Cherry blossom enthusiast called out for stopping car in bus lane, getting out to take photo

DriveBC shared a photo on social media on April 2, 2024, of a driver who appeared to stop in a bus merge lane to take a photo of cherry blossoms. (DriveBC/X)

With cherry blossom season in full swing across Metro Vancouver, enthusiasts are being urged to curb their excitement and find appropriate places to stop for a photo.

DriveBC shared a picture on social media Tuesday of a driver who appeared to stop their vehicle in a bus merge lane in order to snap a photo of blooming cherry blossoms.

"Please be mindful of where you are if stopping to take photos," the post said. "A bus merge lane is not an appropriate nor safe place to stop and get out."

The post suggested the driver was spotted in Stanley Park.

Vancouver's annual cherry blossom bloom has often drawn crowds or led photographers to try bizarre tactics to capture the perfect picture. In some cases, the influx of visitors in blossom-laden neighbourhoods has led to frustration, especially when visitors crowd the street.

For example, residents on Graveley Street in East Vancouver say they've seen people show up in elaborate costumes, wearing bikinis or carrying props.

According to the founder of the Vancouver Cherry Blossom Festival, the mayors of the Japanese cities of Yokohama and Kobe gave 500 cherry trees to the Vancouver Park Board in the 1930s to honour Japanese Canadians who served in the First World War.

Now, Destination Vancouver says there are more than 40,000 cherry trees in the city.

With files from The Canadian Press