One R1 LE... down

[Sijray21]

Umm... because it's a sidewalk? I guess SUVs parking on the grass as long as no one is using it and they couldn't find a spot would be okay too? That's a ridiculous notion.

i would not agree with the SUV parking in the grass because of the beautification of maintaining that grass and that the SUV is actually causing damage to the grass when it's parked there. I, by no means think it's a ridiculous notion however. Is the motorcycle causing damage to the sidewalk? i don't think so. I'm not saying it's ok to violate the law because yes - it's not legal, but the law enforcement does overlook this in certain instances. It's about using good judgement when parking on the sidewalk, common sense if-you-will.

feel this statement is somewhat contradictory...so you're saying on the road it takes up less room than a car and in a parking lot it takes up the same room as a car?

It's not contradictory at all. The parking is no different than if you drove a car but you are saving space on the roads. The two are not mutually exclusive.

a bike takes up the same size whether it's on the road or in a parking lot according to the law and "officially" it's considered to be the same size as a car.

[G.Irish]

edited previous post for clarity...

It really has nothing to do with inconvience, it has to do with doing something illegal because you think you require special treatment. "Wow... look at that sportbike... he think he's so freakin' special he can park on the sidewalk." It perpetuates a stereotype.

Please, every single person bends or breaks minor laws if they think doing so is reasonable and does not unduly endanger or inconveniences someone else. Do the cops go out and bust everyone going 2 mph over the speed limit?

You were breaking the speed limit at times during the weekend. Why did you deem that okay yet parking on the sidewalk is not? Because you were not being egregrious or stupid about it and you were not unduly endangering or inconviencing anyone else.

So if someone decides to park their bike in the middle of the sidewalk and block passage, that would be egregrious. But if someone parks out of the way where its not blocking or impeding people its not a big deal.

[.RJ]

i think its a situational decision... i.e. not a one size fits all answer.
If you're going to the grocery store, 7-11, target etc its not like you'd have to walk that far or the bike is in any sort of harm's way so just park it in a spot.

If you're going to a bar in clarendon, then yes, park on the sidewalk, or right out front and ask the bar or whatever cop is sitting on the corner if they're cool with parking it there - it puts it right out front of a high traffic area, so no one is likely to mess with it. If its around the corner in a dark parking lot/garage, it might not be there when you get back. So for me, its a matter of the safety of your bike, not of convenience.

[Evan]

Im with Chris on this one, Bikes dont belong on sidewalks. You guys may think they are tiny little things you can tuck into a corner, but in reality they are pretty large machines that take up a lot of real estate, especially when that real estate was meant for pedestrians. Ive seen bikes parked on sidewalks that have taken 3/4 of the sidewalk or more. And if you are parking it in a high traffic area like you say, you are impeding traffic. (and if you think your bike wont get fucked with, you dont know drunk people very well, just ask John S what happened to his truck this weekend)

there are quite a few parking lots with small spaces designed for bikes.
I also frequently see bikes doubled up in car spots

[.RJ]

(and if you think your bike wont get fucked with, you dont know drunk people very well, just ask John S what happened to his truck this weekend)

I didnt mean high traffic as in "in the way" but where there are lots of people around the area rather than in a dark underground parking garage.

I'd much rather park it on the street right in front of the bar than on the sidewalk - there's always a chance someone will f with it, but if there are 100 people around and a cop on the corner there's much less chance than if there are 0 people around.

[G.Irish]

Again its a judgement thing. Breaking the speed limit is fine if you're going like 5 over, or at the speed of traffic within reason. Same thing with parking on the sidewalk. If its a 10-15 ft wide sidewalk like Ballston or if you can park in a nook where people aren't walking anyway that's one thing. Parking on a 5 foot wide sidewalk and forcing people to walk on the street to get around is a totally different thing.

[Evan]

do you park in handicapped spots because no one is using them either?
run red lights and stop signs when no one is around?

bottom line, you're lazy and you dont feel like walking across the parking lot so you stick your bike on the sidewalk.

[G.Irish]

do you park in handicapped spots because no one is using them either?
run red lights and stop signs when no one is around?

bottom line, you're lazy and you dont feel like walking across the parking lot so you stick your bike on the sidewalk.

I'll make sure I call the police on you when I see you doing 66 mph on the highway.

I don't care in the least about walking down the parking lot, I care about having my bike in plain view so it doesn't get stolen.

[Sijray21]

bottom line, you're lazy and you dont feel like walking across the parking lot so you stick your bike on the sidewalk.

i don't think that's a fair assumption. it's not about laziness, but rather an added benefit IMO. unfortunately with bikes people tend to touch them, sit on them and sometimes when they do they drop them causing serious damage - they don't treat them like cars (ie: if you saw a nice car/convertible that was unlocked, would you sit in it? - of course not) i'd prefer to see my bike to keep an eye on it, much like if i had a new car that i didn't want anyone getting close to.

fortunately with bikes they're smaller than cars so you can fit them in much tighter spots. parking directly on the sidewalk is not the way i'd go about it, but rather in a nook or cranny that is obviously not being used by pedestrians. if i can't find one then i'll park it on the street. again it's a subjective matter on a situation of using your best judgement whether or not you should park your bike on the sidewalk.

