Campaign to clear bike lanes

With more people jumping on their bikes as the weather is improving and "Ride to Work Day" coming up shortly, it would be a good time to have a push to stop motorists illegally entering and stopping in bike lanes, potentially endangering cyclists and/or obstructing them. I am sure many of you regular cycle commuters know of places where motorists regularly stop in bike lanes without any action being taken. I propose that over the next couple of weeks in the lead up to "Ride to Work Day", we make a concerted effort to report these problem spots to councils and the police. If we can get enough AC members supporting this, hopefully we can have a blitz on illegal stopping in bike lanes around the city that will change driver behavior that will make our cycling routes safer this summer.

Tags: advocacy, bike, cycling, in, lanes, stopping

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Permalink Reply by Stephen Battye on September 27, 2011 at 11:40

Ok.

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Permalink Reply by Patrick O'Kane on September 27, 2011 at 14:26

Wouldn't one ride to the conditions. If there are a "continuous stream of them" I'd be tempted to ride a lot slower than 50km/h or try another route. The car drivers may very well be in the wrong but they still hurt when they hit you.

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Permalink Reply by David Bowler on September 27, 2011 at 14:47

The point I am trying to make is that cyclists should not have to abandon the hard fought for, dedicated infrastructure when motorists illegally use bike lanes. Rather we should claim the lanes and get councils and the police to enforce the law in order to educate motorists that stopping in active bike lanes is just not allowed.

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Permalink Reply by Patrick O'Kane on September 27, 2011 at 15:00

I agree David, my point is being in the right doesn't lessen the pain. My number one priority is my safety, hence I'll ride to the prevailing conditions. it's easy for me as a recreational cyclist, must be a PITA for commuters though.

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Permalink Reply by Sam on September 26, 2011 at 14:46

parking doesnt seem to be an issue for me (i ride to work 5x wk) but cars pulling into the bike lane at red lights as if it is a left turn lane is an issue throughout the CBD area....

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Permalink Reply by Alasdair McLellan on September 26, 2011 at 14:50

This isn't helped by the fact that DTEI have marked a left-turn and cycle lane as THE SAME LANE in some places (see corner Wakefield & Frome, turning north into Frome from eastbound on Wakefield)...