The Chainlink

Businesses that habitually block bike lanes

I was wondering if anyone had any ideas for dealing with the problem of businesses that habitually leave signs, cones, and other garbage blocking bike lanes. The biggest offenders seem to be valet parking attendants and car washes. I know that valet parking requires a permit from the city, has anyone ever tried complaining to the city about a valet? Is this an effective approach or just an exercise in frustration? I’ve tried talking to valet attendants which unsurprisingly did nothing. Is going inside the restaurant contracting with the valet and complaining to a manager worthwhile, or just another way to waste time?

 

Two places that I routinely have problems with are The Fifty/50 (2047 W Division) and Via Carducci La Sorella (1928 W Division). Both contract with Third Coast Valet for parking.

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Permalink Reply by h' Zerocats on March 22, 2011 at 12:21pm

http://www.flores1stward.com/ContactUs/tabid/80/Default.aspx

I spoke to Austin-- he said speak to Jerry.

I left a detailed voice mail. I have next to zero daytime phone time and probably don't know enough about this to answer any questions-- chances are I won't be able to answer when he calls back.

I'm really not the one who should be pursuing this.

Permalink Reply by Active Transportation Alliance on March 22, 2011 at 1:06pm

Hey Chainlinkers, we will look into this and get back to you all soon (later this week/early next) with some feedback and suggestions about how to approach this issue.

 

Calling businesses and alderman are great ideas. We'll see if there's anything else that Active Trans or the community can do to help.

 

Thanks,

Ethan Spotts, M&C, Active Trans


chixieonfixie said:

Cameron, this is an excellent question and thanks for bringing it up. I agree that valets *are* problematic. I have noticed this on Well street north of North avenue in the summertime, myself.

 

I would say that calling 311 and reporting it might be a better approach as per the article in the Chicago Trib today mentioning this is an illegal and reportable action when drivers drive, stand, or park in  bike lanes or marked shared lanes, but Im not so sure about valets.  Technically they only act in a  driving capacity when they drive the car out of the bike lane, but that counts in my book. 

 

Maybe our friends from Active Trannies can weigh in. 

Permalink Reply by h' Zerocats on March 22, 2011 at 3:28pm

I gave the link to the number and provided names and mentioned that I didn't connect and made it clear that I'm not the best one to call.

It would have really been encouraging if the next response had  been along the lines of "hey, I pass there often and I've noticed the same thing.  I can occasionally talk in the daytime.  I'll call right now, thanks for the link. I'll report back on whether I connected and what they said"

 


Cameron Puetz said:

I think a lot of the problem with the passing of the advocacy torch has to do with knowledge transfer. People who are not a part of the established advocacy organizations often don’t know where to start. Chicago and its government are large and confusing; figuring out where to raise your concern is not always obvious. This is particularly true for transplants as Chicago has its own special way of doing things.

 

Earlier you made the suggestion to call the alderman’s office. That is the type of guidance that people need for taking ownership of their daily drag. As a transplant it’s not obvious that the alderman is who I should call. In every other city I’ve lived in complaining about a neighbor leaving stuff in the street is a mundane code enforcement issue that would be more effectively addressed by one of the bureaucratic code enforcement departments, not an elected official.



H3N3 said:

Good story, thanks for sharing-- but I think we need to be aware that Chicago is huge and our advocacy org is relatively tiny--  I often feel like there's a sentiment in the "established" bike community that "advocacy should be done by the advocacy organization." that holds us back.  There are thousands of cyclists in Chicago and if we all take responsibility for a piece of the advocacy there's no limit to what we can accomplish.

 

I'm fighting the urge to find out which ward this is and call the alderman . . . people need to take ownership of their own daily drag rather than expecting others to fight their battles for them though (way backlogged on my own.)

Permalink Reply by Anne Alt on March 22, 2011 at 3:30pm

That's exactly what I was going to suggest - call or write - whichever method lets you deliver the message clearly and effectively. 

 

If we make the alderman's office aware that this is a problem and urge them to put pressure on the business to correct it, that message is more likely to carry weight the with business owner.  If lots of people contact the alderman, s/he is more likely to take it seriously and deliver that message to the business owner.

H3N3 said:

Guess I'm wondering-- why would you not call the alderman's office about it?
Permalink Reply by h' Zerocats on March 22, 2011 at 3:43pm

Sorry, couldn't resist.

I connected with Jerry--773/278-8214

He's going to call the businesses. He asked to let him know if it doesn't get better.

Need 2-3 people to volunteer to report back over the next week or two as to whether the situation is improved.  Who's it gonna be?

 

1.

2.

3.

Permalink Reply by Kevin C Dormant on March 22, 2011 at 4:32pm
Just so you know, it's no longer Manny Flores-it's Proco "Joe" Moreno in the 1st Ward. The link's right, but the URL still says "flores."

Cameron Puetz said:

Now that I know that the alderman’s office is the right venue for such complaints, I’ll contact the alderman’s office and follow up on if the situation is improving.

H3N3 said:

[snip]

Permalink Reply by h' Zerocats on March 22, 2011 at 5:11pm

I think that's clear from clicking the link?

Beats the crap out of what you get when you go to my alderman's website-- a big fat inappropriate "donate" button staring you in the face:

http://www.12thwardchicago.com/



Kevin Conway said:

Just so you know, it's no longer Manny Flores-it's Proco "Joe" Moreno in the 1st Ward. The link's right, but the URL still says "flores."

Cameron Puetz said:

Now that I know that the alderman’s office is the right venue for such complaints, I’ll contact the alderman’s office and follow up on if the situation is improving.

H3N3 said:

[snip]

Permalink Reply by h' Zerocats on March 22, 2011 at 5:15pm
Anyone besides Cameron?

H3N3 said:

Sorry, couldn't resist.

I connected with Jerry--773/278-8214

He's going to call the businesses. He asked to let him know if it doesn't get better.

Need 2-3 people to volunteer to report back over the next week or two as to whether the situation is improved.  Who's it gonna be?

 

1.

2.

3.


Permalink Reply by h' Zerocats on March 25, 2011 at 12:50pm

Thought I'd try again-- I don't live around there and we could solve this problem so easily with a tiny bit of communication.

Is there anyone who passes that way frequently who can report back as to whether it's any better this weekend?

Permalink Reply by Kevin C Dormant on March 25, 2011 at 1:11pm

I will:

 

1.

2. Kevin Conway

3.



H3N3 said:

Thought I'd try again-- I don't live around there and we could solve this problem so easily with a tiny bit of communication.

Is there anyone who passes that way frequently who can report back as to whether it's any better this weekend?

Permalink Reply by Kevin Mulcky on March 26, 2011 at 3:15pm
Frontier had their valet sign safely out of the bike lane last time I past by. That's not a resturaunt in the OP, but a place that I contacted via their facebook page about the valet sign problem.
Permalink Reply by Aaron Bussey on March 26, 2011 at 5:20pm
Awesome

notoriousDUG said:

I used to kick signs and yell but had a door guy at a crappy club chase me with a knife last year.

Now I kick signs and yell.

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