Advocacy & Safety - Trucks in bike lane...

Whenever I see a truck with it's ramp down I fantasize about riding right up it into the trailer. Then maybe act all dazed when the driver comes around and be like "Oh what the **** just happened?"

My mtb skills aren't that great, so if I ever did it I'd probably break my ass bone or something.

Anyone ever attempted some mad skillz on one of these trucks?http://www.bikenewportbeach.org/images/subjects/dmh/landscaping-truck.jpg

In a Knievel moment, I'd fantasize using the ramp to jump the truck.

Whenever I see a truck with it's ramp down I fantasize about riding right up it into the trailer. Then maybe act all dazed when the driver comes around and be like "Oh what the **** just happened?"

My mtb skills aren't that great, so if I ever did it I'd probably break my ass bone or something.

Anyone ever attempted some mad skillz on one of these trucks?

I come across a similar situation from time to time, but there is no bike lane present at this particular location. The one section of bike lane that is completely or partially blocked on a regular basis by a truck is usually done with a semi with it's back door closed, so it would not be as nearly as much fun.;)

i ran across this with a friend one day, except it was an empty tilt deck trailer with no truck in front of it. he accepted the challenge and ended up tweaking his front wheel on the landing. (it was a good 4+ foot drop)

Around the 2 minute mark.....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bzE-IMaegzQ

Around the 2 minute mark.....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bzE-IMaegzQ

Was this guy interviewed on NPR a couple months ago? The concept of deliberately running into everything in the bike line sounds very familiar.

And awesome. :D

Duh, the driver put down a traffic cone. Just like flashing emergency lights, traffic cones make it legal to park wherever you want.

Duh, the driver put down a traffic cone. Just like flashing emergency lights, traffic cones make it legal to park wherever you want.

Unfortunately, some drivers actually seem to think that's true.

Service vehicles will sometimes partially block the right side of the road out of practical necessity, bike lane or not. If there was no bike lane, they'd be blocking a regular traffic lane. I suggest you get over it.

I keep my city's parking patrol number in my phone. They have a better bag of tricks than I do.

Unlike our police department, our parking enforcement folks love to cite folks who block bike lanes. Unfortunately, they can't order a tow.

Service vehicles will sometimes partially block the right side of the road out of practical necessity, bike lane or not. If there was no bike lane, they'd be blocking a regular traffic lane. I suggest you get over it.

Yeah man, I want to get over it, that's why I fantasize about jumping them with a sweet ramp!

:roflmao2: That video is awesome. Great falling skills! :thumb:

Just because there's a bike lane doesn't mean that you always have to stay in it. Treat the truck just like any other obstacle; scan and merge left into the traffic lane, and go around them.

Around the 2 minute mark.....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bzE-IMaegzQ

Typical...from the ordinary dumb citizen, all the way up to the NYPD Police Commissioner!!:mad: While it is good to have bike lanes in NYC, if the bike lanes are blocked for some reason, people that don't cycle don't care!!!!:mad: Everyone else in NYC is allowed to move around an obstruction. But if a cyclist, the NYPD reacts almost like the cyclist should 'get the chair', just for momentarily going outside the bike lane!!!!!:mad:

Treat the truck just like any other obstacle; scan and merge left into the traffic lane, and go around them.

....and that's how it should be, but some motorists treat my moving out of the bike lane, and into the regular travel lane, as though I just made some sort of an obscene gesture at them.

Just because there's a bike lane doesn't mean that you always have to stay in it. Treat the truck just like any other obstacle; scan and merge left into the traffic lane, and go around them.

Agreed, but try convincing motorists that we have the right to leave the bike lane for our safety. Many people seem to think that there isn't any justification for a cyclist to be riding outside of the bike lane. Sadly some of those are (allegedly) cyclists.

Typical...from the ordinary dumb citizen, all the way up to the NYPD Police Commissioner!!:mad: While it is good to have bike lanes in NYC, if the bike lanes are blocked for some reason, people that don't cycle don't care!!!!:mad: Everyone else in NYC is allowed to move around an obstruction. But if a cyclist, the NYPD reacts almost like the cyclist should 'get the chair', just for momentarily going outside the bike lane!!!!!:mad:

Yeah, isn't that great? Here in the Tampa Bay area motorists are reminded during heavy rains that they shouldn't drive through standing water as they might flood and "drown" their cars. But we cyclists are expected to just "suck it up" and accept the risks.

