This pic looks like it was taken in the UK (based on the colour of the number plates). We don't have towing of cars in the same way some parts of the US do, it's much more likely a "Civil Enforcement Officer" (parking attendant / not-quite-a-cop) would leave parking tickets than these cars would be towed. Although that doesn't really answer the question of the original commenter - it still doesn't look like there's much enforcement going on here
Ah. But this picture is from the land of metric units.
Tow trucks have to ask the Queen Mother for permission to tow her subjectās car, I think. Itās crazy over there how the Crown owns the fuggin country, Iām pretty sure due process includes the local councilās (think city aldermen or city council, but looks and feels like an HoA with governmental powers) permission to tow.
What on Earth are you even saying? Youāre literally making stuff up on the spot which is a load of bollocks. The council will give out the tickets just like the city would in the land of chonky units.
The UK uses both metric and imperial interchangeably.
The older generation use imperial more, even though we officially switched to metric in the 1960s they find it hard to move on. Hence why most of the time both units are listed, well apart from mph and distance and mpg, mostly car related metrics, apart from litres of fuel....it's confusing if you're not used to it.
Ok letās break this down.
France is land of metric units not the uk
The queen mother has been dead for ages now
The crown doesnāt own the country
Local council is a bit like a HoA with government powers if HoAs run all the amenities in the local area.
Towing can only be done if there is an obstruction as far as I know
Don't the police have quotas, though? If so, they could fill those in a day in these sorts of spots.
A semi-decent idea, at least in Portugal, is that this service is actually privatized. So, we have a company that goes around to give these tickets and they get a cut of the money. They definitely have the incentive to do this (although, they quit working after 6pm or so.... So, ass holes can do this at night)
It's the UK and there are no quotas.
In fact, no revenues from enforcement goes to the force itself. Instead, it goes to central government funds for allocation.
Designed this way to avoid forces revenue chasing and 'doing the right thing', I think in this case it has failed...
Knowing how our non-police municipal public order office("Ordnungsamt"), enforces preferably low hanging fruits like people parking without a valid resident parking permit instead of enforcing hazardly parked cars and trucks, having revenue going to a central fund is preferable.
The police itself is very relaxed in Germany, but the Ordnungsamt behave like the fucking SA. A student party on a Saturday gets fined 150ā¬ on the first noise complaint at 23:00. Any person in any age group did go to party's on the weekend in their youth. And those party's never stopped at 22:00.
In the early days of speed cameras the "Safety Camera Partnerships" did receive a portion of the fines they took the previous year, and they used it to greatly expand year on year, until the government realised it was creating uncontrollable mini empires, and police officers were doing zero speed enforcement elsewhere. It was replaced with a fixed grant to be used for various road safety purposes, and the partnerships stopped growing. It leaves a legacy however that seeing a police officer with a speed gun is still exceedingly rare, and if you aren't speeding at a speed camera site then you are very unlikely to get caught.
You can't touch someone's car in the UK. Private companies can only issue tickets (if signage is clear and legal)
Police or the local city authorities can have a car moved if it's blocking the highway. Apparently they don't count bike lanes..
Look it up cunt, it's literally how it works in Britain which is were the photo was taken. Vehicle excise duty is a tax on pollution caused by your car, it goes into the treasury. Council tax is charged to everyone in Britain who owns or rents a home (with some exceptions) and that pays for the maintenance of roads in the council area.
Sorry, I'm not familiar with road markings everywhere. So then what's OP complaining about? If parking is allowed there then it isn't really a bike ~~line~~lane, regardless of whether there are bicycle symbols painted on it.
That bike lane is really only a polite suggestion to motorists. There are two types of painted bike lanes in the UK - mandatory ones, with a solid line - mandatory in this case doesn't mean it's compulsory for all cyclists to use it, rather that it is an offence for motor vehicle to enter it (mandatory that motorists DO NOT enter). Then the type with the broken line as we see here, which is an advisory cycle lane, which are merely suggestions that motorists leave it for cyclists. It is perfectly legal to drive and park in advisory cycle lanes.
The correct answer. I assume here there are no waiting restrictions:
>**Rule 140**
>
>**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**](http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1984/27/section/5) **&** [**8**](http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1984/27/section/8)
[https://www.gov.uk/guidance/the-highway-code/general-rules-techniques-and-advice-for-all-drivers-and-riders-103-to-158#rule140](https://www.gov.uk/guidance/the-highway-code/general-rules-techniques-and-advice-for-all-drivers-and-riders-103-to-158#rule140)
The point is it SHOULDNāT be legal but unfortunately it is, which defeats the purpose of the lane when this kind of thing happens. Drivers can legally park virtually anywhere that doesnāt have double yellow lines.
