40Km sign in Bike Lane

Found a sign blocking the bicycle lane immediately south of the intersection of Main South, Ayliffes & Sheperds Hill Rds. I spoke with a worker who was polite and cordial - I also emailed through to DTEI <dtei.enquiriesadministrator@sa.gov.au> which I found via their contact page at a href="http://www.dtei.sa.gov.au/contact_us&gt">http://www.dtei.sa.gov.au/contact_us>;. Hope that was the correct email address to express such concerns.

Below are the text & images I sent to DTEI:

Hi

I would like to notify you as to a temporary 40Km/hr that was placed in the bicycle lane on Main South Rd in Bedford Park, immediately south of the intersection of Ayliffes Rd & Sheperds Hill Rd.
This was at about 10am Tuesday 14 December 2010.

I spoke with one of the workers and informed him that the sign was illegally placed and he stated he would let the traffic sign person know.

I am surprised that said "traffic sign person" did not know that such signage placement is inherently dangerous and thus illegal. I have included photos that also show the work crew in a "cherry picker" truck attending the over head lights and of course the sign that was completely blocking the bicycle lane.

I would hope that your department would disseminate information to such "traffic sign people" such that these kinds of dangers to cyclists could be eliminated in the first place. There were several vehicles behind me and I was forced into the vehicular lane. I was fortunate in that the car immediately behind me had the for-sight to slow to allow me passage - generally this is the case but some motorists are not so attentive.

Sincerely

Tags: bicycle, commuting, lane, road, sign, works

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Permalink Reply by Gillian on December 14, 2010 at 14:02

You should have tried Willunga main street today. Bike lane was absolutely full of 25 signs, witches hats and a very well fed dopey worker meandering across in front of me! I didn't have enough speed up on that section to play skittles with the hats :-(

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Permalink Reply by heather on December 14, 2010 at 14:37

Can you quote your reference where you gleaned it is illegal? This could help other cyclists when reporting hazards.
It is one thing to place temporary signs in bicycle lanes when other suitable locations available. If not, where should signs be placed? If on the footpath, the workers will argue that drivers will not see the signs. If on the footpath, could be a hazard for pedestrians or those needing more space for a mobility scooter.
There is an AC group of Get Out Of My Space that concentrates on sign placement.

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Permalink Reply by rossmg on December 14, 2010 at 15:27

Hmm, I was under the impression it was - I'll look into it.

Then of course any response from DTEI should clear that - LOL!

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Permalink Reply by rossmg on December 14, 2010 at 15:43

Quote from here which is a DTEI document titled "RfT_Template_Minor_Works.doc" - Section 1 General:

Unless specified otherwise, provision for existing traffic and pedestrian movements (including access to properties and local roads) affected by the Contractor’s activities shall be maintained at all times.

Clearly the bicycle lane was fully blocked and is an "always bike lane" bike lane - QED!

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Permalink Reply by heather on December 14, 2010 at 20:03

There is the possibility that DTE had forgotten again that cyclists are part of the traffic, and were only referring to motor vehicles and pedestrians. I recall asking Transport during an upgrade, to cater for safer cyclist crossing of multi-lane Fitzroy Terrace. Although they had noted the repeated breaching by drivers of four Australian Road Rules in this location (makes it harder to predict car movements when trying to cross), I was told no because cannot slow the traffic. Still trying years later to get safer crossing but this time it was Patrick Conlon, Minister for Transport, who vetoed.

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Permalink Reply by Gillian on December 14, 2010 at 15:00

The signs and hats didn't actually bother me too much at Willunga because I always give the parked cars on that stretch a very wide birth and usually end up in the car lane. The drivers aren't real bright down there. Bit like the road worker!

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Permalink Reply by JDL on December 14, 2010 at 15:55

Being a little pedantic worrying about this stuff... Going around a sign like that is just like going around a parked car, a fairly common occurence/skill for all road cyclists...

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Permalink Reply by Tony Hull on December 15, 2010 at 11:15

JDL

I don't think this is being pedantic at all! It's a sensible and understandable reaction to the unthinking actions of road workers and others of their ilk. I used to strike this problems constantly along War Memorial Drive cycling in to the city from Brompton when they were laying water pipes in the golfcourse. The speed signs were constantly plonked across the bikelanes. It was annoying and dangerous.

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Permalink Reply by Patrick O'Kane on December 14, 2010 at 17:22

I don't really have a problem with the 40km/h sign so much as the stupidity of having the 70km/h sign still visible 20m down the road. I see so many temporary traffic signs that defy logic, the traffic controllers clearly have no idea. Yesterday whilst driving onto the NExy there was roadworks, on the left side of the onramp was a 60 sign, on the right side was an 80 sign, I was confused.