Bike parking etiquette

Can we agree that it's bad etiquette to take up both posts of the typical upside down U racks that we have here in Chicago? I always park my bike at a 45 degree angle, which keeps the other post completely free without the bike going to far out onto the sidewalk. But I see a lot of people with their bikes flush against both posts, making it difficult if not impossible for 2 bikes to occupy one rack.

I get that if you have two u locks you have a modicum of additional security by locking a lock on each post- but I think it's still bad etiquette- you could lock one to the rack (front wheel and frame perhaps), and the other could lock the other wheel to the frame. Slightly less secure but still pretty dang secure, without using up more than your share of rack space.

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Permalink Reply by V W on July 16, 2019 at 12:58am

Thank you, that's exactly what I'm saying. Locking to one post is more considerate, plus if you're tilted a little in the first place, no need for anyone to shift your bike to make room for their own when they're tethering to the other post.

It can be hard to get an acknowledgment around here. Tough crowd.

Permalink Reply by ad on July 16, 2019 at 3:19am

It's a tough crowd because you called out a common and acceptable way that many lock their bike to racks across the City (myself included) as "bad etiquette."  How did you expect people to react to that opinion?  Make an over-opinionated post, be ready for over-opinionated replies.     

Permalink Reply by V W on July 16, 2019 at 5:18am

I said "can we agree that it's bad etiquette"? Since I wasn't sure what the common consensus was. And apparently we can't agree.

To answer your question I would expect people to react by giving their rationale for whatever their position is besides just saying "you're wrong." If I'm wrong tell me why.

But I think my logic holds up and we do have some people in here now who do agree with me. Tightly straddling both posts gives other cyclists less flexibility and room for locking up their bike- thus it's less considerate on the spectrum of being considerate.

Permalink Reply by Tooscrapps on July 16, 2019 at 5:45am

Many have told you and showed you examples and you still refuse to accept them as valid. Most people lock them flush with just one lock. If they want two to deter or slow down a thief, that is their right. And while maybe someone locking to both posts supposedly doesn't allow for your bike to fit, it would for mine and many others.

Speaking of, can we see your bike?

Permalink Reply by V W on July 16, 2019 at 10:13am

I have 4 bikes, you can partially see one of them in my profile pic. I would say locking flush with one lock isn't as bad but still often requires the 2nd biker to have to move the first bike in order to access the post (especially if you're trying to loop the U lock through the front wheel and frame). I would rather not touch someone else's bike as I wouldn't want mine touched so I position it the way I do to keep the other post completely free with plenty of space for the other biker to lock up.

Permalink Reply by Tooscrapps on July 16, 2019 at 1:38pm

This took 20 seconds and I didn't have to move the bike already there. Locked as you described. Hell it could have had two locks and it wouldn't have mattered.

https://youtu.be/2gcdkaQgRZI

Might have been smoother if I didn't already have my glass of wine.

Permalink Reply by V W on July 16, 2019 at 2:53pm

It helped that you dont have a front basket and the other bike didnt have a lock on the post you locked to. Still looked awkward getting around their front basket, and required you to budge their bike to make space for your u lock. Could you get it in there if there were two locks, maybe, but it becomes that much more of a hassle. A small transaction in the grand scheme of things, but we do it so often as cyclists, it adds up.

You also appear to have a road bike. My bikes with more aggressive geometry have an easier time locking up generally, as there seems to be less of a gap between the frame and the front wheel. With my other bikes I much appreciate having a relatively unobstructed post.

Permalink Reply by V W on July 16, 2019 at 3:05pm

Put another way- I would concede that some people can lock up to a rack parallel with 2 U locks, and it's still possible for a second biker to squeeze onto that same rack. But a substantial of "second bikers" in that scenario can't. 

As Ernesto points out, *more* than 2 could fit onto a rack if they park at an angle (and as I'm arguing, at least 2 can fit comfortably). I think we would all agree that a reasonable maximum of 2 can fit parallel (and as I'm arguing, sometimes just 1 depending on the scenario, or 2 with the hassle of having to move the other bike, possibly scuff a nice bike on a cheap one, and/or force you to lock up in an awkward way where you're not able to secure a wheel). 

Permalink Reply by Tooscrapps on July 16, 2019 at 3:54pm

Dude, how thick are you?

- I could have gone from the other side if I didn't want to reach over, and again, this took me under 20 seconds from my dismount.

- Having a front basket wouldn't have mattered since my bike was facing the opposite direction. Notice how my wheel fit under their basket.

-  I didn't touch or move the other bike when I locked up. So a second lock (again, somewhat rare) wouldn't matter.

Sure more than two could fit if multiple riders had cooperated and had the same locking style, but that's not what they were designed in mind for, nor was that your original gripe.

12 cars could probably fit in 10 parallel parking spaces if they all had only 1 occupant and each crowded the others' passenger side door. This is what you have shifted your original (and disproven) argument towards.

Permalink Reply by V W on July 16, 2019 at 4:34pm

Why do you feel the need to resort to name calling? I could easily do the same and call you a liar. You did touch and move the bike multiple times. Look at the saddle move at the 6 second mark and you knock into the basket at the 7 second mark. You're entitled to your opinion but dont act like an ass just because I dont agree especially when I'm bothering to give my rationale and most people in this thread get my point.

My original gripe is theres a more considerate way of parking. So the less considerate method is bad etiquette. 

Also btw a front basket would matter seeing as how you bumped into the other bike and pushed it back as it is. Especially if your bike was a different geometry, as you're ignoring my point that not all bikes are road bikes.

Permalink Reply by Doug Haynes on July 17, 2019 at 11:53am

If you don't want your bike touched you probably shouldn't be locking up in public anyway...

How long have you been an active cyclist?

Permalink Reply by Tooscrapps on July 16, 2019 at 5:26pm

You're just coming up with new ways to nitpick and you keep changing your argument. You even complained that mere seconds locking up your bike "adds up". You're being deliberately obtuse and trying to shame people for locking up their bike in the, and I can't stress this enough, intended way!

As I said, I could have easily backed in from the other side, but how does barely touching the other bike matter? Sure I could have done it more delicately, but I didn't damage it. Also, the other bike wasn't a road bike and yet, two different bikes fit together. Fancy that!

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