Cycle lanes

from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Cycle lanes on Eschersheimer Landstrasse in Frankfurt am Main , separated from the road by a continuous line and signposted with traffic sign 237.

A bike lane , in Switzerland cycle lanes (colloquially Velo strips ), is a bicycle facilities on the road, mostly at the roadside. In Germany, the cycle lane reserved for cyclists and subject to compulsory use is differentiated from the protective lane , both colloquially known as cycle lanes . In other countries the distribution of terms may be slightly different.

A special form of the cycle lane is the cycle lane in the middle position .

Cycle lanes in Germany

In Germany, a cycle lane is separated from the roadway for motor vehicles with a solid line ( traffic sign 295 , generally 25 cm wide, broad line) and must be marked with the traffic sign 237 . In order to make the cycle lane easier to see, the sign 237 can be marked at regular intervals in its course. The duty of use for cyclists then results from traffic sign 237. Whether the right-hand drive requirement triggers an implicit duty of use in other cases is disputed. Sign 237 - special route cyclists, StVO 1992.svg

At junctions and intersections, the cycle lane is continued by a cycle ford (also called cycle ford, formerly also called cycle path ford), which is delimited by two broken broad lines. The same applies in the areas of property entrances and, if applicable, bus stops.

According to the guidelines for the construction of city streets (RASt 06), the width is at least 1.60 meters (plus 0.25 meters for the marking). Greater widths should be aimed for:

  • with high traffic volumes and heavy goods traffic
  • close to schools and cycling destinations

The usable width next to drainage channels or street gullies must be at least 1.00 meters.

Since this is a special route for cyclists, other road users are not allowed to use it, not even for stopping and parking. Just crossing, e.g. B. to reach parking spaces is allowed under consideration of bicycle traffic. In practice, however, generous exceptions are often made for delivery traffic . This means that drivers of other vehicles also feel encouraged to do so.

According to a Berlin service instruction from 1978, however, incorrectly parked delivery vans should only be tolerated if

  • the interest of the person parked in the delivery to be carried out objectively outweighs the interest of flowing traffic,
  • There is no proper parking space within a reasonable distance,
  • the charging business is carried out quickly and outside of peak traffic times,
  • A third lane at least 3 m wide remains in the same direction of travel,
  • the rest of the traffic is not endangered or unreasonably hindered and
  • the delivery vehicle is driven away immediately after the end of the loading business.

  • Modern design of cycle lanes in both directions within a one-way street including cyclists' ford in Hamburg

  • Separate cycle lane in Hamburg

  • Cycle lanes in Cologne

    New cycle lane that was inaugurated as part of the implementation of #RingFrei on the northern section of the Theodor-Heuss-Ring in Cologne at the beginning of July 2018.

  • Cycle lanes in Wachmannstrasse in Bremen - Schwachhausen : Cycle traffic in the direct field of vision of motor vehicle traffic

Cycle lanes in Austria

In Austria, cycle lanes or multi-purpose lanes refer to Section 2 Paragraph 1 Number 7 or Number 7a of the Road Traffic Act 1960 (StVO 1960) “a part of the roadway designated for bicycle traffic and specially marked”.

Determination from a legal and structural point of view

The cycle lane is one of the so-called cycle facilities according to Section 2, Paragraph 4, Sentence 2, 10.3, VwV StVO. In terms of the conceptual difference to the structurally separate cycle path (a specially marked path), the cycle lane is not part of the main lane. The geometric demarcation of the cycle lane from the adjacent lane is made by a floor marking in the form of a blocking line (uninterrupted longitudinal marking), sign 295 StVO. If the traffic or local conditions require it, the blocking line can also be interrupted by a warning line (interrupted longitudinal marking) or a warning line can be installed instead of a blocking line. The beginning must be marked with sign 237 StVO. The course of a cycle lane can be marked by repeated marking with the 237 StVO sign.

Driving on the cycle lane

According to Section 8a of the StVO, a cycle lane may only be used in the same direction of travel as the adjacent lane. Exceptions are those one-way streets in which - in accordance with Section 7 (5) of the StVO - cyclists are expressly excluded by regulation and are therefore allowed to use the one-way street in the opposite direction. Here, however, appropriate markings are usually attached using road traffic signs and floor markings.

