I was parking my bike during lunchtime today on Damen Avenue in Buck Town and while locking to a City bike rack, I realized it had just been painted. I wound up with black paint on the cuff of a nice dress shirt (now ruined) and a big black splotch on my Ortleib pannier.

While eating lunch, I was able to warn another cyclist before he locked up to the wet rack, but I wasn't quick enough to save a pedestrian from leaning against the rack while waiting on a friend and destroying his slacks.

Assuming that City workers or City contractors are painting the racks (I saw a few other racks with wet paint nearby), I sent the City's bike rack czar a note asking that "Wet Paint" signs be deployed when racks are repainted. Besides posing a hazard, I'm concerned these wet racks could inspire a backlash against bike racks and the cycling public in general.

Be careful out there when locking up.

Cheers,

Michael Burton