Living Car Free - Bike shops without bike racks

^^^ What kind of hoops did the coffee shop have to jump through to get that parking spot converted?

^^^ What kind of hoops did the coffee shop have to jump through to get that parking spot converted?
Ask at St. Elmos on Mt. Vernon Ave. in Del Ray. I like to meet friends there for coffee just to use the converted parking spot. Its about 9 miles from my home, not a bad ride. Funny thing is that there seemed to be more bikers there before they did the conversion, now it looks like they need to convert the bike space to a stroller parking space.

I didn't ask which coffee shop it was, I asked what did they have to do... :p ;)

I didn't ask which coffee shop it was, I asked what did they have to do... :p ;)
You said Pentagon City is your closest mall, just ride over and ask, its not that far. Go on Saturday morning and hit the farmer's market with the same trip. There is a Library close by too. If you have a kid let it climb on the Red Caboose at the library, my daughter loved that. She and her friend used the back of the caboose as a mini stage to put on shows. Funny how kids are better than adults at re-purposing things.

"Close" is a relative term; the Mall in front of the Capitol is far closer to me. I'll have to look up Mt. Vernon Ave on Mapquest or something, and I never knew that there's a farmers' market anywhere around there (closest one of those to me is at Eastern Market). There's a library, too?

Anyway, since you seem to know it so well, why don't you tell us what you know about the converted parking space?

"Close" is a relative term; the Mall in front of the Capitol is far closer to me. I'll have to look up Mt. Vernon Ave on Mapquest or something, and I never knew that there's a farmers' market anywhere around there (closest one of those to me is at Eastern Market). There's a library, too?

Anyway, since you seem to know it so well, why don't you tell us what you know about the converted parking space?

Sounds like you haven't lived there long enough to really know the place. Don't worry--you'll be an old hand in no time if you just keep riding outside your comfort zone. :)


You said Pentagon City is your closest mall, just ride over and ask, its not that far. Go on Saturday morning and hit the farmer's market with the same trip. There is a Library close by too. If you have a kid let it climb on the Red Caboose at the library, my daughter loved that. She and her friend used the back of the caboose as a mini stage to put on shows. Funny how kids are better than adults at re-purposing things.

Sounds like a great way to spend a Saturday morning in DC!

I gotta say, there's no reason for me to ride in that part of town. I'll pass by on the other side of the parkway on the way to Mt. Vernon (the historical site, not the street) and visit a retired couple who's friends of the family, but when I have everything I need just blocks away, why bother riding elsewhere?

Besides, I love it when someone says, "Why don't you ask them? Bob, the shop owner, is a good friend of mine -- he was even at my son's bris. I have no idea how he runs his business, though, and never asked. So could you ask for me?"

I gotta say, there's no reason for me to ride in that part of town. I'll pass by on the other side of the parkway on the way to Mt. Vernon (the historical site, not the street) and visit a retired couple who's friends of the family, but when I have everything I need just blocks away, why bother riding elsewhere?

Just cuz it's fun, I guess.

Anyway, since you seem to know it so well, why don't you tell us what you know about the converted parking space?

I already did. To repeat, there was a car space, now its a bike space. All I know is car parking to bike parking conversions happen. This one is a pleasant ride from Capitol hill. If you're car free it is well worth it to get to know the bike route nexus there. When you head down the parkway take the left just south of the airport before you cross the creek, go under the railroad and then cross the creek at potomac yards, go right, away from the yards and take the next left behind the toyota dealership, that puts you on commonwealth. Commonwealth is the best way to get to upper king street it comes out at the subway station. When commonwealth crosses MT. Vernon Ave. just before the library take a left on mount vernon. If you see the red caboose you passed the turn just take any left to get back. The converted car parking space is on your right after a couple blocks. The farmer's market will be on your left. Reads like you don't know the city very well, there are many farmers markets throughout the area. Some of the Federal agencies have them at lunch time throughout the week. The Del Ray one isn't that big, the one at Market Square in Old Town advertises itself as the oldest one in the country. If you're car free you owe it to yourself to know those routes, commonwealth is also a good way to get over to Eisenhower valley and on out to Springfield, use either Van Dorn or the Clermont hole in the wall to get over to Franconia road. Even the immigrants on Wal Mart bikes know these routes. Arlandia is also the junction point for the eastern terminus of the W&OD path. Follow the north side of the creek then loop back to the shirlington overpass- follow the signs. I didn't learn this stuff from mapquest or google earth, I learned it by getting on the bike and turning the cranks. It was fun.