Just gotta love the doublestandard.

....and that's how it should be, but some motorists treat my moving out of the bike lane, and into the regular travel lane, as though I just made some sort of an obscene gesture at them.

Agreed, this past summer as I was riding down a road with a DZBL. I had a person who had gotten out of his truck and was waiting to cross the road. He said that I should be riding in the bike lane because the city had installed them. When I tried to explain to him that because of the on street parking that it was unsafe for me to do so he resorts to calling me an "fening arsehole."

Gotta say that I just "love" that, I'm taking steps to protect my safety and I'm an "fenng arsehole." To quote Riggs and Murtaug(sp) "Beautiful."

My own little fantasy is a volunteer "bike posse" trained and empowered to cite vehicles whose drivers park at their own convenience.

Yeah, isn't that great? Here in the Tampa Bay area motorists are reminded during heavy rains that they shouldn't drive through standing water as they might flood and "drown" their cars. But we cyclists are expected to just "suck it up" and accept the risks.

Just gotta love the doublestandard.
I would almost love to ride through NYC and find a bike lane obstruction near an NYPD officer and just casually pass the obstruction in view of the officer.:notamused:

Service vehicles will sometimes partially block the right side of the road out of practical necessity, bike lane or not. If there was no bike lane, they'd be blocking a regular traffic lane. I suggest you get over it.

+1
Unless you feel really entitled today.
My truck has blocked YOUR road plenty times before and will continue to do so.

Has anybody else noticed that in NYC people who drive trucks go to insane, ridiculous lengths to make their trucks "look official" even when they obviously aren't. Sometimes its really ridiculous what they do, then they try to park illegally using this gambit. And they seem to get away with it sometimes.. either that or nobody cares about tickets.

Yeah, isn't that great? Here in the Tampa Bay area motorists are reminded during heavy rains that they shouldn't drive through standing water as they might flood and "drown" their cars. But we cyclists are expected to just "suck it up" and accept the risks.

Just gotta love the doublestandard.

It does go to the larger problem being the same issue in every jurisdiction that has a bike lane. Some jurisdictions may make allowances for obstructions in the bike lane, but others don't. Those that don't, do the same as in the video.

While I am in no way suggesting it, I wonder what said jurisdictions would think if, a cyclist by not going out of the bike lane saw someone standing in the bike lane that was about to jay-walk, and collided with the jay-walker to prove a point. That is what the stupidity about staying in the bike lane 100% amounts to.

Has anybody else noticed that in NYC people who drive trucks go to insane, ridiculous lengths to make their trucks "look official" even when they obviously aren't. Sometimes its really ridiculous what they do, then they try to park illegally using this gambit. And they seem to get away with it sometimes.. either that or nobody cares about tickets.

I haven't noticed, but that doesn't mean it hasn't happened. Could you provide a picture of it happening?(if possible) Regardless of a picture or not, it doesn't sound far-fetched for NYC.

My own little fantasy is a volunteer "bike posse" trained and empowered to cite vehicles whose drivers park at their own convenience.

+1

Whenever I see a truck with it's ramp down I fantasize about riding right up it into the trailer. Then maybe act all dazed when the driver comes around and be like "Oh what the **** just happened?"

My mtb skills aren't that great, so if I ever did it I'd probably break my ass bone or something.

Anyone ever attempted some mad skillz on one of these trucks?http://www.bikenewportbeach.org/images/subjects/dmh/landscaping-truck.jpg

Locally (San Diego) a kid was killed a couple of years ago when he hit such a truck, parked in the bike lane. Now in this particular instance this incident occurred on a very steep down hill, that also happens to have a bit of a buffer lane. Here is a street view link to that road and buffer. http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&ll=32.934652,-117.207739&spn=0.00052,0.00071&client=firefox-a&t=h&z=21&vpsrc=6&layer=c&cbll=32.934652,-117.207739&panoid=X5nNQBjsh_4mcvzMCxdsVQ&cbp=12,280.8,,0,1.02

Now I have ridden that road and downhill perhaps hundreds of times... and yes, you can get moving pretty fast on the downhill... but I have yet to figure out how you can plow into a parked gardening truck... certainly when you should be looking ahead, and especially at high speed.

Frankly my biggest fear is that some idiot motorist would pull out into the road from the cross street near the bottom of the hill... but that is a different situation.