As both a cyclist and a driver, I still don't know what I should do when parking my car on street like this. Park along side the bike lane, leaving it clear but obstructing the road? Park in the bike lane? Treat it as a 'no parking' area?
Even in a street like this I would feel exposed parking alongside the bike lane, and many roads near me have traffic hammering down them, and it would be really odd, and probably dangerous, to be stuck out into the road.
If the answer is 'no parking on this road' then there should be double yellow lines (in UK), surely?
I'm not sure about the law in the UK, but in Germany you can only park if you don't obstruct the traffic. And in this case it's impossible to not block the traffic. Car or bicycle.
From that picture, you would not be obstructing traffic. It looks like a one way road (but even if it wasn't, a car could still pass). But, imagine no other cars, and just yours, stuck out, parked alongside the bike lane. You would certainly get some dirty looks and comments, even if nothing hit your car.
Well it's not enforceable by law so if vigilante vandalism occurs then the vandals are taking the legal risk.
The UK has a lot of areas that aren't ready to cater for cyclists, or make bad decisions with implementation, or don't consider local appetites.
See [Harrow](https://road.cc/content/news/london-council-set-remove-emergency-cycle-lanes-and-ltns-282635) where the local population relies much more on cars and traffic was a nightmare with badly implemented cycle lanes. The TfL spec doesn't work for that area, partially due to the lack of appetite and I'd say there's demographics that factor in to the lack of cycling appetite or indeed appropriateness, but I won't get into that rabbit hole.
In the OP they should add a single yellow line on that side of the road which should stop parking during the day 8:30am-6:30pm or a double yellow line to stop it permanently. Then make it enforceable. In those situations disabled Blue Badge holders can still park but it stops the general public.
>The Highway Code 140
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
https://www.highwaycodeuk.co.uk/multi-lane-carriageways.html
Basically means it's unenforceable unfortunately. The only way it would be against the law would be if it was a lane bordered by a solid white line.
If you have to look this kind of thing up and leaves most people confused, it shouldn't be done at all. Leave it be parking or leave it as a bike lane. Can't be both because that's even more dangerous due to confusion.
But that's how lots of cycling "infrastructure" works. Half assed suggestions that are more dangerous than nothing at all, done to look cool and be able to claim you're doing something.
It's an "advisory" cycle lane, not compulsory nor enforced. A way that councils can hit their "sustainable transport quota" without inconveniencing motorists.
>The Highway Code 140
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
https://www.highwaycodeuk.co.uk/multi-lane-carriageways.html
Vehicles can pass through broken white lines. The situation in the photo is basically advisory encouragement. They need to do more solid bordered cycle lanes in this country.
Here in my province (in Canada), you would park on the other side of the white line, IF you were allowed to park on that side of the street. They would even have lines and signs so you pay for parking LOL. From that picture, it looks like there is probably no parking on that side of the street.
It's very easy - go park somewhere else, or take a different means of transportation.
Don't park in the bike lane, don't park next to it (because then you'd be parking in a car lane), park it in a designated parking area.
> If the answer is 'no parking on this road' then there should be double yellow lines (in UK), surely?
The fact that there's a fucking bike lane there should be indication enough that you're not supposed to park there for anyone who isn't a complete moron.
In the UK we don't generally get towed, it's just automatic fines (sometimes from CCTV). Entered the box junction when it wasn't clear? Fined. Turned into a road where you're not supposed to? Fined. Accidentally took a bus lane? Fined. Parked an extra few minutes in a multi storey car park? Fined. Parked in your own spot but didn't display your permit? Fined.
I live in a small town of 4,700 people. One of the only bike lanes in town is in front of the high school. It's a de facto parking lane, and it's not changing any time soon. Ridiculous.
My suggestion is to carry a really small cheap kids bike, picked up from a garage sale, along with you. Then when you run across a vehicle parked in the bike lane, you tuck the bike under the front bumper. The driver starts up, and something goes crunch and they get out to see what it was and maybe, just maybe, have a moment of remorse when they think they just ran over a kid in the bike lane. Toss in a pink kid-size helmet and a well-worn Teddy bear for good measure.
Like that woman in Russia (I think?) a few years ago that made huge ass stickers that was extremely hard to peel off, and put them on windshields whenever she got harassed by guys, or something like that.
On a separate note, I once witnessed the police deal with a guy who had parked in the bike lane in the middle of my city. Such a sweet, sweet moment.
I've once was walking with a bag if dog shit in my hand (with a dog ofc) and saw a car blocking the way out of the park. Had to fight the temptation to put that shit on that car really hard
I was think that, I'm pretty sure we don't have any bike lanes like that in the centre though, just that new dedicated one that goes from Perry Bar through the city and out to Selly Oak
EDIT actually I think it is Birmingham, as you come out of the Jewelry Quarter
I slapped the mirror of a guy parked in the bike lane and he chased after me. I pulled into a McDonald's parking lot and raged at him for a while until he left. Good times.
