San Jose encourages bicyclists to report the many obstacles in bike lanes: Roadshow

Reader shares story of encountering several parked cars on a ride with his kid

Q: My son and I were biking to downtown San Jose to meet my wife when we encountered a problem on Second Street between William and Reed streets. In the bike lane, there was a parked car with no driver. We started walking around. Another car was illegally parked 20 feet ahead of the first in the bike lane. We didn’t have to swerve into traffic, but getting around these cars during rush hour was stressful.

It’s risky, especially for younger riders, such as my 13-year-old. What was my child’s reaction? “Why would they do such a thing?” Let’s call the cops.” Next time, I’m thinking 311. I’m curious if reporting this to the police would result in any action being taken. I recently discovered California Vehicle Code 21211, which states that parking in bike lanes is illegal, but I see it all the time.

We simply want a safe ride. Can we spread the word about this?

San Jose’s Eric Snider

A: Yours is one of several messages I’ve received recently on this subject. The municipality is working on it. “Many of us in the DOT ride bikes for transportation and have encountered it ourselves,” Colin, the city spokesman, said. With so many different obstacles, the answer is somewhat complicated.

Vehicles: The use of plastic bollards, parked cars, and concrete curbs to separate bike lanes from vehicle traffic is intended to keep car drivers out of bike lanes. Signs are increasingly being used on newly constructed separated bike lanes for a few weeks after construction to help people adjust to new patterns, but lanes are wide enough to allow street sweeping, which unfortunately also makes them wide enough for drivers to drive or park in. “We’re researching potential design solutions to address this issue, but have yet to find one that works for San Jose,” Colin went on to say.

Last year, the city issued approximately 1,200 tickets for parking in bike lanes. AB 361 authorizes local governments to install cameras on parking enforcement vehicles for video imaging and issuing citations for bike lane parking violations.

Trash cans and yard waste: When possible, keep cart wheels against the curb and out of bike lanes. On the city website, guidelines and an Environmental Services Department video demonstrate how this should work.

Debris: Leaves, trash, and other debris can be a major hazard in bike lanes. The city sweeps the lanes on major roads twice a month, and on some roads twice a week. When the city is notified of broken glass or debris buildup, hand cleaning supplements street sweeping.

Please call 311 or visit the city’s 311 website to report any obstacles in the bike lane.

The city is collecting complaints in order to identify problem areas and better understand what can be done to address them.