Sadly, neither the Police nor Council will consider photo evidence of parking behaviour for infringement purposes (they might consider a warning note to the owner eg via a Police Roadwatch form). If you want immediate action, ring the CCC Parking Enforcement team directly to get them to visit the site on 03-941-8741, noting that they only operate during daytime hours (7am-6pm weekdays, 8am-4pm weekends)

Car park buildings should be the same price as road side parking now. That’s the idea of car park buildings and when they are more expensive that’s what puts of people parking in them. Lots of drivers have told me that.

Why doesn’t it surprise me that it’s a bus driver. They drive their buses in the same way.

I’ve gotten so used to them I hardly notice them any more and have only begun noticing the worst examples since seeing this article when it was first posted. Just off the top of my head, there’s one on Kahu Rd. just before Straven Rd. travelling east; one just past St. Andrew’s Sq. where it intersects with Norman’s Rd. travelling SW; one on Shirley Rd. travelling east past the intersection with Hills Rd.

All things being equal and when safe to do so I have no qualms about “taking the lane” after very clearly indicating my intention in order to safely negotiate my way around a parked car blocking or partially blocking a cycle lane.

Another spillover problem occurs when the vehicle is too wide and then some for the parking space and/or the driver doesn’t is incapable of parking any closer than half a meter from the curb as Joy notes. Additionally, there are any number of places where a bus at a legitimate bus stop will not only completely block the cycle lane but also impinge a further couple of metres of so into the roadway. Again, I “take the lane”.

What is the law concerning these lines anyhow? Do cars have to stay within them legally?

That’s great! I see it’s rumble strips on the right too so a reminder for the drifter drivers when they accidentially cross the painted median. Great idea.

Generally new ones should be 1.8m; Chch has been pretty good at following best practice. But I get the impression that sometimes during re-marking after sealing there’s a bit of ‘creep’ for where some of these lines end up. Also, as the photo indicates, they’re not always good at doing tapers to the right width if trying to squeeze in one more car park.

How many cycle lanes in Christchurch are 1.8m wide? That seems larger then a lot of them appear to be – correct me if I am wrong. Anyway, thanks for the tip. I already ride on the far right side of the cycle lanes when passing bunched up parked cars for that very reason.