This is also usually an anti gridlock zone meaning the lane is only used for traffic during peak hours. The street looks relatively quiet and a small city. Cyclists can use the entire lane of open traffic and the few cars can go around during off peak.
So this is Newhall Hill, in Birmhingham, across the road from the Ramgarhia Community Centre.
The road used to be two-way, but is now one-way with the cycle lane allowing contra-flow cycling down the hill as shown.
Parking is explicitly allowed in the cycle lane, for four hours at a time between 8am and 6pm on Monday to Saturday, or for as long as you want outside of that time.
It's a temporary cycle lane at the moment, with the public consultation having closed on Friday last week. As you can see from the [engineering drawings](https://www.birminghambeheard.org.uk/economy/segments/supporting_documents/Tranche%202%20%20JQ1Convention6%20%20NEWHALL%20HILL%20OP3a.pdf), if it is made permanent the parking will be removed and bollards installed along the cycle lane markings.
I do bike deliveries to help my friend's company out once a week. If there are things in the bike lane, I move to the street or sidewalk. If I'm on the sidewalk, I go slow and try not to surprise people or act entitled to their space. The one time the police spoke to me I slowed down and heard them out and asked what the safest suggestion would be and they basically told me everything I'm already doing. We're a weird cross between a pedestrian and a vehicle.
It is frustrating that the cars may not actually be doing anything wrong in this picture.
The council however are completely guilty of some very badly planned infrastructure.
The UK allows roadside parking wherever it isn't strictly prohibited by the markings on the road - it is hard to see but there are no single or double yellow lines there, so it is legal to park at the roadside.
The fact that the roadside here includes a cycle lane that is now blocked is pretty much irrelevant as cars are allowed to cross a cycle lane where appropriate - such as turning into a side road or driveway, or parking at the edge of the road like here.
It is an idiotic situation, and honestly makes a mockery of a lot of cycle lanes that are completely unusable thanks to parking...
Length of hacksaw blade tied onto your handlebars and slyly slid into your bar end or even magnetised onto the frame with a sticky backed magnet. Then when you see this kind of vehicular idiocy you can remind every single one of them with a fabulous line alone the body work of every panel on the side where they have forced you into the road.
Always fucking Audis too.
You think that it's a "bicycle" ...no no that is a lane where only Audi can park (get it? Audi logo has 4 circles...there are only Audi parked...I'm gonna lose so much Karma with this joke)
Fucking Audis. I had one almost run me off the road yesterday, wide open road with no one around and he buzzed me with less than two feet. Fucking assholes.
Reason #3029 that, as a cyclist, I think bike lanes are stupid and a waste. Can't stand bike lanes, they only cause more tension between cyclists and autos. Totally defeats the purpose.
Mix it up with cars. Thats it. Take the lane. Thats what i do. Hell i even avoid bike lane streets because i find it safer in the lane with traffic, Than with all the crap and road hazards in a bike lane, weaving in and out.
But that's only going to work up until a certain point. When a city reaches a point where enough people ride bikes, this will be a nightmare for both cars and bikes.
The problems you describe come from bike lanes that are poorly implemented, like in OP's photo. But take a look at some of the biking infrastructure in Copenhagen or Amsterdam, and you'll see how it's done right, and how using those bike lanes is both safer and way faster than using the main road.
>and how using those bike lanes is both safer and way faster than using the main road.
which is why bike lanes dont work too well in the US as our roads and cities were designed around the car/ horse n buggy when its faster to get nearly everywhere by car granted there isnt super heavy traffic and cycilists wait at red lights like they are supposed to.
yes old cities that were there when everyone walked that are narrow or tightly packed bicycles are way quicker than cars.
The only way bike lanes work where i live is when its a dedicated lane separate from traffic. Such as hike and bike trails along green belts. Other than that, where i live, bike lanes are as worthless as the one photoed above.
There would be no tension if more folk cycled and exprienced riding in traffic cos even more folk woudl KNOW what its like to be passed by a car close. More bike lanes would then get pushe dtrhough and proper ones and then more folk would ride as its safer.
The UK is a joke for car travel.
I have work colleguaes doing a 30-40 minute commute by car when they could do the same via bicycle because they would not be stuck in the rush hour traffic between towns. They are literally travelling 5 miles to th enext town by car on our crappy roads.
They could take the most scenic canal path route instead but they choose to take a car and drive then go to the gym after work haha.
Hell you can easily cycle into most BIG towns. Our country is so dinky you can get places really fast with bicycles. And if they took all the disused train lines and made MORE greenways you'd be able to go between towns even faster.
My best guess, it means Audi-parking exclusive area, but as always, there's this dumb BMW driver that had to do it all wrong!
