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In the city, drivers quickly load and unload passengers in no stopping zones all the time, but one Lower East Side resident told NY1 For You that stopping in a bike lane is a surefire way to get a ticket. NY1's Susan Jhun filed the following report.

Video – City Bike Lanes Create One-Stop Tickets

In the city, drivers quickly load and unload passengers in no stopping zones all the time, but one Lower East Side resident told NY1 For You that stopping in a bike lane is a surefire way to get a ticket. NY1’s Susan Jhun filed the following report.

NEW YORK, NY [NY1] — Lower East Side resident Ernest Marshall never expected to get a ticket for blocking a bike lane.

“If the city is looking to make money, this is a cash cow,” says Marshall.

But he recently received a $115 ticket when he pulled over to pick up his wife.

“As my wife was leaving the sidewalk to get into the car, a traffic officer pulled in front of me, blocked me in and then proceeded to give me a traffic ticket,” says Marshall.

He says he wasn’t standing for more than a second, as his wife walked to the car and wonders where he was suppose to pull over to pick her up.

“There’s parking, a bike lane and traffic on both sides of the street,” says Marshall. “It’s impossible to load or unload passengers from a car without blocking a bike lane or traffic itself. It’s unfair.”

Under city traffic rules, which are enforced by the New York Police Department, bicycle lanes are considered no stopping zones and vehicles, whether attended or not, are not permitted to stop, stand or park in them.

Marshall, who cycles himself, says he has nothing against bike lanes but wonders why drivers all over the city are allowed to load and unload passengers in other no stopping zones without ever being ticketed.

Furthermore, Marshall questions exactly who these rules apply to.

“We have a large number of senior citizens here. We also have a senior citizens’ health center. So, we have a lot of traffic of Access-A-Rides and car services,” says Marshall.

According to traffic rules, there are no exceptions, including commercial vehicles and vehicles dropping off children, seniors and the disabled.

NY1 called the Department of Transportation for a comment and a spokesperson said that on Marshall’s street there’s alternate side parking and meter spaces. If those are occupied, vehicles are permitted to expeditiously drop off or pick up passengers at the bus stop.

Marshall says drivers would have no way of knowing.

As for his ticket, the Department of Finance told NY1 it’s valid and they would not offer a reduction since no stopping violations are the most serious.

Marshall paid the ticket so he could appeal the decision and is now awaiting his next hearing.

DOF says last year about 70,000 tickets were issued for stopping in a bike lane, out of 10 million tickets issued citywide.

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9 Comments

  • New Tickert Empire

    When they rebuilt empire blvd.
    I thought the only problem with the bike lane are gonna be the accidents and I;njuries to the bikers

    Now I see another problem with a bike lane – TICKETS!!!

  • bike lane

    The idea to rebuild Empire Blvd. may have had some good effects.

    BUT WHAT DOES THE BIKE LANE HELP!!??

    Why is Crown Heights the victims of the Citys Plan to double its bike lanes??

  • be safe!

    i live on empire next to kingston ave for 20 years now.
    when they put a bike lane i was unsure what to make of this.
    i will say that i sit on my steps a few hours a day to take in the cool summer air.i have counted in three hours time 2 bike riders.wow,for that the city put that up?
    just last week my 16 year old son asked me if he can ride his bike on the bike lane,so i said yes.when he came back after 30 minutes he told me he went as far as to flatbush ave and back.he all so told me it is NOT SAFE TO GO ON THE BIKE LANES! many car services, trucks,UPS,Mail truck all stopped on the bike lane,which send him going around in to the car lane all most hitting 2 cars! there is NO other way to drive the bike on the lane with out going around the pulled over cars/trucks.i was so upset! just today i took my camra and took 18 pictures with in 1 hour of dubble parked cars/trucks.i would love to know whos idea was this?

  • that-s what the median is for...duh...

    Just ask Spritzer. It’s not just for emergency vehicles, it’s also for loading and unloading…even if you are unloading enough goods to require a forklift :)

  • One-sided situation?

    I’m wondering whether any bike riders are ever ticketed for not signaling, or not having proper lights and reflectors, or for disobeying other rules of the road. Someone on a bike should not be immune from tickets! Although I have seen many bikers commit traffic offenses, I have never seen any traffic officers ticket bikers.

  • moe

    As the old saying goes the wheel that squeaks gets the oil these bikers /liberals have to much time on their hands to do alot of emailing blogging and petitioning to get their bike lanes ,closing parks to motor vehicle, etc.