Cars in the bike lane

This morning, I was getting a ride into the city from Lawrence down Elston.  My wife and I witnessed 3 cars driving at speed, down the bike lane as if it were another car lane, even when it was being used by bikes.  The bike lane on Elston is well-marked, with bright white double stripes on both sides of the bikeway.  When we caught up to one of the drivers and pointed out to him that he was driving in a bike lane, he feigned ignorance.  Really?

Why cant they program those speed cameras to point at the bike lanes and issue a photo ticket when a vehicle is driving in the marked bike-only lane?  The police can't be everywhere and this just might work.

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Permalink Reply by Rich S on May 8, 2015 at 9:05am

I think it's acceptable for a car to drive in the bike lane if they need to go around a car turning left. But of course with the condition that they first check their mirrors and yield to any bikes that may already be in the lane or approaching from behind. 

Elston from Milwaukee/Chicago to California is my regular route and my overall experience is that most drivers respect the bike lane. I find people who ride scooters or motorcycles tend to violate the bike lane more often than drivers. 

Permalink Reply by Louis K on May 10, 2015 at 1:41am
Interesting. What if there was no bike lane? Is it OK for cars to use the sidewalk if there are no pedestrians?
Permalink Reply by Alex Z on May 10, 2015 at 3:39am

lol

Permalink Reply by Tom A.K. on May 10, 2015 at 4:53am
Woman Drives On Sidewalk To Avoid Stopping School…: http://youtu.be/48lxqgdo8iw


No.
Permalink Reply by Rich S on May 10, 2015 at 12:18pm

It wasn't ok for drivers to drive cars on the sidewalk before bike lanes so there ya go. 

Permalink Reply by Rich S on May 11, 2015 at 7:22am

I understood that, David. I was pointing out the challenge of implementing an auto-enforcement system such as the one you describe for cars in the bike lane. Namely that there are times where a motorist should legitimately be able to use the bike lane. Going around a car turning left or parallel parking come to mind. Bikers also need to leave the bike lane sometimes so there should be some give n' take in my opinion. 

But yes the driver you described goes well beyond any legit use and it irks me to see that as well. 

Permalink Reply by Alex Z on May 11, 2015 at 2:03pm

Parallel parking is a good point. Cars are allowed to do that in the bike lane. Automated enforcement would make that tricky.

Permalink Reply by Dean Bekken on May 8, 2015 at 11:50am

SB Elston between Willow and North could be monitored with two cameras -- or one cop.

Permalink Reply by Tony Adams on May 12, 2015 at 7:22am

some kind of physical interruption every few hundred feet perhaps? which would not let a car through but with an opening wide enough for bikes?

Permalink Reply by Dean Bekken on May 13, 2015 at 6:48am

Hocked the mother of all loogies on the driver window of a dimwit texting from the bike lane. Priceless!

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