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Taxi drivers caught parking en masse in Toronto bike lanes

Dozens of taxis have been spotted parked along protected bike lanes in three separate incidents in 24 hours

Dozens of taxis have been photographed illegally using bike lanes as taxi ranks in Toronto over one 24 hour period this weekend, causing bemusement among cyclists and, apparently, the companies they work for.

Passing cyclists photographed groups of matching taxis on three separate occasions, from a different company each time, parked in rows along bike lanes across the city. Each was clearly marked with painted lines, kerbs, and in one case, plastic wands. 

Beck Taxis, of Toronto, is among the three operators to express bemusement as to why its drivers decided simultaneously to turn protected bike infrastructure into taxi ranks, and has promised to look into it.

After the Beck incident, however, other taxi companies' drivers followed suit.

Around 90 minutes after a local journalist reported the phenomenon to one taxi firm, he said the queue of vehicles continued to grow.

Beck Taxis says it is "very concerned" and is investigating the matter.

Otherwise the phenomenon remains a mystery.

Local news reporters cite a “war” between cyclists and drivers, as motor vehicles are regularly left parked in bike lanes, and while a perceived lack of bike lane enforcement has become a source of frustration for local cyclists, that could be about to change.

From spring, enforcement officers could ticket vehicles illegally parked by photographing them. At the moment the $150 fines for parking in a bike lane don’t appear to be acting as a deterrent, with drivers apparently able to drive away to avoid paying up.

 

 

Laura Laker is a freelance journalist with more than a decade’s experience covering cycling, walking and wheeling (and other means of transport). Beginning her career with road.cc, Laura has also written for national and specialist titles of all stripes. One part of the popular Streets Ahead podcast, she sometimes appears as a talking head on TV and radio, and in real life at conferences and festivals. She is also the author of Potholes and Pavements: a Bumpy Ride on Britain’s National Cycle Network.

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10 comments

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DavidC | 8 years ago
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Just to make things clear: Toronto's bike infrastructure is and has always been a sad joke. That anyone is parking cars in bikes lanes should neither be news, nor really any deviation from the normal daily bicycling experience in that city.

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racyrich | 8 years ago
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I wonder if the taxis of Vilnius still use the cycle lanes after the mayor's little demonstration of his displeasure.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V-fWN0FmcIU

 

 

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morseykayak | 8 years ago
0 likes

Taxi's don't give two hoots (sic).

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hampstead_bandit | 8 years ago
5 likes

@hawkinspeter

that is probably the best idea - create an easy upload channel for the authorites to act on photos or videos taken by any witness - I don't think any fee should be paid to the witness as its not the point of providing evidence and could inflame tensions between motorists and cyclist/pedestrians

its clear with ongoing cutbacks that there are not enough Police to enforce the traffic laws, especially in major cities

a large number of submissions leading to successful fines would definitely change driver behaviour as many studies have shown financial penalties to be very effective compared to the minimal risk of being "caught" by the Police - bear in mind I have seen numerous traffic offences committed whilst Police vehicles are present and they have not responded to uphold the law

 

 

 

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Gus T | 8 years ago
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Just Googled AGO in Toronto, as per one of the cyclist's Tweets,  and am confused as to why cyclists in Toronto expect the Art Gallery of Ontario to take action against taxi firms. Come on Ed provide some background on abbreviations s that we can understand what's being said.

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hawkinspeter | 8 years ago
5 likes

Surely it would be really easy to prevent and enforce the correct use of bike lanes (and other driving issues). Simply make the law clear along with a typical fine and allow submission of photos fom anyone capturing the incident. Then, assign a proportion of the fine to be shared amongst the people providing the incriminating photos. Simple.

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velo-nh replied to hawkinspeter | 8 years ago
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hawkinspeter wrote:

Surely it would be really easy to prevent and enforce the correct use of bike lanes (and other driving issues). Simply make the law clear along with a typical fine and allow submission of photos fom anyone capturing the incident. Then, assign a proportion of the fine to be shared amongst the people providing the incriminating photos. Simple.

I wouldn't put a bounty on it, then you'd have people stealing cars or at least the plates in order to make money, or something just as dumb.

We have something like this here in New Hampshire.  People who have a disabled parking placard can snap a photo of a vehicle illegally parked in a handicapped parking space and send it to the DMV.  The DMV will then fine the vehicle owner.

With bike lanes, they'd probably have to hire extra help to deal with all the photos they'd get!

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hampstead_bandit | 8 years ago
6 likes

it comes down to attitude of drivers (typically f*ck anyone else, I'll park where I want) and the abscence of effective enforcement by local authorities and Police

it always surprises me how aggressive motorists become if someone dare point out their illegal parking, of course they know they are in the wrong but how dare someone tell them! 

I'm sure other cyclists like me who ride through London every day see dozens of examples on each ride of motorists doing whatever they like with no challenge. 

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in these financially challenged times, I'd even take the stance that illegal parking in cycle lanes and on pavements is a challenge to the public purse when good money has been spent to provide infrastructure to keep cars away from pedestrians and cyclists, and fines should be collected to help recoup this investment. 

a german friend commented that in his home city you would get ticketed for jaywalking within 100m of a pedestrian crossing, the reasoning being that the state had spent considerable money to install safety crossings, and the cost to the state (paramedic, hospital,etc.) of you being run over when not using the crossing negated this investment. 

 

if the authorities are not going to bother enforcing the law, they might as well not bother installing any cycle infrastructure or introducing 20mph speed limits and cell phone driving laws

Avatar
felixcat replied to hampstead_bandit | 8 years ago
6 likes
hampstead_bandit wrote:

it comes down to attitude of drivers (typically f*ck anyone else, I'll park where I want) and the abscence of effective enforcement by local authorities and Police

it always surprises me how aggressive motorists become if someone dare point out their illegal parking, of course they know they are in the wrong but how dare someone tell them! 

I'm sure other cyclists like me who ride through London every day see dozens of examples on each ride of motorists doing whatever they like with no challenge. 

in these financially challenged times, I'd even take the stance that illegal parking in cycle lanes and on pavements is a challenge to the public purse when good money has been spent to provide infrastructure to keep cars away from pedestrians and cyclists, and fines should be collected to help recoup this investment. 

a german friend commented that in his home city you would get ticketed for jaywalking within 100m of a pedestrian crossing, the reasoning being that the state had spent considerable money to install safety crossings, and the cost to the state (paramedic, hospital,etc.) of you being run over when not using the crossing negated this investment. 

 

if the authorities are not going to bother enforcing the law, they might as well not bother installing any cycle infrastructure or introducing 20mph speed limits and cell phone driving laws

 

Remarkably, there is apparently no legal right in law to leave a vehicle, or any other private property on the highway. The DfT website is silent on the matter, however Suffolk County Council is clearer stating that “There is no legal right for anyone to park on a public road or outside their property“. Similarly, Surrey County Council states that “in common law, drivers have the right to pass and re-pass along the road. There is no legal right to park on a road, verge or footway“.

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FluffyKittenofT... | 8 years ago
6 likes

Its not just dedicated bike lanes - walking around London seems to be becoming increasingly difficult, due to the sheer prevalence of parking, and even driving, on the pavement. I only need look at how many pavements round here have been reduced to crazy-paving from one end to the other to see how common it now is.

Just shows that even with segregated infrastructure you still need enforcement or it will become just another parking space.

But... maybe if you have good enough infrastructure for long enough it will become self-enforcing, as sufficient number of drivers will themselves be cyclists that behaviour improves?

Alternatively, just change the law so that if a car is illegally parked it is legal for any passer-by to attempt to physically destroy it?

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