What's this doing in the bike lane?

Share your pics, videos, streets, stories of what you find in the bike lane of the non-bike variety that has an impact on your ride and/or your safety. I've decided to keep it a little more open ended - cars, snow, buses, garbage, cabs, etc. If they shouldn't be in the bike lane, go ahead and add it to this thread. Please be safe if you are taking pics or video! :-) 

My hope is that we can collectively build some evidence of what we see when riding in the city with the overall hope of better enforcement of "bikes only" and improving maintenance. 

Update: More Hashtags to Capture Vehicles in the Bike Lane

With popular hashtags:
#BikeLaneShaming

#LaneSpreading (Chicago Bike Selling)

#ClearTheWay (ActiveTrans), there are many options to capture violations.

We think you should use ALL of them AND post your photos on The Chainlink. ;-)

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Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Anne Alt on July 24, 2018 at 5:21am

I hear you. It was tamer than my average trip.

Permalink Reply by Argonne69 on July 23, 2018 at 5:13am

I used the bike share in Montreal, Toronto, and Vancouver last week. All three cities are very bike friendly, with significant miles of dedicated bike lanes. I probably rode several hours, and encountered a whopping zero vehicles in the bike lanes. I can't ride 10 minutes in Chicago without coming across an illegally stopped vehicle.

Permalink Reply by Argonne69 on July 23, 2018 at 11:02am

146 S Wells St. 311 report submitted.

Permalink Reply by Argonne69 on July 23, 2018 at 11:05am

1 N Franklin St. 311 report submitted. Note the vehicle also illegally stopped in the bus stop. The CTA bus was forced to stop in the traffic lane.

Permalink Reply by Argonne69 on July 23, 2018 at 11:07am

225 N Franklin St. 311 report submitted. 'Yup. Still illegal.

Permalink Reply by Argonne69 on July 24, 2018 at 11:19am

233 S Franklin St. 311 report submitted.

Permalink Reply by Argonne69 on July 24, 2018 at 11:25am

151 N Franklin St. 311 reports submitted.

Permalink Reply by Argonne69 on July 24, 2018 at 11:28am

225 N Franklin St. 311 reports submitted. Well, what do you know? Still illegal.

Permalink Reply by Alex Z on July 25, 2018 at 2:41am

What's the problem with this one? (Not obvious to me from the photos, sorry if I'm missing something!)

Permalink Reply by Argonne69 on July 25, 2018 at 4:01am

It is illegal to stop/stand in a shared bike lane.

Permalink Reply by Argonne69 on July 25, 2018 at 5:39am

Here's the full text of the city code (§ 9-40-060):

  • The driver of a vehicle shall not drive, unless entering or exiting a legal parking space, or stand, or park the vehicle upon any on-street path or lane designated by official signs or markings for the use of bicycles, or otherwise drive or place the vehicle in such a manner as to impede bicycle traffic on such path or lane.  The driver of a vehicle shall not stand or park the vehicle upon any lane designated by pavement markings for the shared use of motor vehicles and bicycles, or place the vehicle in such a manner as to impede bicycle traffic on such lane; provided, however, the driver of a bus may stop the bus in any such lane (i) at a designated bus stop for the purpose of loading or unloading of passengers, (ii) in case of an emergency; or (iii) as permitted in Section 9-48-050(d) of this Code.  In addition to the fine provided in Section 9-4-025 of this Code, any vehicle parked in violation of this section shall be subject to an immediate tow and removal to a city vehicle pound or authorized garage.
Permalink Reply by Argonne69 on July 25, 2018 at 4:10am

I was riding east this morning on Harrison approaching Racine. There appeared to be some type of Chicago Fire Department event in the parking lot at UIC. There was a CFD bus illegally parked in the bike lane, and I videoed it as I passed it. When I got around to the front, I could see a security guard and Chicago Police officer standing near the bus chatting. The officer was oblivious to the bus illegally stopped in the bike lane. I stopped to film the front of the bus, and the officer simply smiled. I flashed the officer my best "WTF" face, and continued on. A minute later the CFD bus drives by me, and then cuts in front of me to use the bike lane as a passing lane. He passed several cars in the traffic lane before coming to stop at the red light at Morgan. I caught up to the bus, passed him, and then got off my bike to ask the driver WTF he was doing using the bike lane as a passing lane. The driver refused to answer my question, and eventually sped away, once again using the bike lane as a passing lane.

There was a CPD patrol a few cars back, and I stopped the officer and asked him if he had seen the bus driving in the bike lane. He had, and I asked him if he was going to pursue him, and write him a ticket. The officer said he'd take care of it, and went off after the bus.

Seriously, the CPD doesn't give a rat's a** about bike lane violations. I think this is especially true when it comes to municipal vehicles. I'll post a few pics later, and a snippet of video.

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