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‘Please No Parking in Cycle Track’

NoParking_1-662x1024It has now been three weeks since Seattle’s first separated cycle track on a central city street became operational.

CHS cruised the Broadway bikeway on Day One — and found people making bad vehicle parking decisions then. Those bad decisions continue 23 days later.

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With plastic bollards installed, some new paint and a few new signs, the infrastructure components are in place. It’s time for education. SDOT has created these handy signs you can share with your friends on Facebook, etc. to help them not be confused the next time they’re faced with parking near a bikeway. Please, no parking in the cycle track.

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Adam
Adam
10 years ago

Tow them and make some nice cash for the city with hefty impound fees. Or if it’s a suburu, crush it into a cube and do the owner a favor.

Curious
Curious
10 years ago
Reply to  Adam

I support and second the Subaru-cubing . . . regardless of whether or not they are illegally parked.

Joe
Joe
10 years ago
Reply to  Curious

The Subaru hate is based on what, exactly? Is this just the reflexive hipster reaction to anything mainstream and popular? (Genuinely curious as I’ve never owned one but never got the impression they were particularly problematic vehicles)

charlie
charlie
10 years ago
Reply to  Joe

I would assume it’s someone who’s had bad experiences owning one, but this is based solely on the “do the driver a favor” joke. I love my subaru and I normally ride a bicycle, but while I have a grand affinity for my flat motored friends, I’ll key the buhgeezus out of anyone who parks in the cycle track.

calhoun
10 years ago
Reply to  charlie

Oh wonderful….how to encourage vandalism. Why not call the police instead, so the car can be towed?

pragmatic
pragmatic
10 years ago
Reply to  Joe

I lost you at “hipster”

Andrew Taylor
Andrew Taylor
10 years ago

I try to cycle home that way several evenings a week at ~ 6:30 – 7 PM. I’ve seen no parking violations since day 2. Yes the leaves were a bit of a pain, but it is Fall.

Dana
Dana
10 years ago
Reply to  jseattle

Last week biking home from work (about 5:15pm) there was a motorcycle parked longwise so that it blocked up both parts of the cycle track. I reported it to the bike cops I saw a block further down, but they didn’t seem interested.

Bob
Bob
10 years ago
Reply to  Dana

Bike Cops are not traffic cops. Need to flag down a meter maid.

calhoun
10 years ago
Reply to  jseattle

It was inevitable that delivery trucks (FedEx, UPS etc) would use the track to park, because their mentality is that they are only there briefly, so “no problem.” The City has removed many of the loading/commercial zones which allow delivery trucks to park legally, so they often must park in places like turn lanes in the middle of the street, no parking anytime zones, and now the cycle track. I feel for the drivers of these trucks…it must be very frustrating for them.

scoville
10 years ago
Reply to  Andrew Taylor

Random leaves is one thing, but someone raked and specifically created multiple piles of leaves blocking the bike lanes in front of Bonney-Watson the other day.

Joe
Joe
10 years ago
Reply to  scoville

Obstacles that force bikes into traffic = more business for them. It’s still a tough economy out there.

a neighbor
a neighbor
10 years ago
Reply to  Joe

People still die in a tough economy. Sell more pine boxes than Cadillac coffins, but they all still run through the funeral home. Great business, I wish I wasn’t scared of dead people.

Jason
Jason
10 years ago
Reply to  Andrew Taylor

The heads up was for the delivery truck in the bike lanes.

andy
andy
10 years ago

If someone who didn’t read any English saw this sign, they might think the text was “This is Seattle. We don’t drive Mercs, we drive Subarus”.

R
R
10 years ago
Reply to  andy

Of course it’s going to be a mercedes parked in the bike lane.

Andrew Taylor
Andrew Taylor
10 years ago
Reply to  R

The Mercedes is parked outside Perkins Glass. Mr. Perkins was interviewed on TV when the bikeway opened, and he was, shall we say, less than supportive. Anyone know if it belongs to him?

Lack Thereof
Lack Thereof
10 years ago
Reply to  Andrew Taylor

Impossible to tell. It (illegally) does not have a front plate.

ERF
ERF
10 years ago
Reply to  andy

I was thinking the same thing.

Joseph Singer
Joseph Singer
10 years ago

It’s not that they don’t know they don’t care. It’s obvious that it’s not a place to park. It either has the outline of a bike or is painted green.

Pod
Pod
10 years ago
Reply to  Joseph Singer

I actually think they don’t know. This is relatively new, and it’s very automatic for drivers to assume to park next to a curb and not a line.

Joe
Joe
10 years ago
Reply to  Pod

Yeah, the only other place in the city where they might have encountered this is Alki, and I know the first time I parked there I was a little freaked out even though I was in line with the other cars.

Joseph Singer
Joseph Singer
10 years ago
Reply to  Pod

You are way more forgiving than I am. If you are so dense that you cannot see markings on the roadway and don’t know what those markings mean then perhaps you should not be driving.

