Not enough bike parks?

**TygerTung** · 27th March 2005, 09:44

Does anyone else think there isn't enough bike parks around town?

There is a very mild few, but often there is only room for two bikes!

My bike is only really little, so I can park it inbetween cars, but you always have to be concerned about some cunt backing into it or somthing eh?

Often you can just take up a whole park that a cage could use, but it seems a little wasteful? The things you have to do though I guess!

**Wolf** · 27th March 2005, 11:16

Originally Posted by TygerTung

My bike is only really little, so I can park it inbetween cars, but you always have to be concerned about some cunt backing into it or somthing eh?

I used to park my bike between cars when I had a bike I wasn't too concerned about...

Originally Posted by TygerTung

Often you can just take up a whole park that a cage could use, but it seems a little wasteful? The things you have to do though I guess!

Done that a number of times and had people trying to get their cage into the gaps at either end (NB, the bike's parallel to the curb so the "gaps" aren't that big) and they get snotty about it.

A lot of cagers have the attitude of "bikers are second (third?) class citizens" and believe we do not deserve car parks, our share of the road, to breathe... etc (I'm basing that on actual conversations with cagers re bike parks, not just making assumptions based on their idiotic behaviour)

As most Councillors and Mayors in any city are more prone to driving Mercedes and BMW Series 7's than riding motorbikes, they are naturally predisposed to saying "fuck the bikie scum, they've got a park within 15 minutes' walk of Central City (not that we want them in Central City), what more do they need?"

I'm interested in seeing if Hamilton gets more bike parks now that we have a Mayor who seems "sympathetic to our cause" (as evidenced by his support of the Cambridge-Hamilton Toy Run to the point of allowing the CBD to be invaded by bikes)

Move to Wellington, mate - they have all the bike parks you'd want.

**Aaron** · 27th March 2005, 11:29

Useful if you're not sure where to park...
http://www.ccc.govt.nz/parking/

Got told off for using a parking space in the Manchester car parking facility a few weeks ago. Was on my way out and ready to pay when the lady said the building was not for motorcycles and that if I wanted to park in there I needed to leave my bike down at the exit point, (opporsite her kiosk).

Something about taking up a cage spot and bikes not being worth as much. I didn't bother to point out that at 10:30 on a weekday the building was only 50% full!!

After making a big deal about it there was not charge anyway because I'd been there less than an hour

**Kickaha** · 27th March 2005, 11:44

Originally Posted by Aaron

Got told off for using a parking space in the Manchester car parking facility a few weeks ago.
:

Should of told her to get stuffed it's a parking building, if you're paying the fee I would think you're entitiled to park in it

The one on Oxford Tce used to have bike spaces in it,not sure about the others

I always used to use a metered space and pay for it if it was more convenient

going back 15 years or so? ago the Chch motorcyclists did a night when they moved into Chch central and parked one bike to a space to raise awareness of the limited motorcycle parking available,that upset a few car drivers!

**StoneChucker** · 27th March 2005, 11:56

The only motorcycle only spaces I know of in Wgtn are opposite Les Mills gym on Taranaki street. Of course, do you think the fucking cars stay out? Of course not, they park there because it's convenient! Infact, on my first bike, thats where I got knocked over, by some fuckwit cager trying to reverse to park (in the m/c only spaces).

Whenever I park, I ALWAYS take up one whole car spot. My bike is worth at least as much us most cars out there, so screw them. Re: Parking garages, since you're paying the same fare, you're entitled to park wherever the hell you want. Just so happens that at the garage on Taranaki st (next to Les Mills) the m/c parking area is also opposite the kiosk, but it's convenient. It's right at the exit, and cars never park there. The kiosk operator can keep an eye on the bike for me, and sometimes (if the right person is working

I get out free). I normally pay to park in the garage, as apposed to leaving my bike outside (in the m/c spaces next to extreme bungee) since I don't trust people or drivers.

Noone has ever said anything to ME yet, or tried to park in the same spot. It would be impossible though, since I park lengthways in, in the center of the space. It sucks though, if someone did argue I probably would just move, since I'd be worried that if I gave them hell, they'd come back and do something to my bike (childish I know, but you'd be surprised!)

**Wolf** · 27th March 2005, 12:20

I used to get crap at one of the sites I worked at because I habitually parked my bike in a cage-sized space. I was told I should park it somewhere else because I was worth "less" than them because I had a bike not a car. And they said I was inconsiderate in taking up a whole parking space for my bike.

I pointed out that I was only taking up half a space and considerately leaving enough room for someone else to park another bike (occasionally Gazzer would bring in his bike and park beside mine), I then suggested that they were the inconsiderate ones for taking up a whole parking space rather than riding a bike.

I also wound up having to inform them that I had just as much right to park there as anyone else (after the umpteenth time I was hassled) and that I had no desire to listen to idiots who think bikers are second class citizens.

What really bites the hairy sack is when cagers park in a clearly labelled "Motorcycles Only" park. Ended up having to park miles away from where I wanted to be one day despite the fact there was a bike park two doors down the street - some Mazdabator had parked in it. A while later another biker rolled up and managed to score a park nearby.