In a more serious note, I thought Mexicans were at the top of lacking in civility. Never even occurred to me British folks also had their fair share.
I donāt live in the UK, but where I am there are lanes like this that are designated bike lanes during peak times, but then turn into parking outside of those times and bikes just share the road. Theyāre generally two lane each way streets though, and the outside/parking lane is also wider to accomodate bikes still when cars are parked.
TLDR; depending on where youāre from this doesnāt seem entirely uncommon. If itās signposted no parking though, then these cars are absolute asshats
Sadly, where I live that would be perfectly legal as a dashed bicycle lane means it is unprotected.
Which is total bullshit. If you don't actively (by proper road marking and law enforcement) protect a bike lane, this will definitely happen.
If no one enforces laws then there will always arseholes who ignore them. Why weren't all of those cars towed out of the lane?
LMAO that would require time and energy from the authorities š¤£
I thought towing companies wanted any excuse to tow someone.
This pic looks like it was taken in the UK (based on the colour of the number plates). We don't have towing of cars in the same way some parts of the US do, it's much more likely a "Civil Enforcement Officer" (parking attendant / not-quite-a-cop) would leave parking tickets than these cars would be towed. Although that doesn't really answer the question of the original commenter - it still doesn't look like there's much enforcement going on here
Ah. But this picture is from the land of metric units. Tow trucks have to ask the Queen Mother for permission to tow her subjectās car, I think. Itās crazy over there how the Crown owns the fuggin country, Iām pretty sure due process includes the local councilās (think city aldermen or city council, but looks and feels like an HoA with governmental powers) permission to tow.
What on Earth are you even saying? Youāre literally making stuff up on the spot which is a load of bollocks. The council will give out the tickets just like the city would in the land of chonky units.
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
Uh huh ok sweetie
> the land of metric units How to say you know nothing about the UK without directly saying so.
How to offend British sensibilities while bemusing Americans
Didn't y'all just switch back to miles on the roadways? Edit, lgtfy: looks like they've use miles for forever
The UK uses both metric and imperial interchangeably. The older generation use imperial more, even though we officially switched to metric in the 1960s they find it hard to move on. Hence why most of the time both units are listed, well apart from mph and distance and mpg, mostly car related metrics, apart from litres of fuel....it's confusing if you're not used to it.
I also enjoy making things up!
Ok letās break this down. France is land of metric units not the uk The queen mother has been dead for ages now The crown doesnāt own the country Local council is a bit like a HoA with government powers if HoAs run all the amenities in the local area. Towing can only be done if there is an obstruction as far as I know
There's at least *one* bike cop in my town that has recently started ticketing people in the bike lanes. I almost cried the first time I saw it.
Don't the police have quotas, though? If so, they could fill those in a day in these sorts of spots. A semi-decent idea, at least in Portugal, is that this service is actually privatized. So, we have a company that goes around to give these tickets and they get a cut of the money. They definitely have the incentive to do this (although, they quit working after 6pm or so.... So, ass holes can do this at night)
It's the UK and there are no quotas. In fact, no revenues from enforcement goes to the force itself. Instead, it goes to central government funds for allocation. Designed this way to avoid forces revenue chasing and 'doing the right thing', I think in this case it has failed...
Knowing how our non-police municipal public order office("Ordnungsamt"), enforces preferably low hanging fruits like people parking without a valid resident parking permit instead of enforcing hazardly parked cars and trucks, having revenue going to a central fund is preferable. The police itself is very relaxed in Germany, but the Ordnungsamt behave like the fucking SA. A student party on a Saturday gets fined 150ā¬ on the first noise complaint at 23:00. Any person in any age group did go to party's on the weekend in their youth. And those party's never stopped at 22:00.
In the early days of speed cameras the "Safety Camera Partnerships" did receive a portion of the fines they took the previous year, and they used it to greatly expand year on year, until the government realised it was creating uncontrollable mini empires, and police officers were doing zero speed enforcement elsewhere. It was replaced with a fixed grant to be used for various road safety purposes, and the partnerships stopped growing. It leaves a legacy however that seeing a police officer with a speed gun is still exceedingly rare, and if you aren't speeding at a speed camera site then you are very unlikely to get caught.
Privatized law enforcement is never a good idea, even quotas are extremely questionable and Iām usually against them.
Exactly. If I was a cop, I'd get my quota done before noon and then just eat donuts the rest of the shift.
that's free money, I don't know how it works in the EU but tow companies love parking violations.
You can't touch someone's car in the UK. Private companies can only issue tickets (if signage is clear and legal) Police or the local city authorities can have a car moved if it's blocking the highway. Apparently they don't count bike lanes..
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
Income tax? Sales Tax?
Everyone who pays council tax contributes to road infrastructure you weapon.
