Harassed in Wilshire Bus/Bike Lane
Channel: topomodesto
Date: 2016-05-25

On May 24th, 2016, I was confronted by a Los Angeles County Sheriff's Deputy and told I was not permitted to ride at the center of  the lane of the peak hour bus/bike lane on Wilshire Blvd. These lanes are specifically designated for the use of buses and people on bikes from 4pm to 7pm on weekdays.

While the Deputy was polite in his interaction, he is incorrect 1) that cyclists are not permitted to use the bus/bike lanes (which have signs noting, "Bikes OK"), 2) that cyclists are required to ride on the curb edge in a lane that is not wide enough to be shared by a vehicle (or bus) and a bike side-by-side.

Los Angeles Metro and the Los Angeles Sheriff's Department need to do a better job educating Deputies patrolling these bus/bike lanes that people on bikes are permitted full use of the bus/bike lane.

Another bike commuter was incorrectly ticketed by a Sheriff's Deputy for similar use of a bus/bike lane on 5/27/2014: https://youtu.be/jSA0tFxsupU

Link to CVC 21202(a)(3): https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?lawCode=VEH&sectionNum=21202.
Metro's "Bike Guide," instructing people on bikes proceeding straight to locate themselves at the center of travel lanes: https://media.metro.net/riding_metro/bikes/images/132116_msc_bike_pocket_guide_eng.pdf