#1 2010-10-12 15:25:05

m1ek
Member
Registered: 2008-06-02
Posts: 153

Enforcement needed again on Rio Grande north of 28th

Every day now on the way home from work I see many many cars parked in the bike lane (marked no-parking) on this stretch of Rio Grande (between 28th and 29th, which despite only being one block numerically, is a long stretch of real estate - 5-10 cars parked illegally every single evening).

Who at the bike program is handling enforcement these days?

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#2 2010-10-12 17:51:14

cycling74
Member
Registered: 2008-09-28
Posts: 61

Re: Enforcement needed again on Rio Grande north of 28th

When the parked car causes traffic to move into part of another lane to avoid hitting the parked cars, 911 is the number and the police will respond promptly (311 will transfer you to 911 as soon as you say "obstructing traffic"). After the lanes were painted on Rosewood last year, I called a few times until everybody finally got the message. Rosewood is a two lane, two direction street so when Eastbound cars would swerve into the other lane, they were swerving into oncoming traffic. Very dangerous.

Looks like that stretch of Rio Grande warrants a 911 call: http://goo.gl/F07Y  (Google Maps)

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#3 2010-10-15 22:36:29

CharlesDuffy
Member
Registered: 2009-07-03
Posts: 56

Re: Enforcement needed again on Rio Grande north of 28th

cycling74 wrote:

When the parked car causes traffic to move into part of another lane to avoid hitting the parked cars, 911 is the number and the police will respond promptly (311 will transfer you to 911 as soon as you say "obstructing traffic").

Hmm -- didn't work that way tonight.

I had to swerve into the traffic lane to avoid a Ford parked smack between two "no parking any time in bike lane" signs on Pleasant Valley just south of Webberville tonight -- the light at the intersection was green and I still had momentum from the steep decline just before. Had there been other vehicles on the road it might have been ugly.

Anyhow -- called 311, and they indicated they were filing it as a bicycle issues ticket... which I take to mean there won't be any action until someone gets in tomorrow.

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#4 2010-11-04 13:38:16

m1ek
Member
Registered: 2008-06-02
Posts: 153

Re: Enforcement needed again on Rio Grande north of 28th

It's still filled with numerous cars every day on my way home from work. Bicycle program, do you have any interest in these lanes at all?

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#5 2010-11-04 15:15:22

cycling74
Member
Registered: 2008-09-28
Posts: 61

Re: Enforcement needed again on Rio Grande north of 28th

Just call each day, eventually they will get the message.

CharlesDuffy, just saw your reply from Oct 15, sorry. If you mention it's a problem because cars are swerving into traffic and keep quiet about the bicycle part, they will send you to 911 and police will take "cars swerving head on into another car lane" seriously.

They follow a flowchart. The word bicycle elicits sympathy, but that's about it.

Last edited by cycling74 (2010-11-04 15:15:57)

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#6 2010-11-05 16:35:18

bizikletari
Member
Registered: 2009-03-18
Posts: 223

Re: Enforcement needed again on Rio Grande north of 28th

It may be a good idea to write to the BPP directly.
I cannot place their email here, according to the forum rules, but in their website http://www.ci.austin.tx.us/publicworks/bicycle.htm there is a contact generic email at the bottom of the page.

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#7 2010-11-05 17:15:01

m1ek
Member
Registered: 2008-06-02
Posts: 153

Re: Enforcement needed again on Rio Grande north of 28th

I was just told that I should show up and be deputized for parking enforcement. Only problem is that I don't bike anymore due to the arthritis; I'm driving through this corridor when I see the parked cars blocking the bike lane - and there's nowhere to park my car and write them a ticket anyways. Ironic.

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