Are there actually any restrictions on parking in cycle lanes, or are the markings just there to help councils gather points on their eco-friendly score card?
There are no signs that I can see, and the lane itself has a broken white line. If (hypothetically) a cyclist was injured by other traffic during the constant lane changes, could one of the owners of the parked cars be found liable?
And finally, having watched a cyclist accidentally snap off the wing mirror of one such car with his handlebar after a bus decided to squeeze past between him and oncoming traffic, is he liable for the damage? He just rode off (fair play to him, must have hurt!) but it set me wondering. I know in parts of Germany, if you're parked illegally, you're liable for any damage resulting from a collision with your car.
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Highway code rule 140 states:
Cycle lanes. These are shown by road markings and signs. You MUST NOT drive or park in a cycle lane marked by a solid white line during its times of operation. Do not drive or park in a cycle lane marked by a broken white line unless it is unavoidable. You MUST NOT park in any cycle lane whilst waiting restrictions apply.
[Law RTRA sects 5 & 8]
www.direct.gov.uk/en/TravelAndTransport/Highwaycode/DG_070308
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Parking restrictions are governed by yellow/red lines, and posts. Cycle lanes do not (yet!) take precedence over these. Where space permits, some cycle lanes go round the outside of parking bays.
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"Do not drive or park in a cycle lane marked by a broken white line unless it is unavoidable"
I do wish they wouldn't put such vague waffle in the Highway Code, what on earth does 'unavoidable' mean in the context of parking in a cycle lane?
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I imagine it means if your car suddenly cuts out, has a tyre blow-out, you are held up at gunpoint by a mugger, or you suffer a massive heart attack.
I don't think it means suddenly remembering you were supposed to pop into the takeaway to fetch supper, or buy your girlfiend an engagement ring.
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A dotted white line cycle lane, complete with signs, appeared in my parents roads when it was refurbed a couple of years ago. However they were assured they could still park there and there have never been any repercussions.
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Gone are the days when the majority of motorists (and cyclists!) abided by the law.
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The HC may say park in broken line lanes only when unavoidable but there is no restriction in law, apart from normal parking/loading restrictions, to comply.
If that were the case, our area would have very little on road parking around the main shopping area....there's little enough, anyway.
One long, straight road that I use has a slight variation. There are no broken or solid lines for long stretches but they have taken the trouble to stencil a bicycle every 20ft next to the kerb.......like after seeing the first couple, you wouldn't know what that bit of road was for !
Ted
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Outside my old gaff in a London main road there are dotted-line cycle lanes on both sides, which go outside the car parking slots also on both sides.
The lanes themselves are hardly as wide as a bicycle and so appear a mere formality adding to the mess of paint all over the roads and costing the taxpayer plenty without doing any good. But if you think about it, the effect is to make motor traffic leave more room on the nearside which must be the intention. Wary cyclists can thus use the space on the nearside of the motor traffic if they are brave enough. One real risk is of people suddenly opening the doors of parked cars as they pass. I can quite understand why prudent ones often use the pavement.
There are various recognisable categories of highly competent urban cyclists who don't need bike lanes (bike lanes are particularly annoying, expensive and space-gobbling in the West End where many of them are little used). My favourite of these categories is the local North Ken stunt nippers who will ride over the roof of your car if you don't watch out.
Alas though there are quite a few dreamy souls apparently set on a messy suicide. I'm terrified of them.
Last edited by: Armel Coussine on Thu 31 Mar 11 at 18:45
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>> Wary
>> cyclists can thus use the space on the nearside of the motor traffic if they
>> are brave enough. >>
That's the most dangerous place to cycle, because it entices motorists to pull past and then squeeze in having ignored or forgotten the cyclist. When I cycled in London the safest way to cycle was as fast as possible out in the traffic lane. This holds up the cars and forces them only to overtake as a definite manoeuvre when there is proper space.
But it's all dangerous in reality, and you have to be half mad to cycle anywhere now.
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>> Gone are the days when the majority of motorists (and cyclists!) abided by the law.
>>
>>
I know - I suspect I might be the only cyclist in Manchester that obeys red lights.
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>> >> Gone are the days when the majority of motorists (and cyclists!) abided by the
>> law.
In your day there was no motoring law. I seem to recall they used to run the man with the red flag down?
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Interestingly having just returned home after a week away a nearby road has been made the subject of an 'experimental cycle awareness program' which consists of pictures of cycles like the ones you see in cycle lanes but much larger painted all over the road. Looks like a load of cyclists flattened by a steam-roller.
Road is very busy and narrow at points and have seen some very dangerous overtaking of bikes on the road so I guess it may do some good.
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The local residents park their cars nose to tail outside their houses in the cycle lanes- yes they are edged by dotted lines. But where else can they park if they do not have a driveway? Other more sensible cycle lanes are bounded by solid lines and are typically on the wide footpath.
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Parking in cycle lanes - bathtub tom
