Description

Every day that I go into work, I encounter delivery trucks and cars dropping off or picking up that are illegally blocking a PROTECTED bicycle lane. Apparently, they feel that by turning on their four-way flashers, they become somehow "legal", yet the law specifically states otherwise:

VEHICLE CODE - VEH
DIVISION 11. RULES OF THE ROAD [21000 - 23336] ( Division 11 enacted by Stats. 1959, Ch. 3. )
CHAPTER 1. Obedience to and Effect of Traffic Laws [21000 - 21296] ( Chapter 1 enacted by Stats. 1959, Ch. 3. )
ARTICLE 4. Operation of Bicycles [21200 - 21213] ( Article 4 added by Stats. 1963, Ch. 479. )
21211.
(a) No person may stop, stand, sit, or loiter upon any class I bikeway, as defined in subdivision (a) of Section 890.4 of the Streets and Highways Code, or any other public or private bicycle path or trail, if the stopping, standing, sitting, or loitering impedes or blocks the normal and reasonable movement of any bicyclist.
(b) No person may place or park any bicycle, vehicle, or any other object upon any bikeway or bicycle path or trail, as specified in subdivision (a), which impedes or blocks the normal and reasonable movement of any bicyclist unless the placement or parking is necessary for safe operation or is otherwise in compliance with the law.
(c) This section does not apply to drivers or owners of utility or public utility vehicles, as provided in Section 22512.
(d) This section does not apply to owners or drivers of vehicles who make brief stops while engaged in the delivery of newspapers to customers along the person’s route.
(e) This section does not apply to the driver or owner of a rubbish or garbage truck while actually engaged in the collection of rubbish or garbage within a business or residence district if the front turn signal lamps at each side of the vehicle are being flashed simultaneously and the rear turn signal lamps at each side of the vehicle are being flashed simultaneously.
(f) This section does not apply to the driver or owner of a tow vehicle while actually engaged in the towing of a vehicle if the front turn signal lamps at each side of the vehicle are being flashed simultaneously and the rear turn signal lamps at each side of the vehicle are being flashed simultaneously.
(Amended by Stats. 2001, Ch. 127, Sec. 7. Effective July 30, 2001.)

Nothing is being done about this, and not only I, but other cyclists, are forced out of our PROTECTED lane and into traffic, thus endangering our lives because of selfish, self-entitled motorists who feel they are somehow in the right? This cannot stand.

It has been demonstrated and proven beyond a shadow of doubt that bicyclists actually pay more in road taxes than motorists, considering the general fund and what it entails, yet we are the ones who ultimately suffer because of the lackadaisical attitude of police and parking enforcement...and we are the ones who also ultimately suffer the majority of injuries and accidents on local roadways.

Please, start enforcing the regulations! Ticket and fine, and ticket some more if you need to, but keep our roadways safe for cyclists!

And, if you need to, cite the cyclists as well...they need to know that running that red light, using that crosswalk in an improper manner, and so forth not only makes other cyclists look bad, but is also not only dangerous but ILLEGAL as well!