Rules of use on cycle lanes

Obligation to use: According to § 68 StVO , cycling facilities - the cycle lane is such a cycling facility - must be used with single-lane bicycles without a trailer.

Use permit:

  • With bicycles with a trailer that is not wider than 80 cm or is intended solely for the transport of people,
  • with multi-lane bicycles that are no wider than 80 cm, as well
  • The cycling system may be used for training rides with racing bikes (→ Bicycle Ordinance ) , but there is no obligation to do so.

Use prohibition: With bicycles with trailers, and other multi-lane with bicycles from 80 cm width allowed bicycle facilities, and thus cycle lanes, not be driven. In any case, the lane intended for general vehicle traffic must be used with these vehicles.

Cycle lane in Toronto , Canada

The roller skating or inline skating on cycle lanes is according to § 88a of the Highway Code allows an exception to the prohibition road, but not outside the local area . When using the cycling facilities - and thus the cycle lanes - with roller skates or inline skates, the same rules apply as for cyclists. However, local bans on roller-skating on cycle lanes must be observed. These sections of the route are identified by the no-driving symbol for inline skates, such as B. practiced in Vienna.

Children under the age of twelve are only allowed to roller-skate on streets with public traffic under the supervision of a person who has reached the age of 16, provided they are not the holder of a cycling license according to § 65 StVO.

Cycle lanes in Switzerland

Switzerland: Marking 6.09 “cycle lane”, interrupted variant

Cycle lanes (colloquially Velo strips ) are in Switzerland "intended for cyclists lanes marked by yellow normally or exceptionally interrupted by continuous lines" (Art. 1, para. 7 VRV ). Cyclists must use these (Art. 46 Para. 1 SVG ).

Other vehicles are allowed to "drive on the cycle lane delimited by a broken line [...] provided they do not obstruct bicycle traffic" (Art. 40 Para. 3 VRV ). Parking on cycle lanes and the adjacent lane is prohibited (Art. 19 Para. 2 lit. d VRV ).

International overview

country more defined cycle lanes less strictly demarcated cycle lanes Border marking
without reservation		 integrated cycle traffic guidance
United States Bikelanes must be used in Alabama , California , Florida , Hawaii , Maryland , New York , Oregon In the other states, bikelanes may be left for overtaking and turning dashed cycle lanes , equality restricted to the right-hand part of a lane shared lane = proportionately used lane ,
pictograms (“sharrows”) refer to equal use by cyclists
Canada Bikelanes must be used in Québec In the other provinces, bikelanes may be left for overtaking and turning shared lane = proportionately used lane ,
pictograms (“sharrows”) refer to equal use by cyclists
United Kingdom mandatory cycle lane ,
reserved but not compulsory to use,
demarcation with a solid line		 advisory cycle lane ,
not reserved,
demarcation with a dashed line
Netherlands fietsstrook met doorgetrokken streep ,
"bicycle lane with a solid line" 		fietsstrook met onderbroken streep ,
"cycle lane with broken line",
also subject to use,
but shared by vehicles 		fietssuggestiestrook,
= "Bicycle suggestion strips",
not legally binding, without bicycle symbols,
only dashed lines and red coloring
or other plaster
Belgium fietspad = piste cyclable ,
no conceptual differentiation from the cycle path,
framed on both sides by broken lines		 fietssuggestiestrook
= bande cyclable suggérée ,
coloring (not in red!) with pictograms or 		as a series of bicycle arrow pictograms
on partially used lanes
France bande cyclable obligatoire
= "compulsory cycle lane",
solid line,
sign "cycle path subject to use"		 bande cyclable conseillée et réservée = “recommended and reserved cycle lane”,
not compulsory to use, broken line,
sign “cycle path without compulsory use”,
pictograms such as voie partagée 		voie partagée = partially used lane ,
with a row of pictograms (bicycles with arrow) without border markings
Germany Cycle lanes ,
solid line,
sign "(mandatory) cycle path"		 Protective stripes ,
broken lines (narrow lines),
simple bicycle pictograms		 except on bus lanes and between tram tracks, only unofficial,
but not illegal,
simple bicycle pictograms
Austria Cycle lanes ,
solid line,
"cycle path subject to use" sign		 Multipurpose strips
Switzerland Cycle lanes , commonly known as bicycle lanes , with continuous yellow lines (only in exceptional cases) Bicycle lanes , commonly known as bicycle lanes , with yellow broken lines only unofficially
Czech Republic vyhrazený (cyklistický) jízdní pruh
= "reserved (cycle) lane",
solid line, sign "cycle path" 		cyklistický jízdní pruh = "cycle lane",
broken line,
simple bicycle pictograms		 piktogramový koridor = cyklopiktokoridor, row of
pictograms (bicycles with arrow)
without border markings
Poland pas rowerowy
Italy pista ciclabile su corsia riservata in carreggiata

