Has the Bike Lane Law Affected You?
Mark Simpson and Michael Cacciatore at WMFE’s Intersection are following up on the mandatory bike lane law that was passed last year. You may recall, Mark rode with me on Orange Ave. and did an in-studio interview with Mighk last year when the law was passed.
If you have had any interactions with the police over the bike lane law, whether or not it ended in a ticket, please share your story with Michael at r_intern@wmfe.org. An interaction could be anything from being yelled at over the loudspeaker to being pulled over. Individual and group stories are welcome.
Please pass this on to anyone you know who has had interactions with the police for avoiding a bike lane, or any striped-off area that looks like one.
Did you see this guy’s video from NYC? He got a ticket for riding outside the bike lane (apparently not illegal in NYC, not that that cops knew that.)
http://youtu.be/bzE-IMaegzQ
Great video! Thank you, Janice! I Hadn’t seen it.
NYC does have a mandatory bike lane and sidepath law. With the usual exceptions, but therein lies the problems. Who decides what’s safe the cyclist or the cop or the judge? The way these laws are written and the bias in the system puts the burden of proof on the cyclist to defend defensive driving.
Are the physically separated bike lanes technically still bike lanes or are they side paths.
The reason I ask is, on a typical bike lane separated by only paint (not parked cars or bollards) the cyclist can easily leave the lane to avoid obstacles if traffic allows. With the physically separate lane this becomes impossible.
Last week, I was told, in passing, by an unknown OCSO deputy that “You’re not supposed to be in the road”. I think he was trying to impress his deputy buddies since he was involved with an earlier “3 cop stop”.(Semoran Blvd/Stonewall Jackson)
I continued on to my destination without delay or incident.
The new law has only affected me to the extent that I have made a study of avoiding streets that have them. If the goal of these things is to keep me out of harm’s way, it’s working.
It’s had the same effect on me. Fern Creek used to be one of my favorite north/south roads, but after the bike lane was painted on, it’s worse for biking AND for driving. I’ve changed to Hampton to avoid it.
Me too.
http://gizmodo.com/5810246/cyclist-argues-against-police-fine-in-slapstick-cycle+lane-video
Hasn’t affected me, but I don’t ride much, and I live in suburban southern Dr. Phillips, where (supposed) cops tell you to use the sidewalk, and the only bike lanes are pretty unobjectionable ones on a two-lane residential collector.
I’ve had similar bizarre interactions with marked police cars with officers that alternately tell me to get on, then off, then back on the sidewalk all within one 15 minute ride.