How is it not an offence to park in a cycle lane? (At least in Leicester)

[Markymark]

No they are not "do not enter lines", I just think that cycle lanes (as poor as most are) should be made safe. I don't think it's an unreasonable expectation.

Ring 101 and report it like I did.

 

[vickster]

No they are not "do not enter lines", I just think that cycle lanes (as poor as most are) should be made safe. I don't think it's an unreasonable expectation.

Were they parked illegally? i.e. is parking permitted there at that time of day / in those circumstances

If it's a dotted line cycle lane and the council permit parking, all you can do is lobby your council, MP, get involved with the local cycling campaign. It is illegal to park on the pavement unless otherwise indicated so that should rightly be enforced

I don't know where cars would park in residential areas if all were double yellow lined where there is a cycle lane. Where would disabled parking be situated for example

Unfortunately, in the UK, cars and bikes share extremely limited road space in the UK, and we are not always happy bedfellows as I found out on Sunday (I drive too)

 

[Cyclopathic]

Were they parked illegally? i.e. is parking permitted there at that time of day / in those circumstances

If it's a dotted line cycle lane and the council permit parking, all you can do is lobby your council, MP, get involved with the local cycling campaign. It is illegal to park on the pavement unless otherwise indicated so that should rightly be enforced

I don't know where cars would park in residential areas if all were double yellow lined where there is a cycle lane. Where would disabled parking be situated for example

Unfortunately, in the UK, cars and bikes share extremely limited road space in the UK, and we are not always happy bedfellows as I found out on Sunday (I drive too)

Under the current rules they are not parked illegally. I just think that the current rules should be changed. It seems obvious to me that this should be the case. I also drive and have done for years but I wouldn't park in a cycle lane. It's dangerous, inconsiderate and frankly rude.

 

[totallyfixed]

No they are not "do not enter lines", I just think that cycle lanes (as poor as most are) should be made safe. I don't think it's an unreasonable expectation.

It is in Leicester, car city.

 

[MisterStan]

I've tried this but lack finesse and just ended up with snot all over my chin. Suave.

Stop and wipe it on the offending car - problem solved.

 

[oldstrath]

Were they parked illegally? i.e. is parking permitted there at that time of day / in those circumstances

If it's a dotted line cycle lane and the council permit parking, all you can do is lobby your council, MP, get involved with the local cycling campaign. It is illegal to park on the pavement unless otherwise indicated so that should rightly be enforced

I don't know where cars would park in residential areas if all were double yellow lined where there is a cycle lane. Where would disabled parking be situated for example

They wouldn't - owning a car would be harder and more expensive - to my mind, this would be a very good thing. Ok, there'd need to be exceptions for disabled people, but not that many.

 

[Joey Shabadoo]

The other thing is the effect pavement parking has on the disabled using scooters or electric wheelchairs. There's been a couple of times now my wife's been stopped in her tracks and had to return home because she couldn't get past a badly parked car.

 

[vickster]

@Cyclopathic Time to start lobbying the authorities for rules change. Unfortunately discussion on a cycling forum won't achieve change

 

[Sara_H]

Theres a segregated bike path on my route into the city centre that is used as a coach park by coaches delivering fans to the nearby football ground. The police actually direct them to park there, and tbh, it looks like it was built with coach parking in mind, though no one at the council will admit to this.. Our local cycle campaign group have been trying to stop this for years, but it still goes on. Quite infuriating.

 

[summerdays]

[QUOTE 2940328, member: 45"]I've said it before, but years ago I worked in a large service for blind people. Pavement parking in the vicinity was all the rage. One of the blind chaps used to carry on in a straight line, climbing over the cars and accidentally causing as much damage as possible in the process.[/quote]
People park outside my gate sometimes, and so far they have always left enough space that I could get out with the bike, however I'm waiting for the first idiot that actually blocks it, as I've decided I will get my bike wheel muddy and then roll it across the car (twice), to make it look as if I rode it across

When I used to find the pavement blocked on the way to school I would stop the traffic then call my children to pass the car, then once they were back on the pavement allow the traffic to move again, making a huge song and dance about it! Then I'd phone the police, they didn't react to the words: car parked on the pavement but did to pavement blocked or wheelchair couldn't get past.

 

[vickster]

My understanding here though is that the cars are legitimately parked, even this is wrong, they are not blocking the whole road, the pavement, an entrance, a driveway etc

Yes of course it's rubbish, this is why presenting a reasoned case (not just that it's rude), lobbying etc are required to have a solid white line lane, double yellows, parking restrictions etc. Even if cyclists don't like that the cars are there, the drivers haven't done anything wrong that is enforceable by law. Just have to ride around them.

Now cars blocking ASLs really wind me up. That said, as I found out in Sunday, being in the ASL and ahead of the traffic doesn't actually prevent accidents

 

[potsy]

When I used to find the pavement blocked on the way to school I would stop the traffic then call my children to pass the car, then once they were back on the pavement allow the traffic to move again, making a huge song and dance about it! Then I'd phone the police, they didn't react to the words: car parked on the pavement but did to pavement blocked or wheelchair couldn't get past.

I do similar on the bike when there is a vehicle parked in the cycle lane, make sure the traffic behind has to wait to get past me as I make an exaggerated wide pass of the offending car, I always expect abuse and will then point to the blockage, so far it's not really happened though.

Walking home the other day I came across a BMW that was parked and taking 3/4 of the pavement up, I may have been less than gentle as I squeezed my way through the gap

 

[Sara_H]

Oh good, this has turned into a general grumble about blocked pavements thread.

One thing that gets my goat in winter is when people clear the snow off their driveways and leave whole mountains of snow blocking the pavements.

Lat year I kept going out and hovelin it back across my neighbours drive while he was out!

 

[Roadrider48]

And cycle lanes in the road that have to negotiate drains and potholes are crap!
I very rarely ride fully in them.

 

[Cyclopathic]

@Cyclopathic Time to start lobbying the authorities for rules change. Unfortunately discussion on a cycling forum won't achieve change

http://www.patrol-uk.info/site/index.php

It seems a rule change is not needed. All that is needed is for local authorities to actually do their job and enforce code 49 of the restriction of parking rules that apply to England and Wales (outside that London). It seems that the traffic warden I asked was wrong about their obligations. I would not be surprised though if enforcing this particular one was not very high on their list of priorities despite it being listed as a higher priority issue.

Perhaps councils who do not enforce this should be made to.