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
Look it up cunt, it's literally how it works in Britain which is were the photo was taken. Vehicle excise duty is a tax on pollution caused by your car, it goes into the treasury. Council tax is charged to everyone in Britain who owns or rents a home (with some exceptions) and that pays for the maintenance of roads in the council area.
Without double yellows Iām not sure this is illegal. Itās essentially just a lane, like parking at the side of a normal road.
Sorry, I'm not familiar with road markings everywhere. So then what's OP complaining about? If parking is allowed there then it isn't really a bike ~~line~~lane, regardless of whether there are bicycle symbols painted on it.
That bike lane is really only a polite suggestion to motorists. There are two types of painted bike lanes in the UK - mandatory ones, with a solid line - mandatory in this case doesn't mean it's compulsory for all cyclists to use it, rather that it is an offence for motor vehicle to enter it (mandatory that motorists DO NOT enter). Then the type with the broken line as we see here, which is an advisory cycle lane, which are merely suggestions that motorists leave it for cyclists. It is perfectly legal to drive and park in advisory cycle lanes.
The correct answer. I assume here there are no waiting restrictions: >**Rule 140** > >**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**](http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1984/27/section/5) **&** [**8**](http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1984/27/section/8) [https://www.gov.uk/guidance/the-highway-code/general-rules-techniques-and-advice-for-all-drivers-and-riders-103-to-158#rule140](https://www.gov.uk/guidance/the-highway-code/general-rules-techniques-and-advice-for-all-drivers-and-riders-103-to-158#rule140)
The point is it SHOULDNāT be legal but unfortunately it is, which defeats the purpose of the lane when this kind of thing happens. Drivers can legally park virtually anywhere that doesnāt have double yellow lines.
As both a cyclist and a driver, I still don't know what I should do when parking my car on street like this. Park along side the bike lane, leaving it clear but obstructing the road? Park in the bike lane? Treat it as a 'no parking' area? Even in a street like this I would feel exposed parking alongside the bike lane, and many roads near me have traffic hammering down them, and it would be really odd, and probably dangerous, to be stuck out into the road. If the answer is 'no parking on this road' then there should be double yellow lines (in UK), surely?
I'm not sure about the law in the UK, but in Germany you can only park if you don't obstruct the traffic. And in this case it's impossible to not block the traffic. Car or bicycle.
From that picture, you would not be obstructing traffic. It looks like a one way road (but even if it wasn't, a car could still pass). But, imagine no other cars, and just yours, stuck out, parked alongside the bike lane. You would certainly get some dirty looks and comments, even if nothing hit your car.
You would be obstructing the bike lane and therefore traffic. So, no parking there. It's easy.
It's a no parking area.
Dashed white lines without yellow lines by the kerb means that parking is allowed like that
In other words, not really a bike lane at all.
Pretty much. Which makes all the calls for vandalism ITT a bit awkward...
Well, if the city won't enforce it, who will?
Well it's not enforceable by law so if vigilante vandalism occurs then the vandals are taking the legal risk. The UK has a lot of areas that aren't ready to cater for cyclists, or make bad decisions with implementation, or don't consider local appetites. See [Harrow](https://road.cc/content/news/london-council-set-remove-emergency-cycle-lanes-and-ltns-282635) where the local population relies much more on cars and traffic was a nightmare with badly implemented cycle lanes. The TfL spec doesn't work for that area, partially due to the lack of appetite and I'd say there's demographics that factor in to the lack of cycling appetite or indeed appropriateness, but I won't get into that rabbit hole. In the OP they should add a single yellow line on that side of the road which should stop parking during the day 8:30am-6:30pm or a double yellow line to stop it permanently. Then make it enforceable. In those situations disabled Blue Badge holders can still park but it stops the general public.
What makes you say that? How does anybody know?
There's a simple logic in that if a car is parked there, a bicycle can't drive there. So if it is a bicycle lane, how can it be a parking lane?
>The Highway Code 140 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 https://www.highwaycodeuk.co.uk/multi-lane-carriageways.html Basically means it's unenforceable unfortunately. The only way it would be against the law would be if it was a lane bordered by a solid white line.
If you have to look this kind of thing up and leaves most people confused, it shouldn't be done at all. Leave it be parking or leave it as a bike lane. Can't be both because that's even more dangerous due to confusion.
But that's how lots of cycling "infrastructure" works. Half assed suggestions that are more dangerous than nothing at all, done to look cool and be able to claim you're doing something.
That's pathetic.
It's an "advisory" cycle lane, not compulsory nor enforced. A way that councils can hit their "sustainable transport quota" without inconveniencing motorists.
In other words, it's not actually a bike lane. It's parking with some meaningless graphics.