[Kaan]

all this BS started because i posted up something about a squid with too much money parking his $18k bike nose first down a hill... lol... I park where i fit... even it means on the side walk... i try to keep my bike in line of sight as often as i can.

[Feersty]

When you guys were at Front Page could you see your bikes outside, did you get a booth near a window or something?

[Kaan]

Yes, we could see the bikes from where we were sitting. They were in plain view...

[Mike]

When you guys were at Front Page could you see your bikes outside, did you get a booth near a window or something?

they have large windows in the front, we can see the bikes and they are very much out of the way.

[Evan]

I'll make sure I call the police on you when I see you doing 66 mph on the highway.

I don't care in the least about walking down the parking lot, I care about having my bike in plain view so it doesn't get stolen.

It has little to do with breaking the law, its about thinking you are entitled to something that is NOT for you. As Chris put it, you think you are special. (although Id love to hear what the police operator would say to you, in between laughing fits, if you called in to report someone speeding 1mph over)
Theft is not a valid excuse for parking on a sidewalk. Plenty of cars, esp the ITR are enormous theft risks (even higher than a bike) and as big of assmonkeys as a lot of those guys are, you still dont see them using theft risk as validation for parking in handicapped spots, fire lanes, in front of hydrants, loading zones, etc.

If your bike is a theft risk, chain it up, get an alarm with a pager etc. I know a guy who had his bike stolen twice, directly in front of his apartment in plain veiw of his living room window. So the line of sight thing isnt even a 100% deterrent anyway.

And when you guys go on big group rides, and you all park on the sidewalk, you ARE blocking a significant portion of the sidewalk. There is no "nook" that holds 6 bikes.

personally, I dont even have a huge problem with it, (not nearly as much as I do with those bicyclists who ride on the sidewalk) but dont act like you are entitled to park on the sidewalk.

[G.Irish]

Please, first its wrong because its illegal, now you're trying to say its because of entitlement. You don't move so fast when backpedaling.

Sure ITR guys don't park in front of hydrants or fire lanes or handicapped spots because that would be directly inconveniencing a handicapped person and/or causing a fire hazard.

If it is reasonable, safe, and not causing anyone else undue burden why is it such a great evil to park a motorcycle on the sidewalk? Sure you can say well, "Motorcycle guys think they're special." but the truth is that motorcycles are a lot smaller than cars and because of that they can do things that cars can't. Bikes are allowed to ride in the HOV lane and in California they're allowed to lane-split. Bikes are different from cars just like cars are different than semis. It has nothing to do with entitlement, its just recognizing the difference between vehicles and acting accordingly within reason.

[Mike]

you still dont see them using theft risk as validation for parking in handicapped spots, fire lanes, in front of hydrants, loading zones, etc.

handicapped spots = different story, they are there for a reason, and people NEED to use them
fire lanes = different story, they are there for a reason, and people NEED to use them
hydrants = different story, they are there for a reason, and people NEED to use them
loading zones = different story, they are there for a reason, and people NEED to use them.

let's compare apples to apples. a safety risk and filling up an unused corner of pavement are two entirely different things. there is no reason to the little corner at front page, and absolutely nobody has any use for it.

[Apoc]

It has little to do with breaking the law, its about thinking you are entitled to something that is NOT for you. As Chris put it, you think you are special.

Here's some apples to apples...

It's like the cars that sometimes park in the motorcycle only spots here at work in the winter. They're probably not breaking any real laws and no riders are effected by them doing so but it's the principle. If I, and the 1000 other people in this building, don't park our cars there what makes the bitch that parks there so special that she can? We all follow the rules and so should she. If she wants to park closer, come in earlier. If people are so concerned about your bike being stolen then maybe... umm.... don't ride it to go shopping?

[Evan]

Please, first its wrong because its illegal, now you're trying to say its because of entitlement. You don't move so fast when backpedaling.

wrong-o bitch! I never said its wrong because its illegal. Reading 0wnz your ass. Nice attempt at a deflection though.

[G.Irish]

Please, first its wrong because its illegal, now you're trying to say its because of entitlement. You don't move so fast when backpedaling.

wrong-o bitch! I never said its wrong because its illegal. Reading 0wnz your ass. Nice attempt at a deflection though.

HA!!! Oh wait-I guess it was Chris who said that. Next time fool!

[Apoc]

What about driving on the shoulder to get by bumper to bumper traffic?

unused pavement - check
relatively safe - check
not inconviencing others - check