Double parked in the bike lane.

I tried the search feature, and it isn't working.  I'm sure this is a common gripe. But why can't the city do anything about all the cars double parked in the bike lane.  ESPECIALLY UPS, FedEx, and USPS.  I could gather 4 or 5 pictures daily of these guys double parked in an obvious bike lane.

Maybe that is what I should do.  Start stopping and taking pictures with my cell. Then writing to the owners of companies.

"Forcing bikes to quickly merge with traffic is dangerous.  The city has created these wonderfully useful "Bike lanes"  however, we are unable to use them, because you keep parking your delivery trucks in them.  This is not a delivery lane. It is a bike lane.  Please instruct your drivers that this is unsafe, and Illegal."

Now if we could just get the CPD to do something about it.

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Permalink Reply by Rich S on September 20, 2013 at 2:02am

I'm picturing cars squeezing through the bike lane to get around the stopped truck on one lane streets like Clark. Either that or go around on the oncoming traffic side which is not safe for anyone.

If they tried that traffic would be backed up real fast in the 5 minutes a short delivery might take. Now picture a 30 minute delivery! Imagine the road rage and crap that would follow ... 

Alex Z said:

Why isn't the solution simply that delivery trucks should park in the traffic lane, like they do when there is no bike lane?

 

That way, cyclists do not have to vulnerably merge into moving traffic.

Permalink Reply by in it to win it 8.0 mi on September 20, 2013 at 2:19am

I was riding home Northbound on Dearborn yesterday.  Further North the bike lane turns into one-way Northbound.  A city garbage truck was parked on the traffic side of the bike lane; cars were parked on the curb side of the bike lane.  I went between them and DID NOT LIKE IT (claustrophobic, possibility of getting doored on both sides, etc.).  My personal preference would be for the truck to have pulled as close to the cars as possible and I take the traffic lane.  My experience tells me that moving traffic in the city knows how to deal with bicycle traffic.

Permalink Reply by Doug Haynes on September 20, 2013 at 2:25am

What does military service have to so at all with this?

The are you scared thing is a serious question because the traffic interaction you have go around a truck double parked on a street with a bike lane is no worse than simply riding on many streets with no bike lane.  I am genuinely curious why it is people are so unwilling to make any compromise when they ride in order to make the road easier to use for everybody, not just themselves, and the only reason I can think of is fear; if it is not that what is it?

So we should eliminate the primary delivery window for UPS and FedEx as well as the delivery window for many businesses because it inconveniences a minority road user or just because inconveniences you?


Mark said:

Dug, first off, don't give me the " Are you really that scared" crap.  That is the equivalent of trying to get someone to agree with you, by emasculating them because they don't.  Its horseshit, its a lame attempt to bully someone into YOUR opinion. 

Are you a Veteran Dug?  Ever spend any time in a combat zone?  Ever taken enemy fire?  That was the last time in my life I was scared of anything.

Do I follow every traffic law?  No.  If someone gets hurt, while I am breaking one of those laws, is it my fault.  YOU BETCHA IT IS.   Just because I don't follow every traffic law to the letter, doesn't exclude me from being able to have an opinion of  situations that could be improved.  I would certainly speak loudly against drunk driving, speeding in school zones, or any other situation in traffic where people were unnecessarily put at risk.

There is really a simple solution to the problem.  Amend the law.  Something as simple as, "No double parking from 7am to 9am, and 4pm to 6pm.  And then enforce it! This still leaves delivery trucks PLENTY of peak time to make deliveries as well as cutting down on the possibility of a cycle/vehicle incident.  Since this is when most cyclists and cars are on the road at the same time.

My original point was, what is the sense of having a law, that isn't enforced?  When people see delivery drivers do it, and get away with it, they do it.  Then it's the guy, who just doesn't want to park to run into Starbucks.  Or the cab driver just waiting on his next fare.  Laws are only as good as their enforcement. 

Permalink Reply by Doug Haynes on September 20, 2013 at 2:27am

When are you going to understand that cycling advocacy is all about each person trying to make the world perfect for THEM regardless of the negative impact on OTHERS.

I ride a bike, I am ENTITLED to everything being perfect for ME.

Michael A said:

While we are amending the laws to remove vehicles from YOUR commute times, is  there anything else we should add? How about we do not allow motor vehicles to make left or right turns between those hours when YOU commute? While we are at it let's outlaw rain and snow in that same time frame. We already have enough laws that drivers and cyclists ignore. Less laws, more common sense. 