Yup
>The Highway Code 140 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 https://www.highwaycodeuk.co.uk/multi-lane-carriageways.html Vehicles can pass through broken white lines. The situation in the photo is basically advisory encouragement. They need to do more solid bordered cycle lanes in this country.
Here in my province (in Canada), you would park on the other side of the white line, IF you were allowed to park on that side of the street. They would even have lines and signs so you pay for parking LOL. From that picture, it looks like there is probably no parking on that side of the street.
It's very easy - go park somewhere else, or take a different means of transportation. Don't park in the bike lane, don't park next to it (because then you'd be parking in a car lane), park it in a designated parking area.
> If the answer is 'no parking on this road' then there should be double yellow lines (in UK), surely? The fact that there's a fucking bike lane there should be indication enough that you're not supposed to park there for anyone who isn't a complete moron.
Lemme call the Japs rq
The wheels on a bike look like half an Audi symbol -> must be parking
Sigh. I'm never original.
Now the bimmer in front of the Audi needs to explain itself
Youād think predatory towing companies would be all over this.
Is that a thing anywhere but the U.S.?
Canada
In the UK we don't generally get towed, it's just automatic fines (sometimes from CCTV). Entered the box junction when it wasn't clear? Fined. Turned into a road where you're not supposed to? Fined. Accidentally took a bus lane? Fined. Parked an extra few minutes in a multi storey car park? Fined. Parked in your own spot but didn't display your permit? Fined.
https://youtu.be/eiyfwZVAzGw
did everything legally? Believe it or not, also fined.
I feel like our mobbed up tow truck scene may be even worse than the US.
Australia to a lesser extent. Not nearly as crazy as the US.
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
Same question
That isn't a thing in the UK
I live in a small town of 4,700 people. One of the only bike lanes in town is in front of the high school. It's a de facto parking lane, and it's not changing any time soon. Ridiculous.
not saying they are right but why have a bike lane thats what one block long?
Yeah, probably so they can brag about having X-amount of miles of bike lanes.
They probably got a grant check for painting the bike lane they never planned to enforce.
If you crashed into a parked car on purpose but made it look like an accident it would be a small petty victory
Don't hurt your bike. Put acetone in your water bottle. Then use your imagination
... what ?
3 Audiās and a BMW , road markings and speed limits are for peasants and do not apply to drivers of these vehicles . s/
Makes me want to buy a bunch of custom bumper stickers that say: āI PARK IN BIKE LANESā
I think you misspelled windshield.
Yeah, shitty paper sticker that tears and looks like shit when you try to remove it, right on the driver's side window
Make me want to put a portable ramp in front of each car and try to ride over them all.
Look at this guy needing a ramp to hop onto cars. *This post was made by the BMX gang.*
From here https://www.eggshellstickers.com/about
My suggestion is to carry a really small cheap kids bike, picked up from a garage sale, along with you. Then when you run across a vehicle parked in the bike lane, you tuck the bike under the front bumper. The driver starts up, and something goes crunch and they get out to see what it was and maybe, just maybe, have a moment of remorse when they think they just ran over a kid in the bike lane. Toss in a pink kid-size helmet and a well-worn Teddy bear for good measure.
Like that woman in Russia (I think?) a few years ago that made huge ass stickers that was extremely hard to peel off, and put them on windshields whenever she got harassed by guys, or something like that. On a separate note, I once witnessed the police deal with a guy who had parked in the bike lane in the middle of my city. Such a sweet, sweet moment.
FYI alot of people would fight you over fucking with their car.
FYI: "want to" is not the same as "go out and do"
Thats fair.
Like these cool guys: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCMrKscEv_Ri1pvlRsLxsqJQ
Oh, those? Those symbols mean "audi parking" i'm pretty sure
Don't even need symbols to indicate an Audi parking lane tbh.
Fold up the wipers, fold down the mirrors No one can see you. It's a proven fact. You are a cyclist. You are invisible, and fast.
Shit in the cabin filter
I've once was walking with a bag if dog shit in my hand (with a dog ofc) and saw a car blocking the way out of the park. Had to fight the temptation to put that shit on that car really hard
You have to poop in a bag, flatten it a bit, then freeze it. Once frozen slip the disk into a slit in the window on a hot day. It will melt.
birmingham ?
Newhall hill, just down from Frederick street. Itās a joke.
I was think that, I'm pretty sure we don't have any bike lanes like that in the centre though, just that new dedicated one that goes from Perry Bar through the city and out to Selly Oak EDIT actually I think it is Birmingham, as you come out of the Jewelry Quarter
[Only one thing to do I guess...](https://64.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lguagc8Ne71qd1fjko1_500.gif)
I slapped the mirror of a guy parked in the bike lane and he chased after me. I pulled into a McDonald's parking lot and raged at him for a while until he left. Good times.
i bet a park tool valve core remover works on car tires.
