Cycle Parking Ettiquette

redvee

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/7534963.stm

ChrisLS

...I am very lucky, my bike is leaning on the wall behind my desk 8)

cee

Hey, there is even a comment from a wellwisher who reckons that if cyclists were to pay an annual tax (like motorists do), then the government would be obliged to use those funds to provide better services. hahahahahahaha

Bassjunkieuk

I work at several different sites and the parking facilities for cycles do vary.
Most do have covered parking, although I've only ever used it at one as my temporary pass let me in there (I did however need to lockup outside briefly in the morning to collect a pass as the security wouldn't let me have it overnight!)
Most of the others are locked up by key and I'm never at one site long enough to justify the cost of getting one!

When I can't use covered parking I can usually get into a normal bike rack, at 2 sites I use signpost's and with one I use the railings in the delivery bay area, which whilst secluded usually has someone smoking out there, is covered by CCTV and overlooked on 2 sides from the building I'm working in :-) I have use a silver rated Bulldog U-Lock with seperate loop-round cable to secure the front wheel and haven't had any problems yet - except for yesterday when I left it at home! Luckily I found a Halfords nearby to get a spare lock and could chain it up in the cycle racks where some people leave their's un-locked all day :-S

downfader

Where I work we have several big cycle cages with big cage doors. The warmer months can be an nightmare as medical students come in with bikes, often just chaining it to anything - though often the big cages are a 3rd empty. I came out of work one afternoon and found i couldnt get through the door as some plank had D locked his front wheel to the right door post and the back wheel to the left door post. :roll:

Earlier this year my mate went to get his bike from the cage and found someone else had JAMMED their bike in against his. They had done it with such force that his bike was damaged. Having a temper as hot as thunder after this he began reciprocating the damage.

ride_whenever

At work I get to park mine in the secured and cctv covered underground parking lot, generally the spots are enough out of the way that you don't need to worry about cars clipping them.

We have a cage at the lab, and one day workmen came and took the door off, so my bike got knicked, which was a bit of a pain. I've found if someone parks discourteously, rather than criminal damage, just put a few turns onto the barrel adjuster for the rear mech is a delightful method of getting revenge!

Bassjunkieuk

downfader wrote:

Where I work we have several big cycle cages with big cage doors. The warmer months can be an nightmare as medical students come in with bikes, often just chaining it to anything - though often the big cages are a 3rd empty. I came out of work one afternoon and found i couldnt get through the door as some plank had D locked his front wheel to the right door post and the back wheel to the left door post. :roll:

Earlier this year my mate went to get his bike from the cage and found someone else had JAMMED their bike in against his. They had done it with such force that his bike was damaged. Having a temper as hot as thunder after this he began reciprocating the damage.

I've also had my bike wedged in when parking it up at Westferry Circus before. Once I freed it (glad I had a light road bike as I had to lift it one handed whilst moving my pedals!) I realized I had a bloody puncture!

I now use the slightly less filled racks by the bus stop. Not much further from the site I work at but a lot more space :-)

Forgot earlier that one site I go to has 3 individual bike lockers, that are just out the back of the office! Very handy as it's undercover and you just lock the door with your d-lock :-) Although only having 3 does mean it's pot luck if you get one!

downfader

Come to think of it how about we name and shame those who dont or cant provide cycle facilities?

My vote of confidence goes to the Hospitals here in southampton - always doing what they can to provide cycle facilities. Yet I can travel down the road to Shirley for some shopping and find that the nearest point to lock the bike up at is a 5 minute walk away. There are some nasty little scroats down there and I have seen what they do to the bikes they cant nick - they jump on them.

Shaming goes to PC World, the local asda, tesco (who do have cycle points but they are around the back of the store and for staff only), there are others but I forget.

Also I often use Cycle World in thornhill but theres only a railing around the corner from the shop as the council wont let them put up proper cycle facilities. :? I find it very odd that a cycle shop isnt allowed proper fascilities.

redvee

Had my bike locked up by somebody else's lock that went around the brake cable, sould have undone the cable as I was tooled up but they came out of the shop just as I was considering where they might have gone.

2wheelzgood

Taking bikes on the tube, "precious hand built folders" I take it the author is not a cyclist!

Anyone with half a brain and who has a bike ought to be more clued up than the "info" and "tips" in that article.

Thanks BBC. How's about drafting a letter to campaign for cycle storage at work or CTW schemes.

Maybe I'm blissfully ignorant in Leeds as we obviously don't have the volume of bikes clogging up the pavements compared to London