Comments on: Placing Obstructions in the Roadway

By: Richard Masoner

Richard Masoner — Sun, 07 Feb 2010 01:16:02 +0000

@Kevin, you rule. I’ve been tempted to move trashcans into the middle of the road but have never actually done it.

(and that incident in the middle of the night involving some teens in Fairfax, Virginia in 1981 – I know nothing about that!)

By: JohnB

JohnB — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 02:20:18 +0000

I’m going to bring this up with the Chainguard Yahoo group and ask what they think. Both of those things just sound so completely bogus. (Or as the Car Talk guys would say, bo – o – o – gus!)

By: fred_dot_u

fred_dot_u — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 00:23:04 +0000

This was at a public meeting for a road “improvement” project. It’s going from two traffic lanes in each direction, with on-street parking, to two traffic lanes in each direction, fewer left-turn cuts and no on-street parking. The extra width previously used for parking will now become a striped area to the left of the left-most traffic lane and an undesignated bike lane to the right. It’s undesignated because there will be no signs or markings on the road surface. I was told that municipalities have requested the width without the signs, as it reduces their liability and also removes the requirement of keeping the lane clear of debris. Sheesh.

I think it was during the same meeting that I was told that because there are curbs, it’s not a shoulder.

It’s not a bike lane, if there are no signs.

By: JohnB

JohnB — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 23:26:24 +0000

Is there seriously such a thing as an “undesignated bike lane”? What would distinguish it from a shoulder? Sounds like more ignorant segregation bias to me. If you speak with this engineer again, ask him the difference between these “undesignated bike lanes” and shoulders. I’d like to know.

By: Keri

Keri — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 22:42:51 +0000

When in doubt, ask GEO:

http://flbikelaw.org/2010/02/driving-in-parking-lanes/

He spells it out with the law.

A fact that a lane is marked for parking indicates its purpose and that it is not a “lane then available for traffic”.

Although the parking lane might be part of the roadway, we are still required to obey all traffic control devices. We are prohibited from using a right-turn-only lane for through traffic. Similarly, we are prohibited from using a parking lane as a lane then available for traffic.

We would not expect a motor vehicle operator to drive in a parking lane. There should be no expectation that any other driver, such as a bicyclist with all the rights and duties of other drivers, would do so.

By: Keri

Keri — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 17:36:25 +0000

The parking lane is not for use by moving vehicles. I don’t think it’s technically even legal to use it as a lane. Though I doubt that would ever be enforced against a cyclist. You can’t be legally forced to use it. A cyclist could lose the legitimacy of his right-of-way if someone pulls out and hits him while he’s riding in the parking lane. It’s obviously well outside the focus area of drivers entering and exiting the roadway. I used to ride there, years ago. I had a lot of problems… all of which (except for occasional honking) went away when I started controlling the right lane.

By: Rick

Rick — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 17:26:58 +0000

Fred_dot_u said: I understood, from speaking with an FDOT engineer, that such sections of painted pavement are considered “undesignated bike lanes” which to me is a contradiction in terms. If it’s undesignated, it’s not anything, right?

Does this apply to the “parking lane” on Corrine? I have been yelled at for not using it before.

By: Keri

Keri — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 02:22:37 +0000

No, he got crossed at Mizell. The BL ends a block before Mizell. But I’m pretty sure he was riding far right, at relatively high speed, in early morning dusk. Bad combination.

The best opportunity to get hooked or crossed on Lakemont is southbound at Whitehall. Though, I had someone almost cross me going into a private driveway not too long ago. If I’d been going more than 10mph, I would have gotten hit.

By: Eric

Eric — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 02:14:27 +0000

I forgot, but you remember that kid that got left crossed by the “late to work” nurse up by the hospital? He was in one of those lanes that are painted right up to the intersection.

By: Keri

Keri — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 02:12:05 +0000

I often carry a tape measure, I’ll measure it next time. It’s visibly wider than Glenridge, even at its narrowest.

Don’t get me started on the sidewalk next to the Evil Brick Road. >;-/