**************************************

But following the thread, the issue that I used to see quite often were maintenance trucks with wheels on the sidewalk and into the BL, while I was riding up hill on this 50 MPH arterial road... with me doing about 10MPH. I would of course check that the road was plenty clear... but often I would have to pass a truck and trailer or a couple trucks... and at 50 MPH motorists would "come out of nowhere" toward me (this was a windy bit of road... (El Camino Real near Carmel Mountain Road) and I would venture a guess that the motorists were NOT driving at or below the speed limit.

Now while I didn't mind taking the lane to pass these maintenance vehicles, what did bother me were these fast platoons of motor traffic and wondering if the guy say 3-4 cars back was really paying attention, or was he texting his new BFF, and not likely to see that the cars in front had peeled off one at a time just as they approached "the bike guy..." :eek:

+1
Unless you feel really entitled today.
My truck has blocked YOUR road plenty times before and will continue to do so.

Something about a pot and a kettle...

I understand it is more convenient for service vehicles to park in the road, but that doesn't make it right.

But following the thread, the issue that I used to see quite often were maintenance trucks with wheels on the sidewalk and into the BL, while I was riding up hill on this 50 MPH arterial road... with me doing about 10MPH. I would of course check that the road was plenty clear... but often I would have to pass a truck and trailer or a couple trucks... and at 50 MPH motorists would "come out of nowhere" toward me (this was a windy bit of road... (El Camino Real near Carmel Mountain Road) and I would venture a guess that the motorists were NOT driving at or below the speed limit.

Now while I didn't mind taking the lane to pass these maintenance vehicles, what did bother me were these fast platoons of motor traffic and wondering if the guy say 3-4 cars back was really paying attention, or was he texting his new BFF, and not likely to see that the cars in front had peeled off one at a time just as they approached "the bike guy..." :eek:

In a situation like that, I would consider taking down considerable info on the offending vehicles and possibly making a call to local law enforcement, even more so if there was no parking allowed and it was dedicated bike lane.

Service vehicles will sometimes partially block the right side of the road out of practical necessity, bike lane or not. If there was no bike lane, they'd be blocking a regular traffic lane. I suggest you get over it.
Service vehicles(and for that matter any other vehicle stopped in the bike lane) notwithstanding, if local law enforcement penalizes cyclists for going out of the bike lane to avoid an obstruction, that is a problem with law enforcement. Not a problem with the cyclist.

When blocking of the bike lane is done out of ignorance(just like double-parking) that is another matter entirely.

So no, it is not something to just get over.

In a situation like that, I would consider taking down considerable info on the offending vehicles and possibly making a call to local law enforcement, even more so if there was no parking allowed and it was dedicated bike lane.

I have tried this with non maintenance vehicles in a different but similar situation where these private autos park blocking the bike lane on a 45MPH arterial road (which happens to be close to a police substation... AND an expensive private school). There was no response. I've spoken to other local cyclists and in one case the cyclist said they would wait for the police to arrive... and indeed they did, and issued tickets. So the local enforcement policy is "gee, if you bug us enough... "

Something about a pot and a kettle...

I understand it is more convenient for service vehicles to park in the road, but that doesn't make it right.
I don't see where pot and kettle apply, but when in Rome...

I can see how some some people would have a problem riding ALL the way around this obstacle.

What did you do before bike lanes? You had to deal with it. Now the entitlement generation have to stop, take photos, and whine about their rights instead of just going around.

I don't see where pot and kettle apply, but when in Rome...

I can see how some some people would have a problem riding ALL the way around this obstacle.

What did you do before bike lanes? You had to deal with it. Now the entitlement generation have to stop, take photos, and whine about their rights instead of just going around.

Sure just ride around... technically easy enough... However reality is that high speed roads and such blockages can make "just riding around" a bit more difficult. And certain areas have decided that cyclists may not leave the BL... did you bother to watch the video in post 5?

What did you do before bike lanes? You had to deal with it. Now the entitlement generation have to stop, take photos, and whine about their rights instead of just going around.

Before bike lanes, most cyclist just went straight to the sidewalk, and many that I have observed still do when a bike lane is blocked or obstructed.

With a bike lane present, a number of motorists will not tolerate a cyclist in the roadway even when it is blocked or obstructed. I had such an incident a couple of days ago, on video, with a motorist rushing up to tailgate me after I had only been in the regular travel lane for 5 seconds, and with a total time of my taking the lane of 15 seconds.

