Originally Posted by genec
Perhaps the same notion that you cannot block sidewalks... I know here in San Diego that is a ticketable offense. So if a prefered lane is offered, such as a BL or sidewalk, some enforcement effort should be made to ensure the prefered lane is available. It is also illegal to double park... and that too is a ticketable offense... so there is precedent regarding not parking or blocking traffic in the street.
You are right that often commercial traffic has little option... and for that there are and should be exceptions. (it is permissible to leave a BL for instance). But if the blocking is chronic, there is another problem.
There is a LAW that you can't park blocking a sidewalk. There is no such law for bike lanes (unless no parking is actually posted).
So, it's cyclists who think of bike lanes like sidewalks that have the notion they should be treated like pedestrians. Great.