parked cars in cycle paths

[ninjasocks]

the cycle path which i use for my long sunday rides has a section on it where the road is one way only for cars but bikes can go both ways on the cycle path. It is outside a pub, which is always handy, and a small recording studio type place. my problem is this, every weekend the cycle path on this stretch is used by morons to park their cars, forcing cyclists either onto the pavement or into the face of oncoming traffic on a very narrow road with a relatively blind corner! cars hammer down this section and it is really quite unnerving. what can be done to stop this? it is only a single yellow line where the path is, but surely cycle paths are no parking? its daft otherwise, daft.

[gar]

If you have got a cheap car, park it on the outside of the cycle lane., so that cyclists can get along inside the parked cars. If there is only one yellow line on that same side then it is not a police matter and there are no wardens on a sunday. I say cheap becoz somebody might hit
it from the other direction.

2) print out a notice saying "do not park on the cycle lane. Park outside it." POLITE NOTICE.

3) Hang about and swear at them as they get into their cars.

4) don't let their tyres down; it's broad daylight
and anyway it is not worth the candle.

5) Think of a better road marking answer and phone "highways complaints management"
to tell 'em what to do.

g

[Pedalling Pete]

I had this problem commuting. The cars parked in the contra-flow cycle lane forced cyclists out of their lane into the path of oncoming traffic. If there had been a fatality, the motorist would legitimately claim that the cyclist was riding the wrong way on a one-way street.

I discovered that the Traffic Wardens were not empowered to issue tickets as the obstruction offence was a police matter! And of course the police had more important things to do than take action to protect cyclists!

The solution was to raise the matter with local councillors (who represent you, after all), and with the Council officers (their Cycling Officer?) having responsibility for cycling matters at the council. My complaints resulted in double yellows being painted along the cycle lane. That allowed the traffic wardens to issue tickets, to back up the police action.

If the problem persists, then be assertive with your local councillors. You have the right to safe roads. If they fail to ensure your safety, then they are negligent in carrying out their duties. Complain formally.

[gar]

My complaints resulted in double yellows being painted along the cycle lane. That allowed the traffic wardens to issue

Cool. They should all be like that should they not? How often can one be sure that a campaign is successful, and that it is not mere coincidence?!... on to the next campaign!

Taunton city centre has a very similar problem with its bike lane, which is totally unuseable.
I triked on the pavement and they all politely gave way to me, all saying "Look out dear!"
Totally useless cycle lane.

g

[gerry]

Friend of mine went to police staion to complain that he had to cycle outside the contraflow cycle lane because of a parked car. After a few minutes of conversation, the desk officer said "So.. in a nutshell, you've come to confess that you rode the wrong way down a one-way street?"

[Pedalling Pete]

Maybe he should have responded to that comment by asking to make a formal complaint about the failure of the Police to carry out their responsibilities by removing an illegally parked motor vehicle.

[Andy Tallis]

The really outrageous thing is that some motorists complain that I ride on the road rather than a cycle track (which is poorly constructed and unsafe and has cars parked on)

[pinkfruitbat]

Attach a ramp feature to the front of your bike and cycle over the top. I am just developing the designs for a protor-type now- any takers?

[Mike Sales]

Dangerous parking is "blighting the lives" of some Lincolnshire residents, a senior councillor has claimed.

Almost 400 complaints about bad parking were made in one year, according to the county council.

Councillor Richard Davies said "reckless" drivers were stopping wheelchair and pushchair users from accessing pavements.

He said the local authority would ask the Department for Transport for "the powers to do something".

Mr Davies, portfolio holder for highways, said a total of 387 complaints had been made about parking with 20 complaints relating to HGVs.

"People are blocking pavements, blocking roads meaning people are struggling to get by," he told a full council meeting.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-l ... e-63954583

[geomannie]

I know someone who carries stickers with the text "I parked in a cycle way". They seldom use them but if the parking is egregiously bad, for example forcing them into oncoming traffic, a stickering may occur.

It probably does no good & likely reinforces driver hatred of cyclists, but it helps the person mentally deal with the shear frustration that cycle lane parking can induce. Apparently even just carrying the stickers helps.

[rogerzilla]

People buy cars or houses in the full knowledge they have nowhere to park. Cars end up stuffed absolutely everywhere. The Japanese system is better - only the very smallest kei cars can be parked on the street, otherwise you must prove you have off-road parking to buy a car.

[Barrowman]

I like the sticker idea. I once inadvertently parked my car on a car park BUT in a coach only area.
No fine but a big sticker on the windscreen asking me to take care in future on my return.
Took the best part of a fortnight to get the residue of the glue off the screen !

[drossall]

Is it a cycle path, or a cycle lane? If a lane, they are either mandatory or advisory. Slightly bizarrely, that terminology refers to cars, not bikes - motorists are barred from mandatory lanes, but only requested to keep out of advisory ones if possible. So they'd be entitled (but inconsiderate) to park in an advisory lane. We've got advisory lanes on the main road through our estate, which are used as extra parking for the station - although in our case it's not entirely a bad thing, since the lanes are of poor quality and it avoids any pressure on cyclists to use them!

I ask because painting yellow lines in a cycle path would be rather unusual, since cars aren't allowed in them in the first place.

[awavey]

the wording for advisory cycle lanes is stronger than merely keep out if possible, the highway code uses the phrase "unless it is unavoidable".

now to me that means the emphasis is very much supposed to be you only drive in them, or park in them as the absolute last resort, you dont use them as extra parking space for the railway station, or places just to dump your car because you cant be bothered to walk the few extra metres that parking in a proper car parking space would have made you do, and just ignore the lane, youve got have a very good excuse and reason for doing it, and thats not IMO "its quicker to pop to greggs to get a sausage roll." which seems to be the excuse the drivers who park in the cycle lane I have to deal with on my commute use.

[rogerzilla]

During Covid, the local council painted very wide dashed-line cycle lanes up one of the main routes into town. The residents just use it as overflow parking. The lanes seem to be unenforceable.

Ironically, it is a big wide road which used to be safe at 40mph. Then they put in central islands to squeeze cyclists and cars together. Then they restricted it to 30mph, which is totally ignored. Now there are cycle lanes that encourage on-street parking. It's a road to be avoided now.