Permalink Reply by Doug Haynes on September 20, 2013 at 2:28am

Exactly.

It would make a HUGE mess of traffic.  Remember, a street with a bike lane on it is not a wider street in many cases, they have just narrowed the traffic lane; cars still need to have that truck moved over close to parked cars in order to get around it.

Rich S said:

I'm picturing cars squeezing through the bike lane to get around the stopped truck on one lane streets like Clark. Either that or go around on the oncoming traffic side which is not safe for anyone.

If they tried that traffic would be backed up real fast in the 5 minutes a short delivery might take. Now picture a 30 minute delivery! Imagine the road rage and crap that would follow ... 

Alex Z said:

Why isn't the solution simply that delivery trucks should park in the traffic lane, like they do when there is no bike lane?

 

That way, cyclists do not have to vulnerably merge into moving traffic.

Permalink Reply by WillG on September 20, 2013 at 2:48am

It's interesting that that when we disagree with each other's opinions here on Chainlink the other person is an "entitled" (we love using that word here) idiot (obviously) and we should resort to personal insults.

Permalink Reply by Adam Herstein on September 20, 2013 at 3:05am

This is not 'Nam, this is biking. There are rules.

Mark said:

Are you a Veteran Dug?  Ever spend any time in a combat zone?  Ever taken enemy fire?  That was the last time in my life I was scared of anything.

Permalink Reply by igz on September 20, 2013 at 3:26am

it is a simple solution, yes, but thats exactly where the problem in the thought lies (and what doug has been trying to explain). it is far more complex than "no parking at this time, viola".

different industries deliver at different times. food is delivered early, beer later, parcels are delivered throughout the day.

another layer is that there are thousands of businesses in chicago, millions of residences. obviously, not everyone is going to get a delivery at the same time unless a delivery company has its fleet increased exponentially. that is incredibly unrealistic.  and to have a total of 4 hours taken away on a delivery route is also nonsensical in any capacity except for the convenience of the bicycle commuter that has his lane taken (which only affects him the distance equal to the length of the truck and the time it takes him/her to safely pass it on its left)

last, clearly non of this was conceptualized (couldnt have been) when chicago streets were designed after the fire or followed along old indian trails (all them diagonal streets).  this is an intrinsic problem that manifests with increased sprawl, business development, which increases traffic, and ultimately perpetuates the cycles itself on these old small urban streets

there is no simple solution. unless you wipe the grid and start fresh of course. (fuck it, lets have another fire). 

OR, you could safely look over your shoulder, extend your left hand to signal your intentions to the motorist or cyclist behind you, and pass the truck in under 10 seconds.

that, actually is rather simple.



Mark said:

There is really a simple solution to the problem.  Amend the law.  Something as simple as, "No double parking from 7am to 9am, and 4pm to 6pm.  And then enforce it! This still leaves delivery trucks PLENTY of peak time to make deliveries as well as cutting down on the possibility of a cycle/vehicle incident.  Since this is when most cyclists and cars are on the road at the same time.

Permalink Reply by Justin B Newman on September 20, 2013 at 3:37am

I look at double parked cars, along with many other of the joys of city life, as an opportunity to practice tolerance. Sometimes I'm more successful than other times. When I'm successful, I find myself noticing that on a quiet street, it makes little difference. On a busy street, it slows traffic down, which is itself good.

Ultimately, I just keep trying to remind myself that tolerance is a virtue.

Permalink Reply by David P. on September 20, 2013 at 3:42am

After a quick scan of this thread, all I can think is, "God bless the internet." Maybe I better go throw something up on the GIF thread.

Permalink Reply by igz on September 20, 2013 at 3:58am

amen, brother!

Justin B Newman said:

I look at double parked cars, along with many other of the joys of city life, as an opportunity to practice tolerance. Sometimes I'm more successful than other times. When I'm successful, I find myself noticing that on a quiet street, it makes little difference. On a busy street, it slows traffic down, which is itself good.

Ultimately, I just keep trying to remind myself that tolerance is a virtue.

Permalink Reply by Tom Dworzanski on September 20, 2013 at 4:03am

False.

Mark said:

We want to promote corporate greed, by making that driver deliver more packages of junk to consumers, faster, so instead of him having to find a LEGAL parking spot, we will let him endanger cyclists in the bike lane, so we can keep the corporate bottom line going.

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