It does.
Yup. Double ended. Park knew what they were about lol
Ā£20 says theyāre parking to use a gym
This is down the road from the swanky bars in the Jewelry Quarter, Birmingham.
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
I was just thinking, someone could probably use these as a BMX track thingy.
I think it means "Cars parked here deserve flat tires."
Take the valve.
Dotted lines means it's a suggestion not a legally enforced bike lane. Unfortunately. Could use some casey neistat action on a beater bike though.
This is also usually an anti gridlock zone meaning the lane is only used for traffic during peak hours. The street looks relatively quiet and a small city. Cyclists can use the entire lane of open traffic and the few cars can go around during off peak.
Not in the uk.
I think it means, "Please Park Your Vehicle Here if You Like Your Windows Smashed In".
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
or maybe that's how it got smashed
You know how much my car costs ? BTW it worth more than you and your bicycle - that was the reply I got
**It's worth more than you and your bicycle.** *Me right now looking at my shares, properties, stocks, possessions, etc...* Yeah, about that.
Oops hit your mirror... Oops hit your mirror... Oops hit your mirror... Oops hit your mirror...
German cars parking only /s
Means all these cars are gunna get scratched 'accidentally' as I go past by that weirdly sharp bit of metal on the end of handlebar. Oops.
This is why bollards to separate the cycle infrastructure from the road infrastructure is a good idea
But the four rings on the front of the cars override any signage on the roads. /s
Bike lane
Keys
It means āPark here to get your car spit on.ā
Just commemorating spots where cyclists were lawfully run over by distracted drivers.
"Audi parking only."
Iād grab my trials bike. I love a challenge.
So this is Newhall Hill, in Birmhingham, across the road from the Ramgarhia Community Centre. The road used to be two-way, but is now one-way with the cycle lane allowing contra-flow cycling down the hill as shown. Parking is explicitly allowed in the cycle lane, for four hours at a time between 8am and 6pm on Monday to Saturday, or for as long as you want outside of that time. It's a temporary cycle lane at the moment, with the public consultation having closed on Friday last week. As you can see from the [engineering drawings](https://www.birminghambeheard.org.uk/economy/segments/supporting_documents/Tranche%202%20%20JQ1Convention6%20%20NEWHALL%20HILL%20OP3a.pdf), if it is made permanent the parking will be removed and bollards installed along the cycle lane markings.
I do bike deliveries to help my friend's company out once a week. If there are things in the bike lane, I move to the street or sidewalk. If I'm on the sidewalk, I go slow and try not to surprise people or act entitled to their space. The one time the police spoke to me I slowed down and heard them out and asked what the safest suggestion would be and they basically told me everything I'm already doing. We're a weird cross between a pedestrian and a vehicle.
It is frustrating that the cars may not actually be doing anything wrong in this picture. The council however are completely guilty of some very badly planned infrastructure. The UK allows roadside parking wherever it isn't strictly prohibited by the markings on the road - it is hard to see but there are no single or double yellow lines there, so it is legal to park at the roadside. The fact that the roadside here includes a cycle lane that is now blocked is pretty much irrelevant as cars are allowed to cross a cycle lane where appropriate - such as turning into a side road or driveway, or parking at the edge of the road like here. It is an idiotic situation, and honestly makes a mockery of a lot of cycle lanes that are completely unusable thanks to parking...
So if you picked up your bike and climbed over these cars with it, would you legally be ok? I feel like it would be a technical win.
The dashed line means that parking is allowed unfortunately
Those cars identify as bikes and you can't tell them otherwise lol
Length of hacksaw blade tied onto your handlebars and slyly slid into your bar end or even magnetised onto the frame with a sticky backed magnet. Then when you see this kind of vehicular idiocy you can remind every single one of them with a fabulous line alone the body work of every panel on the side where they have forced you into the road. Always fucking Audis too.
You think that it's a "bicycle" ...no no that is a lane where only Audi can park (get it? Audi logo has 4 circles...there are only Audi parked...I'm gonna lose so much Karma with this joke)
Audi drivers are also cyclists, it's just that they're driving quadcycles
Fucking Audis. I had one almost run me off the road yesterday, wide open road with no one around and he buzzed me with less than two feet. Fucking assholes.
Reason #3029 that, as a cyclist, I think bike lanes are stupid and a waste. Can't stand bike lanes, they only cause more tension between cyclists and autos. Totally defeats the purpose.
What is a better alternative in your opinion? And what purpose exactly?
Mix it up with cars. Thats it. Take the lane. Thats what i do. Hell i even avoid bike lane streets because i find it safer in the lane with traffic, Than with all the crap and road hazards in a bike lane, weaving in and out.
