Guess how many drivers were ticketed for parking in Toronto bike lanes

Toronto police gave an astonishing amount of tickets to motorists who parked in bike lanes in 2021, according to a report on Global News.  The city released its figures for the offences on Monday.

Happy Thursday, oh #bikeTO …This one takes the cake. This van drove up nearly entire block from Yonge- Bay in the very clearly barrier bike lane on Gerrard ??‍♀️ then proceeded to park illegally. You know I did what I had to do… $150 served. @ParkingTPS pic.twitter.com/I8hPqFUlyY

— PEO Erin Urquhart (@TPS_BikeHart) March 31, 2022

In the past two years over 55 km of bike lanes, tracks and paths have been added in Ontario’s capital, but it seems that many drivers didn’t get the memo that you can’t park in them.

Watch this cab driver who decided to use the dedicated, blocked off bike lane as a shortcut

The only exception to stopping, but not parking in a bike lane is as follows:

• • • Moving into or leaving a private lane or driveway adjacent to the bicycle lane.
    • Making a right turn at a road intersecting the bicycle lane.
    • Entering or exiting a curb lane used for parking.
    • Loading or unloading of a person with a disability, while actively engaged in doing so.
    • Operating a school bus while actively engaged in picking up or dropping off school children.
    • Operating a taxicab while actively engaged in loading or unloading of passengers.

So that means idling in a bike lane is no bueno. In 2021, parking officers issues 16,942 tickets for drivers obstructing bikeways in Toronto. This was a 125 per cent increase compared to 2020.

Each fine for drivers parking in a bike lane is $150, but clearly that doesn’t seem to be a deterrent. Toronto Police told Global News that is a serious problem. “Parking in bicycle lanes obstructs the use of the lanes and creates a dangerous situation where bicyclists must swerve onto live lanes of traffic.”