InTheRain

Documentation of an incident that occurred in Seattle:

Seattle Driver Blocking Bicycle Lane to Cyclist: "I Literally Don't Give a **** About Anything You Say" - Slog - The Stranger

snow_echo_NY

yes this is so 100% true. it's superbly dumb. and as said, it's pretty much everyday and everywhere.

dynaryder

Happens all the time around here. Example:
Who's Blocking the L St. Bike Lane Today?

SactoDoug

Those are both bad. I believe part of the solution is that they should make bike lanes too small to park in. Make them 5' across or less so that if a car tries to park in them, they will still be in the traffic lane.

kickstart

As a city P&D driver doing LTL freight, I occasionally encounter "offended" motorists or cyclists, but most rational people recognize that making deliveries is an essential service that must be done and just deal with it.
Irony is being scolded by a cyclist for blocking a bike lane.........while delivering 6 skids of cycling products to a bike shop....... that he is patronizing.

Some people simply can't see the forest for the trees.

brbbiking

Yeah, saw that one posted around a few times in the past day, as I'm also in the Seattle area.

CrankyOne

@acidfast7, Germany? Yep, not a fan of a lot of German infrastructure. Fortunately newer stuff does seem to be much better?

Motor traffic (and road debris) violating painted bike lanes is a common problem the world over and I doubt this will change. Paint says to consider not going there but if you want to then OK. Even in The Netherlands. This is why they and others have been moving to protected lanes that use something solid (e.g., not bollards) like curbs, planters, or parked cars. Something that says you're really really not supposed to go here.

In both examples posted above of people violating painted buffers, would a curb (with plants in the middle?) solve the problem?

Do We Really Want Bike Lanes? | streets.mn

CrankyOne

This is not a problem in NL or elsewhere. What can be done differently so that you don't endanger bicycle riders?

dynaryder

The issue with the L st track is that there are places for the trucks to park,but it's much easier for them to pull over into the cycle track. Also,not once have I ever told someone they're not supposed to park/drive in a bike lane/cycle track,and gotten a civil answer. I esp love when they tell me to 'mind my own business'.

kickstart

First off, I've never endangered anyone through my actions, if someone operates a vehicle beyond their ability to control it, that's on them. The occational "conflicts" have been strictly emotional outbursts.

What can be done differently?
Well nobody wants to compromise on their desires, any inconvenience or additional cost is considered an outrage, so I really can't answer that.
All I know is that my employer, the customers, and the simpering busybodies all expect me to do what will piss off the other two.

PatrickGSR94

In every state except Oregon, a right turn must be made as close to the right-hand curb as practicable, which means merging into the bike lane before making the turn (this is the reason for properly-painted bike lanes to have dashed lines when approaching an area with right-turning traffic). If a cyclist is there, get behind them and wait. It's to help prevent deadly right-hook crashes.

Yet Oregon for some reason seems to want cyclists to die at the hands of right-turning traffic.

JoeyBike

People are stoopid and/or hostile. Get used to it.

fietsbob

Mayor of Vilnius Lithuania drives a tank over an Illegally Parked car .
Mayor Arturas Zuokas uses a tank to crush illegally parked cars in Vilnius | Daily Mail Online
Mayor crushes 'illegally parked car' with tank - World news - Weird news | NBC News
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V-fWN0FmcIU

CrankyOne

You said that you do sometimes park in a bike lane. Does that not endanger bicycle riders? What options do they have? I assume they must merge in to motor traffic lanes to get around you?


Is parking in a bike lane illegal (regardless of likelihood of getting tagged)?

kickstart

As a delivery driver I'm already far more likely to be injured or killed than a cyclist, fire fighter, or cop. In the past 7 years I have had 2 pulled back muscles, pulled groin muscle, sprained wrist, broken toe, and a hernia, plus I've been clipped by cars twice. Pulling pallets of freight up a busy sidewalk with a pallet jack exposes myself and pedestrians to far more risk than a cyclist taking the lane for a moment, its not ideal but is increasing the risk of the one already at the greatest risk a sound solution?. Legally there's a conflict, technically its illegal to "park" in a bike lane, but there's also the right to reasonable access for interstate commerce.
I always use lawful parking when available, but sometimes its simply not an option. Another issue is that most establishments that lack loading zones are small, with few or one employee on site, they can't and won't tolerate turning away customers or lock up to help handle the freight, they need it at their door as quick as possible with minimum delay.

