Motorcycle Parking - Designated Spaces or NOT

[mountaincycle]

Motorcycle Parking - Designated Spaces or NOT ??

I see a lot of motorcycles parked in non-parking spaces. While many will argue they just do this to get closer to the door, riders will claim they do this to (1) free up spaces for (cars) other vehicles or (2) park where a car can't knock the bike over. Both legitimate concerns..
I know in some areas, you might get a ticket or fined for illegally parking.

I'm just curious, do you:
(A) When no dedicated motorcycle parking is available do you pull up close to the building, near or on the sidewalk?

(B) Do you park it in a regular parking spot or one marked for bikes?

(C) You basically don’t give a crap? :Flip:

 

[Erci]

Motorcycle Parking - Designated Spaces or NOT ??

I see a lot of motorcycles parked in non-parking spaces. While many will argue they just do this to get closer to the door, riders will claim they do this to (1) free up spaces for (cars) other vehicles or (2) park where a car can't knock the bike over. Both legitimate concerns..
I know in some areas, you might get a ticket or fined for illegally parking.

I'm just curious, do you:
(A) When no dedicated motorcycle parking is available do you pull up close to the building, near or on the sidewalk?

(B) Do you park it in a regular parking spot or one marked for bikes?

(C) You basically don’t give a crap? :Flip:

My company is full of parking-challenged folks.. someone always parks their car (mostly unintentionally) in a way which makes it impossible for another car to fit in a space next to it. That's my bike space :rof:

 

[2nd childhood]

When I used to catch the bus to work, I would leave my truck at a Park N Ride (wouldn't never leave my bike in one) and would constantly see folks who couldn't park. To remind them of how to park, I would leave a note on their car, stating the white lines were to park between, not on. Blah

 

[Botch]

Always loved this picture:

Blah

 

[Tailgate]

I think planners should incorporate appropriate amount of spaces for motorcycles (and bicycles, too) near the front of the business. Too often, I see a bicycle rack located in a far off area where there is hardly anything or anybody nearby allowing anonymity to somebody wanting to contemplate or worse. How many times have we motorcyclists searched for a "safe" parking spot? I suppose I should rather direct my remarks to the AMA or DMV. Sometimes, I park on business sidewalk or someplace where I would, also park a bicycle but I know that this can also entail risks. As motorcyclists, we don't have bumpers and can get knocked over with a door opening or bump. Vehicle tampering also is a concern.

 

[FZ09Bandit]

I park at the very edge of the striped lines at like WalMart. My thinking is that, I can only carry a few things, I wont be I there but maybe 10 minutes anyways.

I usually don't get upset for someone double parking with a nice sports car. I've seen people comment on things and take It to the extreme of defacing, busting out windows ETC. It's sad...

 

[VEGASRIDER]

Here's my take on motorcycle parking.

If there is a designated area for motorcycle parking, please use it. If you don't, it might eventually be used for something else. Use it or lose it.

For businesses that do not offer motorcycle parking, they are susceptible to losing control of the parking situation. Riders may park their bike in areas that they may or may not like. As mentioned earlier, some may park their bike so that they can be closer to the entrance, but the number one reason why I think riders park in areas besides the normal parking stalls is in fear of their bike being knocked over by another vehicle. A motorcycle is usually no higher than a shopping cart and can easily be hit from drivers who are not paying attention backing up, and can even result in a hit and run.

To prevent your bike from being knocked over in a parking lot, their is some strategy to how you park the bike. Make sure you are facing forward, most motorcycles are more visible from the front than the rear. It also makes departing your spot easier since you don't have to back up, therefore there are less chances for conflict. Don't park your bike so close to the front of the stall, leave extra room in the event another vehicles is backing up. Most drivers will utilize the extra space to back up if they see that there is open space. If they don't see your bike, even though it's in a stall, by having it parked towards the center or towards the end of the stall may save it from being hit.

