Pacific Northwest - Insufficient Bike Parking at NAHBS: OCC Security Cuts Locks and 'Tows' Bikes

http://bikeportland.org/2008/02/09/bolt-cutters-used-to-solve-bike-parking-snafu/

I think the good weather was most unexpected and people rode who may not have on a typical February day. BTW, no one messed with my New York Lock - I was locked to a tree. :D

Yes, I think the excellent weather had a lot to do with bringing out more cyclists than were planned for. I can see them wanting to keep the railings and exits clear, but if there'd been adequate rack parking it probably would not have happened.

There were some awesome bikes parked outside...:D .

East Hill

The real question remains whether they were blocking multiple means of egress or were they just an eyesore. They even called the Fire Dept. in to use a saw on the tougher Kryptonite locks. Is that good use of an emergency responder's time?

Another person posted, wondering if someone just casually walked off with a bike that had just been freed by that security guard!

I think that was the tow truck driver.

No excuse for inadequate bike parking at a bike event in PDX, or for insufficient directions to the bike parking that was provided, or for the insufficient announcements regarding 'towing'.

There was a lot less bikes this morning that when I walked by Saturday. I get the idea that the bikes had gotten to the point of making egress a problem in case of emergency. This morning overhead they were telling the vendors about the problems with the Fire Department from the day before. Get got the idea the FD had a snit fit. But all in all, I could have spent a lot of time in there if I wasn't pressed for time.

Anybody here get their bike towed? Wonder how people got them back.

There was a lot less bikes this morning that when I walked by Saturday. I get the idea that the bikes had gotten to the point of making egress a problem in case of emergency. This morning overhead they were telling the vendors about the problems with the Fire Department from the day before. Get got the idea the FD had a snit fit. But all in all, I could have spent a lot of time in there if I wasn't pressed for time.

The previous article on BikePortland.org is about how the Fire Marshal was upset about the number of attendees in the Expo Center. I'm not sure how the Auto Show gets around this every year.

I think like most of the Fire Marshals in Portland, this one just had an axe to grind. NAHBS just happened to be the unwitting wheel.

bottom line - the event and venue staff should have seen this situation developing and responded proactively, rather than waiting until it was too late and responding reactively.

Now I'm glad they didn't get any of my money.

There were some awesome bikes parked outside...:D .

I think I took as many pictures outside the show as I did inside...

I was there on Saturday. They must have announced 10 times to move your bike outside and that they were going to cut locks on those tied to handrails. The NAHBS webite mentioned to lock your bike outside not inside.

^-- Ten times? Maybe youre hearing things or I am deaf. I heard one nice 'please move' then the next announcement was 'we are cutting your locks'.

On the video on BP my bike is in the background. I got there shortly after the film stopped and saved my lock. Got really lucky.

I was there on Saturday. They must have announced 10 times to move your bike outside and that they were going to cut locks on those tied to handrails. The NAHBS webite mentioned to lock your bike outside not inside.

+1

It sucks that people had their locks cut, but it's not as if there weren't multiple warnings given. Just sayin'...

To me the bigger issue is "why?" Were bikes blocking exits? creating a safety hazard? C'mon. I was there Saturday. I rode light rail simply because I know bike parking at the convention center is a pain. BUT it shouldn't be, and I should have been able to ride and lock up, and for anyone who ended up getting they're lock cut that sucks. Sounds like some over-zealous security who had nothing better to do. No crowd control issues with the peaceful bike-niks, so bust out the bolt cutters. Sheesh.

On plus side, this can be seen as further evidence that Portland needs to invest more heavily in Bike infrastructure - including bike parking. I mean, how cool is it that the Oregon Convention Center exceeded it's capacity for bikes? I heard there was parking for 500 and it filled. Hope someone at the Visitor/tourist bureau is paying attention, as well as Dept. of Tranportation.
Another cool thing: I met two guys Saturday who flew from Japan to attend the show. Wow.

I think that if I fall down a flight of stairs because a bunch of bikes made the handrail unusable, the organizers and the convention center probably share in the liability. Certainly I'd have a pretty easy lawsuit against them if I could prove that they ignored this safety issue. What about if exits (fire exits and other exits) were blocked.

I met two guys Saturday who flew from Japan to attend the show. Wow.

We had BF members from Indiana, Texas, California, and I thought that was pretty cool. Japan--wow, indeed!

We had BF members from Indiana, Texas, California, and I thought that was pretty cool. Japan--wow, indeed!

Wow indeed!

I wish we could have gotten more BF members at the coffee break, but it was nice meeting everyone who was there!

East Hill

The previous article on BikePortland.org is about how the Fire Marshal was upset about the number of attendees in the Expo Center. I'm not sure how the Auto Show gets around this every year.

I think like most of the Fire Marshals in Portland, this one just had an axe to grind. NAHBS just happened to be the unwitting wheel.
I sounds like: Fire Marshal exerts influence -> knee-jerk reaction by security -> cut and tow as many bikes around egress points as possible. Effect: everyone thinks it's Convention Center Security, but they are just puppets of the Fire Dept's interpretation of one of the few local laws they have jurisdiction over.

I think the good weather was most unexpected and people rode who may not have on a typical February day. BTW, no one messed with my New York Lock - I was locked to a tree. :D

They probably did not want to damage the "nice":rolleyes: tree. I used to lock up to a pipe bringing the natural gas into a big building. They don't want to damage that pipe either! :D

Big electric lines have a similar efffect, if the person understands the potential problems.

To me the bigger issue is "why?" Were bikes blocking exits? creating a safety hazard? C'mon.

I'm on my company's environmental health & safety team, so I've read the rules on this one. Bikes locked to handrails are a safety hazard (slip/trip/fall), and the convention center is liable for injuries caused by inaccessable handrails. Portland can get snowy and icy in the winter. Somebody slipping on the stairs could cost the venue a lot of money. Plus, if people locked up to rails on rampways, it's an ADA violation for blocking handicap access to public venue. Spend a day using a walker, wheelchair or scooter and see how many places you can't go. (Yes, I realize that NAHBS isn't exactly an event where lots of mobility impaired people are showing up, but legally it's the responsibility of the venue to keep clear access at all times.)

I sounds like: Fire Marshal exerts influence -> knee-jerk reaction by security -> cut and tow as many bikes around egress points as possible. Effect: everyone thinks it's Convention Center Security, but they are just puppets of the Fire Dept's interpretation of one of the few local laws they have jurisdiction over.
I suspect this is the most likely answer.