Tag Archive for 'bicycle lane'

Question: Is It Legal For Delivery Trucks To Block Bicycle Lanes?

Published by Jason Moore on January 9, 2012 in Opinion. 0 Comments Tags: , , .
This morning on my way to school a UPS truck was blocking the southbound L st bicycle lane while delivering packages to Screaming Squeegee. I found it particularly unsafe practice for the bicyclists’ sake. It forces one into a typically 45 mph roadway (or onto the sidewalk). I stopped and told the driver that I thought it made it unsafe for me and other bicyclists and asked him to park elsewhere. He blew me off saying that he had no other options.
I then saw some police officers in Central park and asked them about the law. They said that delivery trucks are exempt from parking laws when delivering a package, including parking in a bicycle lane. They said that their lobby groups are strong and get the exemptions passed.
I haven’t found any answers with Google yet. Does anyone know what the law is? And if not, where do I look for the law?

An example of a delivery truck in the bicycle lane.

Caution, Hazard Ahead

Published by John Berg on January 7, 2011 in Davis Bicycles! Column. 1 Comment Tags: , , .

By John Berg

Published in the Davis Enterprise, Friday, January 7, 2011

Bicyclists deal with dangerous blocked lanes each winter

A bicyclist rides past a debris pile Tuesday in the northbound bike lane on B Street north of Eighth Street (FRED GLADDIS/ENTERPRISE PHOTO).

Imagine driving a car in Davis after a severe Pacific storm, dodging  downed trees and limbs, crossing over into the opposite lane, or even hopping up onto the sidewalk at times.  Now, imagine if no one cleaned up the debris for weeks, and you had to deal with this every day.

That’s exactly what Davis cyclists, including school children, have to deal with many days during fall and winter, due to yard waste being dumped into bike lanes week after week.  Even though it is illegal to block bike lanes, the city does not have the resources to enforce many of the violations.

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