See a problem here? Do you realize every driveway, curb cut, and minor intersection is exactly the same (but without stop signs). What if it said "HOV Lane" instead? Or "Carpool Lane"? Or "Motor Scooter Lane"?
Isn't that road marking illegal (or at least not to code)? Surely right-turning vehicles have to merge into the bike lane before making the turn. To turn across a lane of traffic seems like it contravenes the traffic code.
Ian, well, it's not AASHTO compliant, but besides the niceties of controlled-intersection turns, the AASHTO bike-lane design guide has no problem with right-turning motor vehicles crossing straight-through bicycle traffic.
But what about state traffic code? As far as I'm aware, drivers are required to merge into the right lane before turning right, even if that lane is a bicycle lane. Here's an example from DC:
Sure Ian, it's non-compliant. Dan (from whom I borrowed the pic) points that out. But I find that non-compliant installations are the norm, not the exception.
Since the marking goes against traffic code, I'd send an email to the local authorities explaining the matter and requesting a change. If that didn't work, paint is very prone to spill, and anything could happen while someone was bringing a half gallon of dark grey paint home. I suppose it could even accidentally erase the illegal marking.
6 comments:
They've built a few of these up here in Portland, Maine.
If they did this with cars there would be an uproar. Why do they get to use cyclists as their guinea pigs for nonstandard lane configurations?
Isn't that road marking illegal (or at least not to code)? Surely right-turning vehicles have to merge into the bike lane before making the turn. To turn across a lane of traffic seems like it contravenes the traffic code.
Ian, well, it's not AASHTO compliant, but besides the niceties of controlled-intersection turns, the AASHTO bike-lane design guide has no problem with right-turning motor vehicles crossing straight-through bicycle traffic.
As they say, "It's just bicycles."
But what about state traffic code? As far as I'm aware, drivers are required to merge into the right lane before turning right, even if that lane is a bicycle lane. Here's an example from DC:
http://greatergreaterwashington.org/post/6528/drivers-must-merge-into-bike-lanes-before-turning-right/
Sure Ian, it's non-compliant. Dan (from whom I borrowed the pic) points that out. But I find that non-compliant installations are the norm, not the exception.
Since the marking goes against traffic code, I'd send an email to the local authorities explaining the matter and requesting a change. If that didn't work, paint is very prone to spill, and anything could happen while someone was bringing a half gallon of dark grey paint home. I suppose it could even accidentally erase the illegal marking.
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