For me, If I see an area that will not impede the flow of pedestrian traffic or block an exit, I may find myself occupying an area that is not a designated parking stall. I am very mindful not to park next to a handicap stall since it might be a vehicle equipped with a ramp, which require lots of lateral space. Most parking lots are private property, so most likely it will be a private security or the business who will have your bike removed in the event you are not parked in a proper stall.

I have never been towed, but I have had a sticker notice placed on my bike for occupying an area that was not considered parking from a casino. I have yet to have my bike get knocked over from another vehicle in a parking lot. However, I know many riders who have.

 

[FZ09Bandit]

True but I try to park it next to the concrete poles if available as well so no one could actually use it. If I think it will impede someone's handicap I wont park there like smaller stores with the two front spots Il just use a regular spot. I had a fellow paramedic in his rock crawler jacked up jeep come close to my bike due to him just whipping in the space.

 

[agf]

Here in Melbourne Australia we have pretty lenient parking rules for bikes.
we can park on the footpath near the kerb as long as a parked car could open the door for a passenger to get in/out. We must not park on the apron leading down to the road way at a crossover, we must not park on telecommunications pits or manholes, we cannot park on drain covers, all very logical. And of course we must leave ample room for prams, wheelchairs and motorised sweepers
We do have some dedicated bike parking, but as we have the rules listed above we dont need to have more but hey who'd complain if they allocated more space.
Interestly a few years ago the city council decided to ban footpath parking. The Motorcycle Riders Association warned the council that bikes taking up parking spaces would cause absolute bedlam for all city traffic. The council ignored the "bikies", who duly occupied every car parking space and in a concerted set of manoeuvres managed to get another bike into every spot as it was about to be vacated.
Consequently the ban on footpath parking was not pursued any further!

 

[OZXJR]

In Adelaides CBD there are a lot of M/C parking spaces, but it just so happened that I had to go into town today and the street I needed had none, I parked in a 30 min zone as outside the place I had to go was ticketed parking.
I asked a rather attractive young sticker licker what to do with a bike in a ticketed area, she said"Buy one but keep it with you, when we see a bike we assume you have one"
If I get booked I just produce the ticket . But seeing as they "assume" you have one it sounds like free parking to me :cheer:

 

[TownsendsFJR1300]

I try to park in the shade (in a spot)-NEVER ON THE SIDEWALK, handicap safety zone, etc..

I also try to park in a spot with a curb on one one side. If I can park closer to the curb, there's one less side I can get hit by.

Park uphill too, keeps the shopping carts while running loose downhill from hitting the bike (Cage too)

I actually prefer to park at least halfways out in the lot. I don't mind the walk, there's few, if any cars to hit the bike..

Wally World, I park on the outside of the automotive/tire entrance. Much more parking, not nearly as busy(traffic wise) and I can park towards the outer lot without a long hike...

 

[2wheelieadv]

In Europe everyone parks on the curb parallel the road, in one row. Generally you can freely park wherever.
In the USA this convenience is not existent as bikes just started to gain population in the past few decades. Bike parking are almost nonexistent here so everyone uses their own judgement.
I try to park closer to the door. In many cases it's ok to park on the sidewalk close to the building, or on the other side near the road, but in some other places you can be ticketed.
When I ride to NYC, (or when I worked there) I park on a corner or between cars (front tire just a bit out so driver will see it, and under about 30 degrees angle). That's a safest place not to be ticketed even if there's a pay-meter present.
At my gym, I used to park on a sidewalk close to the building wall until they said that I can't do that, so I park at the car-park space. They don't care if some car will drive around looking to park...
I think it's about time to provide paring for bikes as well, but unfortunately I don't see it happening.

 

[FinalImpact]

Favorites vs options:
Corner spots
Behind posts
Next to another Raven colored vehicle...
Next to something expensive!

In this case I had 3 of 4! :rockon:

 

[ELIZABETH]

We have dedicated bike parking at work. As for elsewhere, if there is no bike parking available, I park in a regular (car) space. I have usually parked close to the outer edge, thinking it would be easier to be seen, but after reading above, about cars using empty spots to back out, I may start moving my bike farther back in the space. Good advice on the shopping cart issue, too! I may need to rethink my strategy.