Lack of Secure bicycle parking at Bike events

If you are offended and feel the need to defend your particular event, please be advised...if it doesn't apply,Let it fly.

I wouldn't even say anything if this didn't happen several times at Bike specific events.

The kicker is that the last two CCMs' lead Cyclists to events, like a Pied Pipper, with no regard to where everyone would secure their bikes.

More recently, I am on board with the plan to navigate the Northside Critical Mass to the "Bike winter fashion show" as a fun destination.

The only problem is, I know there is not adequate parking for this event. Last time we were there(February CCM) The security guard across the street threatened to cut all our locks.

My only guess is that the coordinators of these events would be liable if they made any effort to help this situation...so they just do not address it.

I hope I hear positive feed back from event planners on this subject because it ultimately effects you. When you invite someone to your house, don't you think of where they are going to park their bike?... I do. It seems like you would create an event with the same courtesy.

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Permalink Reply by S.Presley☠ on March 6, 2012 at 1:06pm

I do have to give credit to the Bike Winter film festival at Facets, for having an awesome indoor bike rack set up for the visitors.

Permalink Reply by Jared on March 6, 2012 at 1:26pm

Some major events do have "bike valets" but they require a certain amount of space which I can only assume the Gala Gallery does not have.  Not sure what the liability situation is with bike valets. 

Permalink Reply by David on March 6, 2012 at 3:34pm

In general I agree with you, but in this case isn't there more or less unlimited bike parking across the street from the Gala Gallery?  I'm thinking about that [housing project? apartment complex?] across the street that's surrounded with iron fencing that seems perfectly adequate for bike parking.  Or is that where the security guard threatened to cut the locks? Sounds like a pretty dick-ish move by the guard.

Apart from that, I always wonder about the legality of just taking over a couple of parking spaces for events like this.  Pay the machine for the spaces in front of the gallery and stick a row of portable grill racks or something in them.  Seems like it would be pretty cheap and accomodate a ton of bikes, but I'm not sure if it's actually legal.

Permalink Reply by S.Presley☠ on March 6, 2012 at 3:38pm

The fence across the street was exactly the one the guard made everyone move from.

David said:

In general I agree with you, but in this case isn't there more or less unlimited bike parking across the street from the Gala Gallery?  I'm thinking about that [housing project? apartment complex?] across the street that's surrounded with iron fencing that seems perfectly adequate for bike parking.  Or is that where the security guard threatened to cut the locks? Sounds like a pretty dick-ish move by the guard.

Apart from that, I always wonder about the legality of just taking over a couple of parking spaces for events like this.  Pay the machine for the spaces in front of the gallery and stick a row of portable grill racks or something in them.  Seems like it would be pretty cheap and accomodate a ton of bikes, but I'm not sure if it's actually legal.

Permalink Reply by Dave Jacque on March 8, 2012 at 3:16am

Now that you mention it, I remember being a bit surprised that there wasn't secure bike parking at the Bike Swap last weekend. (Maybe I didn't see it?) There seemed to be lots of fenced-in space on the Pulaski Park grounds, too. 

Permalink Reply by Michael Malone on March 8, 2012 at 3:46am

maybe since i work on my bike i feel differently than the rest of you but i think this thread is kind of ridiculous. bring a lock, problem solved. i can't believe anyone would valet a bicycle. but again i depend on my bicycle for more than just commuting to work on nice days and swerving around the roads on the weekend. this is almost as silly as the i rode today thread.

Permalink Reply by Active Transportation Alliance on March 8, 2012 at 5:19am

Just wanted to respond to Dave's post about the Chicago Bike Swap last weekend. We had hoped to put up a full Bike Valet parking area to accommodate our guests, but we simply didn't have enough staffing/ volunteers to operate it.  So we brought out a few bike racks on Blackhawk Street.  We're looking into finding a bigger venue for next year - hopefully with more/ better bike parking options.  Stay tuned.

Katie Leisner, Active Trans

Permalink Reply by Steven Lane on March 8, 2012 at 5:48am

This thread does raise a legitimate point, and I agree there is an appalling lack of bike parking in the city. 

I'm one of the organizers of the Bike Winter Art Show. The fence running along Milwaukee seemed like a great bike rack. We didn't realize the security guard of the housing complex across the street was going to freak out and threaten people. Shit happens.

Last year, we had indoor valet bike parking, but that was because the gallery had a loading dock to store the bikes and volunteer staff to facilitate that. I had to arrange transportation from ATA to the gallery, and back, which took up about 12 hours of my time and cost $60 for truck rental (out of my pocket, and I don't get paid for my time.) The Bike Winter Art Show was started by the early organizers of Critical Mass, it has always been a volunteer effort running on a shoestring budget.

Scott, since this is a community effort, it would be very fitting if you stepped up and took care of bike parking for the Bike Winter Fashion Show this Friday. All you need to do is contact Active Transportation Alliance and ask to borrow their portable event bike racks, which are made from 12 foot long steel tubes, so you'll need a really long bike trailer, or rent a truck. We'll need the bike racks on site at Gala Gallery by 4:00pm Friday, and then transportation needs to be arranged to get the racks back to ATA Monday morning.

Got it? Call me if you have any questions.

~steven

312-504-7108

Permalink Reply by S.Presley☠ on March 8, 2012 at 8:17am



Michael Malone said:

maybe since i work on my bike i feel differently than the rest of you but i think this thread is kind of ridiculous. bring a lock, problem solved. i can't believe anyone would valet a bicycle. but again i depend on my bicycle for more than just commuting to work on nice days and swerving around the roads on the weekend. this is almost as silly as the i rode today thread.

Permalink Reply by Michael Malone on March 8, 2012 at 12:06pm

awesome goggles dude, tinted for limited visibility at night and when looking for something to lock to.

Permalink Reply by Steven Lane on March 9, 2012 at 6:45am

Hey folks, we're setting up bike parking tonight next door to the Polish Roman Catholic Union in a parking lot on the south side of Augusta just west of Milwaukee. Please do not lock up to the fence across the street from Gala Gallery. The housing project security guard will freak out on you/us.

Permalink Reply by Doug Haynes on March 9, 2012 at 7:28am

Funny, I thought all of the racks and fence around it were plenty 'secure' with the addition of a lock...

Dave Jacque said:

Now that you mention it, I remember being a bit surprised that there wasn't secure bike parking at the Bike Swap last weekend. (Maybe I didn't see it?) There seemed to be lots of fenced-in space on the Pulaski Park grounds, too. 

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