R
R
10 years ago

Is there any interest in getting some “I parked in a bike lane. I’m an asshole” stickers printed and distributed to local bike shops?

http://www.thedailygreen.com/environmental-news/latest/bike-lane-stickers

Jim98122x
Jim98122x
10 years ago
Reply to  R

Awesome idea. And preferably make them with the special sticky that’s nearly impossible to peel off.

Joseph Singer
Joseph Singer
10 years ago
Reply to  Jim98122x

You need to be careful though. If you place it on a windshield for instance and it makes it hard to see that’s a hazard.

Joe
Joe
10 years ago
Reply to  R

I always apply Hanlon’s Law, so I wouldn’t want to call them assholes or make the sticker hard to remove unless they were repeat offenders. Ideally you’d have polite little notes that explain the rules for the ignorant, and then only reach for the “asshole” stickers when you see the same car again.

bax
bax
10 years ago
Reply to  R

excellent idea. Rudeness (parked car) begets vandalism (stickers from cyclists)

calhoun
10 years ago
Reply to  R

Way to encourage vandalism and further antagonism between motorists and cyclists. A much better idea is to call the police and have the car towed….and that would have the added bonus of more of a consequence for the motorist.

jomama
jomama
10 years ago
Reply to  calhoun

Ya because that’s not passive-aggressive. Typical Seattle biker arrogance.

A. Filer
A. Filer
10 years ago
Reply to  R

Here, I designed a sticker: http://afiler.com/I-park-in-bike-lanes.png

cdub
cdub
10 years ago

Perhaps, the fact that the whole bike track is not painted green implies to an uninformed driver that the parts that aren’t painted green are ok to park in. This is a new thing. Not everyone is malicious. As for the bike symbol, the citizens of Seattle have been conditioned to recognize that as a “sharrow.” And yes, I do drive as well as bike.p

calhoun
10 years ago
Reply to  cdub

Thank you. Long before this cycle track was opened, there was confusion among drivers as to what is a “sharrow” (share the road) and what is a dedicated bike lane….the icons for the two look very similar.

RainWorshipper
RainWorshipper
10 years ago

I haven’t yet tried to ride in this lane (my bike has a flat tire) but have seen skateboarders flying down it in the wrong direction which could cause some awful crashes so I hope they stay off it (of course, many of them seem to have little regard for anyone and tip over people on the sidewalk). As far as leaves, I often see businesses using leaf blowers to blow giant piles of them into the street, which is something which should be stopped.

BenE
BenE
10 years ago
Reply to  RainWorshipper

People blowing leaves into the road is legal and actually encouraged. The street sweepers are supposed to regularly come by to sweep these up, and encourage people to blow leaves from the sidewalks into the street to be swept up this way.

Joseph Singer
Joseph Singer
10 years ago
Reply to  BenE

This is absolutely contrary to what I’ve been told. Could you show where it’s recommended that you blow leaves into the street? Having citizens do make work for the public utilities is something that I’m inclined to think the city discourages.

BenE
BenE
10 years ago
Reply to  Joseph Singer

Actually you are correct! It is the ajacent property owner’s responsibility to clean up city owned street trees’ fallen leaves.

http://www.seattle.gov/transportation/streetmaintenance.htm

Luckily in response to the leaf issue:

http://www.seattlepi.com/local/article/Seattle-to-buy-mini-street-sweeper-for-bike-lanes-5000032.php

Andrew
Andrew
10 years ago

I suppose those signs could be set up on Broadway storefronts in the hopes that people going to those places would think twice about their parking.

Scott
Scott
10 years ago

Part of the problem with this situation is that it’s new and it’s confusing. There are a lot of visual elements. The transition at Broadway and Pine is particularly confusing to drivers. Perhaps the city could put labels of an appropriate size reading CYCLE TRACK ONLY, STREET PARKING, and THRU TRAFFIC at regular spots with arrows as appropriate? The laminated signs are a desperate “we don’t know what else to do” joke. I am also curious, if this same situation is at Alki which I haven’t yet had a chance to check out, is only temporary, say 6 to 10 months of “learning curve”.

certaindoom
certaindoom
10 years ago

Did no cyclists at the city understand that delivery trucks need a place to park to do their jobs?

The cycle track could have been put on Harvard ave, a block away, with almost no impact to surrounding business or car traffic on broadway.

Instead the cyclenista jerks that had McGinn’s attention demanded and got these lanes down Broadway, removing any other use for a heavily used road. It’s a big FU from cyclists to the 96% of people in the city that don’t ride a bike.

Darn skippy some people are going to be angry about it.

pragmatic
pragmatic
10 years ago
Reply to  certaindoom

The cycletrack is not an “FU”, it’s a “Come join us!” You should try riding a bike sometime. It’s actually really fun!