Sure just ride around... technically easy enough... However reality is that high speed roads and such blockages can make "just riding around" a bit more difficult. And certain areas have decided that cyclists may not leave the BL... did you bother to watch the video in post 5?

Why, yes, yes I did. The ticketed cyclist would have to pay the fine or exercise his right to fight the ticket. Just because a cop is being an A-hole does not mean the ticket is legal.
BTW, the original post is a pic from a residential area in Minnesota, not NYC. In the OP I did not see any predatory entrapment cop in the photo. If you looked at the pic in the first post here is room to slow down and pass in the same lane without entering the traffic lane. Oh wait, slowing down to make the pass is inconvenient. Sorry.

Before bike lanes, most cyclist just went straight to the sidewalk, and many that I have observed still do when a bike lane is blocked or obstructed.

With a bike lane present, a number of motorists will not tolerate a cyclist in the roadway even when it is blocked or obstructed. I had such an incident a couple of days ago, on video, with a motorist rushing up to tailgate me after I had only been in the regular travel lane for 5 seconds, and with a total time of my taking the lane of 15 seconds.
So you are telling me that before bike lanes you would just deal with it. I agree.

So you are telling me that before bike lanes you would just deal with it. I agree.

Before bike lanes, most motorists would tolerate me being in the regular lane of travel far longer than if a bike lane was present.

anyone know why the guy in the video was ticketed? My understanding is that the typical reason in NYC for these tickets is that there is a short section of BL on a one way street and the cyclist would have to cross many lanes of traffic to get to it. And then change back to make a turn. I have only heard of one cop that ticketed because the person went around an obstruction in the bike lane -- his cop car.

anyone know why the guy in the video was ticketed? My understanding is that the typical reason in NYC for these tickets is that there is a short section of BL on a one way street and the cyclist would have to cross many lanes of traffic to get to it. And then change back to make a turn. I have only heard of one cop that ticketed because the person went around an obstruction in the bike lane -- his cop car.

The officer said he was ticketing the guy for not riding in the bike lane.

But, From what I saw in the video, the NYPD officer was just trying to get even for the nasty hand life dealt him.

It does go to the larger problem being the same issue in every jurisdiction that has a bike lane. Some jurisdictions may make allowances for obstructions in the bike lane, but others don't. Those that don't, do the same as in the video.

While I am in no way suggesting it, I wonder what said jurisdictions would think if, a cyclist by not going out of the bike lane saw someone standing in the bike lane that was about to jay-walk, and collided with the jay-walker to prove a point. That is what the stupidity about staying in the bike lane 100% amounts to.

Agreed, that is the attitude that I've come across with a few drivers. They think that cyclists are always required to be in the bike lane regardless of the danger to them. Or that the space to the right of the fog line is a "bike lane."

One had such a strong opinion on that that he actually wanted to fight over it. Most recently this past week I had the passenger in a car open his door to yell at me for taking the lane.

Then there was the motorist in a white Doodge pickup truck who as we approahced a pinch point on a road with no bike lane felt the need to rev his engine at me. And not just once, but twice.

Before bike lanes, most cyclist just went straight to the sidewalk, and many that I have observed still do when a bike lane is blocked or obstructed.

Given some of the horror stories we've seen come out of NYC about law enforcement and bike lanes and sidewalks. I can see a cyclist getting two tickets in such a situation. One for "daring" to leave the bike lane, and one for riding on the sidewalk.


With a bike lane present, a number of motorists will not tolerate a cyclist in the roadway even when it is blocked or obstructed. I had such an incident a couple of days ago, on video, with a motorist rushing up to tailgate me after I had only been in the regular travel lane for 5 seconds, and with a total time of my taking the lane of 15 seconds.

Or even a perceived "bike lane" present.

Agreed, but try convincing motorists that we have the right to leave the bike lane for our safety. Many people seem to think that there isn't any justification for a cyclist to be riding outside of the bike lane. Sadly some of those are (allegedly) cyclists.

I've never met any cyclist that had that opinion. In fact I've never met any non-cyclist that holds that view either. Just make sure that you can merge smoothly without cutting someone off, then move around the truck. Nobody has a problem with that.

I've never met any cyclist that had that opinion. In fact I've never met any non-cyclist that holds that view either. Just make sure that you can merge smoothly without cutting someone off, then move around the truck. Nobody has a problem with that.