Web links

Commons : Cycle lanes  - collection of images, videos and audio files
  • Urban Bikeway Design Guide (English) (design manual for urban facilities for cycling) of the US American Association of Urban Transport Planners, NACTO, National Association of City Transportation Officials

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Germany: Appendix 2 Section 5 of the Road Traffic Regulations
  2. ↑ Haiko Prengel: Parking offenders on cycle paths: When police officers deliberately look away. In: Spiegel online. September 26, 2019, accessed September 26, 2019 .
  3. ↑ Berlin House of Representatives: Drucksache 17/16457 Question 14. In: pardok.parlament-berlin.de. June 17, 2015, accessed October 16, 2019 .
  4. ↑ Austria: Inline skating on cycle paths ( memento from June 25, 2008 in the Internet Archive ) on wien.gv.at with a list of skate bans in Vienna
  5. ^ Austria: Driving ban symbol for inline skaters on wien.gv.at
  6. ↑ Austria: roller-skating or inline-skating is permitted on cycling facilities and pedestrian areas. Since, however, roads with public traffic are explicitly listed in § 88a StVO, the roller skate regulation for children also includes the traffic areas for pedestrians.
  7. ↑ US Department of Transportation, Federal Highway Administration: Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD), 2009 Edition: Chapter 9C. Markings
  8. ^ Bicycle Facilities and the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices: Dashed Bicycle Lanes
  9. ↑ Thunder Bay (Ontario): Informations for motorists and cylists on shared lanes and bike lanes ( Memento of November 4, 2016 in the Internet Archive )
  10. ↑ The Highway Code, 59-82: Rules for cyclists
  11. ↑ www.gov.uk: Department for Transport: Know Your TRAFFIC SIGNS Official Edition
  12. ^ Cambridge Cycling Campaign: Cycle lanes
  13. ↑ Dutch RVV, § 1 - alphabetical list of terms
  14. ↑ Fietsersbond: What is een fietspad en wat is een fietsstrook?
  15. ↑ FIETSERS EN BROMFIETSERS ( Memento from November 28, 2014 in the Internet Archive )
  16. ↑ Article 9. Place des conducteurs sur la voie publique , on code-de-la-route.be
  17. ↑ * Sur Légifrance : Code de la route parties législative et réglementaire
  18. ↑ General administrative regulation for road traffic regulations (VwV-StVO)
  19. ↑ Peter Gwiasda: The new ERA (recommendations for bicycle traffic facilities). (PDF, 3.8 MiB) Cycle traffic guidance on the route and in the traffic junction. (No longer available online.) In: Kompetenzzentrum-radverkehr.de . County of Grafschaft Bentheim , Competence Center for Cycle Traffic, March 9, 2011, p. 11 ( lane guidance ) , archived from the original on March 3, 2016 ; accessed on February 2, 2017 .
  20. ↑ Entire legal regulation for the Road Traffic Act 1960 version of October 29, 2014
  21. ↑ Civil engineering office of the Canton of Bern: Excerpts from rules of conduct and traffic regulations as well as marking and signaling regulations ( Memento from 23 September 2015 in the Internet Archive )
  22. ↑ Zákon o silničním provozu - Czech Road Traffic Act (in Czech) ( Memento from August 1, 2015 in the Internet Archive )
  23. ↑ Łódź: Pas ruchu czy droga dla rowerów?
  24. ↑ Sejmu RP: Prawo o ruchu drogowym
  25. ↑ ISTRUZIONI TECNICHE PER LA PROGETTAZIONE DELLE RETI CICLABILI , on comune.torino.it