Gordon
Gordon
10 years ago
Reply to  certaindoom

It’s actually an invitation to the 60% of the people in Seattle who would like to bike more but don’t feel safe doing so with the current conditions.

Joseph Singer
Joseph Singer
10 years ago
Reply to  certaindoom

Why all the whining by businesses? There’s still as much parking on Broadway as there was. If they’re upset that they can’t have parking at the curb well then boo hoo. Everyone has to make adjustments. If they cannot make adjustments maybe they need to close up shop.

Joseph Singer
Joseph Singer
10 years ago
Reply to  certaindoom

I’m not sure why you’re angry that the street has been transformed so that everyone can use it. There’s still parking on Broadway. You no doubt are grousing that they put streetcar tracks on Broadway too I’m betting.

Lack Thereof
Lack Thereof
10 years ago
Reply to  certaindoom

What are you complaining about?

Before, there were 2 traffic lanes. Today, there are 2 traffic lanes. Before, there was street parking. Today, there is street parking. Before, there were bike lanes, in the door zone, between the traffic lanes and the street parking. Now, there are bike lanes, out of the door zone, between the parking and the curb.

This is better for everyone.

Jay
Jay
10 years ago

If they had separated the cycletrack from the street with a curb instead of those silly plastic reflectors than people wouldn’t be able to park on the cycletrack.

Joseph Singer
Joseph Singer
10 years ago
Reply to  Jay

And I’m sure you think that putting up concrete barriers is just as cheap as putting paint and line markings on the street too I’m guessing. It ain’t.

Jay
Jay
10 years ago
Reply to  Joseph Singer

No shit.

Joseph Singer
Joseph Singer
10 years ago
Reply to  Jay

Well, then you’re not too smart.

JTContinental
JTContinental
10 years ago

It must be exhausting for cyclists to be so butthurt all the time–maybe y’all should get more comfortable seats.

To be clear, I am not anti-bike lane, and I do not drive a car, either. Traffic/parking in that area was already super messed up, though, so it’s going to take some time for people to get used to it.

Joseph Singer
Joseph Singer
10 years ago
Reply to  JTContinental

Have you even *looked* at the area by the bikeway? There is still parking on Broadway on both sides of the street. There is no *curb* parking on the east side of the street, but there’s just as much parking on Broadway as there was it’s just that the cars have been moved six feet west of where they were. Why people keep saying that the cycle track is taking away parking when it in fact is not.

JTContinental
JTContinental
10 years ago
Reply to  Joseph Singer

I actually didn’t say anything listed in your post.

calhoun
10 years ago
Reply to  Joseph Singer

It would be interesting to know the number of parking spaces there were pre- and post-construction ….you must have this data, since you are so sure there has been no change…please share it with us. I suspect that there has been a decrease….not only because of the cycle track, but also because in some places the streetcar tracks have eliminated parking.

Joseph Singer
Joseph Singer
10 years ago
Reply to  calhoun

I do not have specific data, but just looking at the street you can see that most of the parking has been retained. The only places it is less is in the transition areas, but from what I can see most of the parking on Broadway has been retained.

nocarsgo
nocarsgo
10 years ago

All the drivers who believe they’re entitled to easy parking should move to Kent or Lynnwood. All the whining parking sucking is so old. This is Capitol Hill, the middle of a large city. Parking always sucks in large cities, so if you have a problem quit relying on your vehicle like its your mothers tit. Or move to Lynnwood, there is plently of parking at Alderwood Mall.

calhoun
10 years ago
Reply to  nocarsgo

Well, of course street parking is not an “entitlement,” but it is an amenity which cities provide…for the convenience of residents and also for the benefit of nearby businesses. If you actually think that such parking should be greatly reduced or even eliminated, then you are in a very tiny minority on this issue.

And by the way, advising someone to move to the suburbs is also getting really old.

Pat
Pat
10 years ago

Notice both pictures – not a single bicycle in sight for miles and miles. What a waste of true taxpayer money.

Joseph Singer
Joseph Singer
10 years ago
Reply to  Pat

Just because *you* didn’t see bicycles using the facility does not mean it’s not used. Your “waste” of money also built the streetcar infrastructure. I guess you’ll not use that either.

Becka
Becka
10 years ago
Reply to  Pat

The first picture, there isn’t a single car in either of the 2 north-bound lanes. Does that mean they were a waste of taxpayer money as well?

Loretta S. Munoz
10 years ago

In the event that we accept that less parking weren’t an alternative for the present, somebody and his group picked the awful point of reference of having just a painted bicycle path for one piece amidst a cycletrack, rather than the terrible point of reference of permitting Sunday stopping in the cycletrack.

Joseph Singer
Joseph Singer
10 years ago

Please speak English. You haven’t said a thing.

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[…] The cycletrack may require some driver education. […]

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[…] road safer for bikers, pedestrians and drivers with the installation of the First Hill Streetcar. SDOT created this education material in response to confusion and straight-up ignorance of the new cycle track’s changes to street […]