In some circumstances the only realistic solution is a little patience.

Cyclosaurus

Doesn't sound like a conflict to me at all. Parking illegally is illegal. Or...I guess because you drove a truck across state lines you can park anywhere you want?

All this sounds like you are trying to rationalize why you "have to" do things that pose risks for others. OK, I can even accept that you got a job to do, and a functioning society requires us all to adapt. But anyone who objects to the choices you make to obstruct or endanger are "simpering busybodies"? They don't get a say because you went from Phoenix, Arizona all the way to Tacoma! Nice self-centeredness there.

Interesting that it's everyone else's responsibility to have patience, not yours.

kickstart

I'm truly sorry I can't make all the people happy all the time, if its the only option, its the only option other than refusing to make the delivery which would cost me my job. I didn't create the problem but I have to deal with it in the best way I know how without sacrificing my health or well being.

Cyclosaurus

That doesn't jibe with your other remarks about "simpering busybodies", "emotional outbursts", etc, basically calling into contempt anyone who is bothered by the very thing that you acknowledge you are doing that is inconveniencing, burdening, or endangering others. If you had the humility to say that, yeah, I don't have any other way to do this, but I can understand and accept people venting frustration, I could respect that position. But you instead are essentially saying, yeah, I gotta get in your way, and if you don't like it, you're a d*ck!

kickstart

I say that because these encounters are typically made by those with nothing better to do, and involve being called lazy, stupid, and a host of other obscenities. Being in the uniform of a freight and parcel company that's a household name, my only allowed response is "sorry sir/mam, I'll move as soon as possible".

InTheRain

I understand that you have a job to do. However, I think you are putting your job above the law and the safety of others. So, when a cyclist smashes into the back of your truck that is illegally parked who will be getting sued? You, your employer, the customer, the city... for putting a bike lane in a delivery zone? I have a feeling that if that situation occurs, it will cost you a lot more than your job. I hope your employer has deep pockets. If your employer is asking you to break the law to get the job done, it might be be time to look elsewhere for work... they aren't ethical... unless, of course, you are in agreement with that policy... then you too are unethical - a perfect fit... asking for trouble.

ABF freight? Thanks... I've used them many times - not anymore. You can tell your employer that a customer just left because your company feels they are entitled to breaking the law. If you're going to park, you have an obligation to put up warnings and cones long before a cyclist comes up on your truck. It doesn't sound right that you are delivering pallets of goods to a business that doesn't have a loading zone or loading dock.

kickstart

No company would officially condone anything illegal, the driver always takes the blame. I wish it was a perfect world, but its not.

CrankyOne

Regardless of blame, what can be done to solve the problem? My first thought is to make the bikeway protected with either parked cars or planters. Take the temptation to park in it away. As well, should deliveries be done only between 2am and 5am? Only allow much smaller delivery vehicles during the day?

kickstart

I wish I knew.

Like many people I sometimes have to make less than ideal judgment calls, but I'm willing to bet few people have had a total stranger spit on them for doing so.

A real life example, 6000 lbs of hardwood flooring to a private residence on a street with bike lanes and not a "legal" spot to park within a 1/4 mile, the boss and customer want it done now. If I don't do it, the next guy will......no, I don't have the answer, I just do it and take what comes.

Nobody, not business or people trying to sleep want night deliveries, too expensive and noisy.

CrankyOne

The Dutch way...

https://bicycledutch.wordpress.com/2...cks-dutch-way/

kickstart

Well that doesn't help me tomorrow.

Ironically, in the past 10 years I can recall only 2 incidents with outraged cyclists, and nothing even resembling an actual incident. Overall, cyclists tend to be the most patient and understanding road user group when inconvenienced by someone working.

In many ways being a truck driver is like being a cyclist in that a few people simply can't tolerate even the presence of them on "their" road.