"This happens all the time": Wrong turn lands Vancouver driver in bike lane
It’s not much of a surprise to cyclists to see a driver in the bike lane, but it’s still infuriating for many.
On Wednesday, the Vancouver Police Department’s (VPD) traffic unit spotted the driver of a vehicle in the bike lane near Hornby and Smithe streets right outside the Provincial Court.
Police told Daily Hive Urbanized the person appeared to take to be exiting the underground parkade at the courthouse and took a wrong turn which resulted in them driving in the bike lane.
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“A VPD officer was in the area when it happened and helped her out of the bike lane safely,” an email reads.
Our members were doing enforcement at Hornby and Smithe when this happened. Thankfully, no one was injured and to all the people who have complained about this area we are actively working with the city to improve it. pic.twitter.com/g77krSTyRA
— VPD Traffic Section (@VPDTrafficUnit) February 15, 2023
VPD confirmed that the driver was not given a ticket but was given some education and a warning.
On Twitter one user admitted, “This happens all the time.”
Meanwhile another person suggested “some sort of gate” should be installed in the area “before someone gets killed by impatient idiots.”
No one was injured in Wednesday’s incident.
However, the area near the courthouse is not the only place drivers mistakenly drive in the bike lane, a Twitter user commented.
Submitted photo
“We could use this enforcement at the bike path at Alexander just east of Main,” they said.
Police say it has received several complaints about the area but said, “we are actively working with the city to improve it.”
In an email statement, the City of Vancouver assured it has a “zero tolerance policy for vehicles parked in protected bike lanes” for cyclists’ safety.
“If the City [sees] a vehicle parked in a bike lane, we ticket and tow immediately. VPD has the same authority to enforce this by-law, so similarly will ticket and tow,” the City said.
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