We got to talking and discussing the parentage of the wanker who'd parked in "our" spot and finally said wanker and one of his "friends" (as if fuckheads like him have friends) came out of a building and went to the car.

Other biker and I get up and went over and had a few words about not parking in bike parks. Wanker got all defensive and said "we were only here for a couple of minutes" and I pointed out that they had been parked there before I arrived some half an hour ago - to which they replied "fuck you" and took off, revving the engine in a manner clearly designed to intimidate us and show us they were tough. Like a PFY in a rotary can ever be intimidating,

**moko** · 27th March 2005, 13:50

Plymouth City Centre is about the same size as Hamilton Central area and we`ve got 6 decent-sized specific free bike parks(one recently doubled in size) that I can think of plus the council have installed rails in 2 of these so you can chain your bike to them.Also a blind eye is turned to parking on the pavement if the bike parking area is full and you dont cause an obstruction,I spoke to a guy recently who got ticketted though when the warden said there was plenty of space in the bike park so that`s where he should be.If cars park in these places it`s a £60 fine(I think about $150 at todays exchange rate)straight off.
When I was in N.Z. me and a mate used to stick both bikes in the one meter bay and it was never a problem.

**Wolf** · 27th March 2005, 14:37

Originally Posted by moko

Plymouth City Centre is about the same size as Hamilton Central area and we`ve got 6 decent-sized specific free bike parks(one recently doubled in size)

Lucky bastards. We recentlly lost the one in Ward Street. It became a much-needed Loading Zone, I don't begrudge that, but the Hamilton Shitty Council could have at least turned a couple of near-by metered bays into free bike parks (the revenue they'd get from ticketing cagers who parked in it would far exceed the total possible income from both those parks - hell, they're making more than that now from catching wankers parked in the new "Marked Service Vehicles Only" LZ)
All we have to my knowledge is Alexandra Street and I think there's two on Victoria St but don't ask me to find the second one.

Originally Posted by moko

When I was in N.Z. me and a mate used to stick both bikes in the one meter bay and it was never a problem.

Done that a few times. What cagers don't realise is that anyone can use a metered park unless its use is restricted (Mobility Access for example) and tend to get shitty about us paying to use a metered park but think nothing of parking in our clearly marked "Motorcycles Only" park (and clearly marked "Disabled Parking Only" areas too, for that matter.

**cousa1** · 27th March 2005, 16:11

thanks for the map Aaron I didn't think there were that many parking spots in town.

**madboy** · 27th March 2005, 16:32

Quite conveniently our parking lot at work has a half-width parallel park right on the end of the marked carparks... and quite conveniently I'm allowed to park my bike there without charge (normally plebs at my level have to pay for the privilege after waiting ten years on the waiting list to get a carpark in the first place!)... so I can't say I share any parking hassles

Off street (in fact hidden from street view), unfortnately not undercover but is 40m from my desk and FREE!!!!!!!

**flyin** · 28th March 2005, 09:44

mmmmm i've got that in welly..... park by the front door at work (lambton Q) if its full (dont reaally like parkin on the end as its next to a handibap park.....) theres another bike park..... 100m round the corner........ another 50m across the rd ...... 120m round the other corner....... excelent hehe go welltown!!

**inlinefour** · 28th March 2005, 09:56

But here in New Plymouth there are plenty of bike parks and whats more, they are all free

**zooter** · 28th March 2005, 19:49

in Queenstown zero bike reserved parking, but I can usually find a bit of spare legal space if I use the rather bizzare technique of visualising where I want to be parked before I hit town. Not that I'm into crystals and horoscopes tra la la but if anyone wants to try it out statistically and report back I'd be interested.
A mate regulary parks his 1500 Vulcan on the expansive "footpath, treescaped paved areas" and gets let off his tickets when he fronts up at CivicCorp and winges that he was saving a whole park for a cager. (dire shortage of parking in Qtn CBD )

**crashe** · 28th March 2005, 22:23

wow thats a lot of spots for parking bikes in Chch...

Wonder if Auckland has a map like that..

All I know of in Ak city is by the Ak libary, Ak university..
Aotea carpark and Sky city carpark is all FREE.

West auckland malls:
New Lynn mall: 1 near Woolies entrance.
Henderson westcity: 1 top car park, 1/2 of one bottom car park.
Glen Eden: None - Just park in a carpark.
Westgate: None - Just park in a carpark.
Kelston: I park up on the footpath near the entrance to Foodtown behind the seat.
Te Atatu Peninsula:None - Just park in a car park.

Nothing on the main roads unless you park in the car parks..
and you dont park on the footpaths in west Ak shoppinmg centres.

What about over the bridge or out south anyone know their areas?

**Waylander** · 28th March 2005, 23:17

I hardly ever park in town. Usually only riding in town to take the visit the bike shops. And Wolf, I'm not sure about this but I think that the big carpark by the mall on Victoria is free for bikes. Will have to ask next tiime im there but I've notice that it's that way in most other cities. Back in the states you can just park on the sidewalk next to the building even if taking hours to shop so long as you are not blocking any fire exits or most of the walkway.