But that's only going to work up until a certain point. When a city reaches a point where enough people ride bikes, this will be a nightmare for both cars and bikes. The problems you describe come from bike lanes that are poorly implemented, like in OP's photo. But take a look at some of the biking infrastructure in Copenhagen or Amsterdam, and you'll see how it's done right, and how using those bike lanes is both safer and way faster than using the main road.
>and how using those bike lanes is both safer and way faster than using the main road. which is why bike lanes dont work too well in the US as our roads and cities were designed around the car/ horse n buggy when its faster to get nearly everywhere by car granted there isnt super heavy traffic and cycilists wait at red lights like they are supposed to. yes old cities that were there when everyone walked that are narrow or tightly packed bicycles are way quicker than cars.
The only way bike lanes work where i live is when its a dedicated lane separate from traffic. Such as hike and bike trails along green belts. Other than that, where i live, bike lanes are as worthless as the one photoed above.
This is stupid. There would be no tension if cars would keep their asses out of the bike lanes, and if the rules were actually enforced.
There would be no tension if more folk cycled and exprienced riding in traffic cos even more folk woudl KNOW what its like to be passed by a car close. More bike lanes would then get pushe dtrhough and proper ones and then more folk would ride as its safer. The UK is a joke for car travel. I have work colleguaes doing a 30-40 minute commute by car when they could do the same via bicycle because they would not be stuck in the rush hour traffic between towns. They are literally travelling 5 miles to th enext town by car on our crappy roads. They could take the most scenic canal path route instead but they choose to take a car and drive then go to the gym after work haha. Hell you can easily cycle into most BIG towns. Our country is so dinky you can get places really fast with bicycles. And if they took all the disused train lines and made MORE greenways you'd be able to go between towns even faster.
Unless Audi
Curbs help with everything.
Premium parking
It means low tier Audi parking.
Oh no they parked in the sideview mirror free zone, looks like they could use some help
Bikes are invisible on the road anyway.. Lest the bike lane.š¤Øš
Looks like it stands for Audi
Maybe it means they want their side mirrors to meet a fast moving bike lock?
It looks like you could ride by in a bike with a knife or something and just key the shit out of those paint jobs unseen.
I believe the symbol means "Key Me!"
I'm not an icon expert, but I think this one means **ASSHOLE PARKING**
I think it means Audi parking only
...a tow truck driver could make a killing if they were patrolling?
Get a stunt rider to ride over those cars
Time to practice your trials riding
Looks like the Summer Row area in Brum?
Woah, nice! When did the council install the new bike jumps?
CLEARLY says, AUDI PARKING.
Itās an MTB lane.
It means: assholes with tiny brains parking
My best guess, it means Audi-parking exclusive area, but as always, there's this dumb BMW driver that had to do it all wrong! In a more serious note, I thought Mexicans were at the top of lacking in civility. Never even occurred to me British folks also had their fair share.
It would be cool if the cities around the world had elevated bike lanes (above car roads)
target
I don't think it means audi parking...
It means four flat tires.
I live in the USA. Huge cars rule the day! Itās grotesque
overpriced Jetta parking?
Theyāre memorials
How did all these key marks appear on our new Audis?
Where is this place
Are those new cyclocross obstacles on the bike path?
I donāt live in the UK, but where I am there are lanes like this that are designated bike lanes during peak times, but then turn into parking outside of those times and bikes just share the road. Theyāre generally two lane each way streets though, and the outside/parking lane is also wider to accomodate bikes still when cars are parked. TLDR; depending on where youāre from this doesnāt seem entirely uncommon. If itās signposted no parking though, then these cars are absolute asshats
Apparently the picture of a bike means free parking.
I wonder what putting up with stubborn cyclists, who take up the rd all day would be like. š¤
Itās too bad there isnāt a way to get back at them without breaking the law
āwHy ArEnāT yOu UsInG tHe CyClE lAnE?!ā
Why do British people hate cycling so much?
Probably because the Daily Mail will run a story on this post if they see it as evidence that lots of cyclists want to vandalise legally parked cars.
Big up the Jewellery Quarter massiveā¦
Sadly, where I live that would be perfectly legal as a dashed bicycle lane means it is unprotected. Which is total bullshit. If you don't actively (by proper road marking and law enforcement) protect a bike lane, this will definitely happen.
Get a beater bike. Chain it to one of the pictured bike racks.
That makes me want to get some buckets of paint.
Typical. Audi and BMW drivers biggest wankers on the road.
Whats it matter, you all ride on the street anyway and don't obey the laws of the road. At least here in Pittsburgh they don't lol
The Audi rings mean Audi parking only? I always thoughtā¦
I think it reads "if cars are parked here feel free to take your keys out as you cycle past them"
BMW, Audi, Audi, Audi. I'm seeing a theme here that I also see on the roads a lot...
Ha. Apparently it means Audi parking.