You need to get out and meet more people... There are loads of motorists that believe bikes should not be on roads that they believe are designed only for cars. Read any comment section of any internet report of a cyclist death... those opinions are widely held and displayed. And yes there are those that call themselves cyclists that share those views... they are not bike commuters.

I've never met any cyclist that had that opinion. In fact I've never met any non-cyclist that holds that view either. Just make sure that you can merge smoothly without cutting someone off, then move around the truck. Nobody has a problem with that.

Sadly, I've met plenty of them while out riding. There was the guy who after getting out of his pickup truck and waiting to cross the street told me that because the city installed bike lanes that I needed to use them. When I pointed out the danger of riding in a DZBL he calls me an "fening arsehole." Then more recently there was the ignorant fool who told me to get in the "fening bike lane" when there was no bike lane, just a shoulder. Moved over to the sidewalk and every time we came to an intersection he acted like he was going to turn and hit me. Then about two months later there was another fellow who thought that I should be in the "bike lane" who actually stopped his car got out and wanted to fight over it.

Then even more recently there was the pedestrian who said I was an "arse" for taking the lane, and just last week there was the passenger in a car who opened his door to say something negative about my riding.

And let's not forget a certain member who shares his screen name with a certain mountain in Japan who thinks that all cyclists should ride hugging the curb or in the gutter pan and thinks that most if not all crashes can be avoided if the cyclist just rides slowly enough.

Some even use the argument that people in cars are trying to transport goods from point a to point b, and people on bikes get in the way of that. I had that conversation with a gal a few years back as I was leaving the local library. She was also of the wrong opinion that we cyclists do not pay our "fair share" of taxes to support the road. Which admittedly on the one hand was kind of right. If one is using a bicycle as their primary means of transportation and considering that the taxes that support the local roads comes from sales tax, property tax, and income tax we cyclists are actually paying more then our "fair share."


You need to get out and meet more people... There are loads of motorists that believe bikes should not be on roads that they believe are designed only for cars. Read any comment section of any internet report of a cyclist death... those opinions are widely held and displayed. And yes there are those that call themselves cyclists that share those views... they are not bike commuters.

What Gene said.

This wouldn't be an issue if the bike lane striping was not there.

OP came up on someone doing landscape maintenance , in the Burbs,
and half the bike path was still clear.

One solution, Take out the lawn and plant a vegetable garden.

Take out the lawn and plant a vegetable garden.
Great idea, I love my leafy greens covered in road grime and soot.

This wouldn't be an issue if the bike lane striping was not there.

Right, then the motorists would just say, "Get off the Road."

At least with the BL they tend to say "Get in the BL."

And of course if you ride on the sidewalk, it's "Get off the sidewalk."

Bottom line, in spite of the legality of street use, et. al., cyclists are told to "get off" where ever they are.

I don't see where pot and kettle apply, but when in Rome...

I can see how some some people would have a problem riding ALL the way around this obstacle.

What did you do before bike lanes? You had to deal with it. Now the entitlement generation have to stop, take photos, and whine about their rights instead of just going around.

I was referring to calling someone "entitled" while exhibiting the same flaw.
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pot_calling_the_kettle_black)
The point is that a bike lane /= a parking spot. It is a traffic lane for traveling by bicycle. To claim otherwise is to contradict the law.

That drivers of commercial vehicles often park where they please doesn't change the legality of the act, it just means the law isn't enforced as it should be.

The point is that a bike lane /= a parking spot. It is a traffic lane for traveling by bicycle. To claim otherwise is to contradict the law.

That drivers of commercial vehicles often park where they please doesn't change the legality of the act, it just means the law isn't enforced as it should be.
There are a wide range of commercial and government vehicles that do need to stop/park along roadways to conduct their business, this includes police cars, garbage trucks, mail carriers, road and roadside maintenance vehicles, etc. In some localities allowance for some cases may be in code, in other places it is accepted as reasonable given there are no other practical alternatives.

OP came up on someone doing landscape maintenance , in the Burbs,
and half the bike path was still clear.

One solution, Take out the lawn and plant a vegetable garden.

Nope. That photo was just an example, not one that I have actually encountered. In my experience, trucks that park in the bike lane usually take up the entire lane plus a little of the auto lane.

Also, my initial post was a request for Evil Kinevil moments. I wanted to know if anyone had taken up the implicit challenge set forth by the truck driver.