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Transportation

A New Tool in the Battle to Keep the Bike Lane Clear

Installing cameras that automatically ticket drivers who obstruct bike lanes would make riding safer. In New York City, such enforcement technology could be on its way. 

A driver getting hit with a traffic ticket for blocking a bike lane in Queens, New York.

A driver getting hit with a traffic ticket for blocking a bike lane in Queens, New York.

Photo by: Lindsey Nicholson/Education Images/Universal Images Group via Getty Images

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On the list of bicyclist aggravations, few rank higher than cars blocking bike lanes. Beyond the frustration of being denied their allotted space, those on a bike (or a scooter) must navigate around the offending vehicle, riding into a general traffic lane where three- and four-ton cars and trucks are zooming by. And any regular cyclist can tell you how often this happens: All. The. Time.

Drivers entering bike lanes are breaking the law, even if they have their blinkers on while dashing into a store to drop off a package or grab a coffee. But they’re unlikely to be cited by police, both because the infraction is usually brief and because officers seldom prioritize bike lane enforcement. (Indeed, police department vehicles are among the most notorious bike lane blockers.)