Lbaguley Posts: 161
    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
    Clever Pun Posts: 6,778
    A friend mentioned that he spits on the door handle

    I'm not sure if it's effective or not
    Purveyor of sonic doom

    Very Hairy Roadie - FCN 4
    Fixed Pista- FCN 5
    Beared Bromptonite - FCN 14
  • Random Vince
    Random Vince Posts: 11,374
    i find a patch of mud and roll the bike over to make tyre tracks over the car.
    My signature was stolen by a moose

    that will be all

    trying to get GT James banned since tuesday
  • mikeitup
    mikeitup Posts: 99
    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:
    <a><img></a>
  • BentMikey
    BentMikey Posts: 4,895
    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
    RossC Posts: 38
    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
  • 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 :D
    My bike's an Orbea Elgeta from Epic Cycles
  • Ignore the cycle lane and ride wide enough to pass the parked cars (with door room).
    Friends all tried to warn me but I held my head up high...
  • ddraver
    ddraver Posts: 26,348
    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
    We're in danger of confusing passion with incompetence
    - @ddraver
  • 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! :wink:

    "on your bike" Norman Tebbit.
  • BentMikey
    BentMikey Posts: 4,895
    I don't mind cars parking in cycle lanes, I don't want to use the cycle lanes anyway!!!
  • dondare
    dondare Posts: 2,113
    Cycle-lanes generate conflict between motorists and cyclists (and, indeed, motor cyclists). They should all be painted out.
    This post contains traces of nuts.
  • 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.

    "on your bike" Norman Tebbit.
  • ddraver
    ddraver Posts: 26,348
    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! :wink:

    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
    We're in danger of confusing passion with incompetence
    - @ddraver
  • 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...
    *** Be careful out there 90% of cyclists are caused by accidents***
  • dondare
    dondare Posts: 2,113
    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.
    This post contains traces of nuts.
  • 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...
    *** Be careful out there 90% of cyclists are caused by accidents***
  • RossC
    RossC Posts: 38
    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
    dondare Posts: 2,113
    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.
    This post contains traces of nuts.
  • 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:
  • 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?
    \'Cycling in Amsterdam.is not a movement, a cause, or a culture.It\'s a daily mode of transportation. People don\'t dress special to ride their bike any more than we dress special to drive our car... In the entire 1600 photographs that I took, there were only three people in "bike gear" and wearing helmets.\' Laura Domala, cycling photographer.
  • whome
    whome Posts: 167
    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.
    Training, highway design and increasing cycle numbers are important to safety. Helmets are just a red herring.