I gotta say, there's no reason for me to ride in that part of town. I'll pass by on the other side of the parkway on the way to Mt. Vernon (the historical site, not the street) and visit a retired couple who's friends of the family, but when I have everything I need just blocks away, why bother riding elsewhere?

Because there's a great, big, wonderful world out there--why not explore it?

As Auntie Mame said, "Life's a banquet, and most poor slobs are starving to death!"

I already did. To repeat, there was a car space, now its a bike space. All I know is car parking to bike parking conversions happen.

Who paid for it? Who contracted the construction crew? Who bought the racks? Who bought the paint? Did the shop petition the city, or did they do it themselves without city approval? Or did the city just do it out of their own good will?

Who paid for it? Who contracted the construction crew? Who bought the racks? Who bought the paint? Did the shop petition the city, or did they do it themselves without city approval? Or did the city just do it out of their own good will?

Just ask them. I'm sure Nora knows. Whats the problem? If you aren't really capable of biking and talking in person aren't you capable of picking up the phone and asking her? Its not a big deal, the physical reality is out there on the street just ride your bike there and verify that I'm writing truthfully, there was a car parking space and now its a bike parking space. I pedaled past it yesterday morning. You've spent more time trying typing to harass a car free person than you would have phoning and reporting the truth back to the car free thread. You should be telling rather than harassing.

My problem with you is that you know them by name and refuse to answer a simple ****ing question.

You're CONTINUING to refuse to answer. Why?

I'm writing truthfully, there was a car parking space and now its a bike parking space.
I don't doubt the the truth of your statement but a picture or two would be informative. Are racks permanently fixed into the asphalt/concrete? What keeps cars from backing into or otherwise accidentally colliding with the bikes when using the adjacent parking spaces, especially when it is dark? Is snow removed by the same snow plow service that takes care of the car parking area, or does the bike shop owner have to take care of it because the bike rack is in the way?

I don't doubt the the truth of your statement but a picture or two would be informative. Are racks permanently fixed into the asphalt/concrete? What keeps cars from backing into or otherwise accidentally colliding with the bikes when using the adjacent parking spaces, especially when it is dark? Is snow removed by the same snow plow service that takes care of the car parking area, or does the bike shop owner have to take care of it because the bike rack is in the way?

+1

(probably the only ILTB post I've agreed with in a long, long time)

When money, maintenance and legal responsibility gets involved, the exact line between properties counts for a lot. In the instance of that coffee shop, is the rack the responsibility of the shop, the building owner, or the city?

In other words -- judging from that coffee shop's experience, if I were to ask my corner grocer about installing a rack of some kind, what kind of bureaucratic nonsense would they probably have to go through just to get it done?

My problem with you is that you know them by name and refuse to answer a simple ****ing question.

You're CONTINUING to refuse to answer. Why?

I think it's reasonable to ask somebody to back up a claim they've made. But gwd is not required to go out of his way to supply additional research to satisfy another member's curiosity. If you really want to know (which I doubt), then do the work yourself to find out. Did you get your big sister to do your homework for you also?

I think it's reasonable to ask somebody to back up a claim they've made. But gwd is not required to go out of his way to supply additional research to satisfy another member's curiosity. If you really want to know (which I doubt), then do the work yourself to find out. Did you get your big sister to do your homework for you also?

Exatly. If the two were on opposet sides of the continent, that would be one thing, but they live in the same city and apparently in the same or adjacent neighborhoods.

Hardly "adjacent neighborhoods".

I think all I've learned is that gwd doesn't know anything about his favorite coffee shop.

Hardly "adjacent neighborhoods".

I think all I've learned is that gwd doesn't know anything about his favorite coffee shop.

Just because he doesn't know the inner workings of their business operations? Unless he's a partner or stockholder, how would he?

I think it's reasonable to ask somebody to back up a claim they've made. But gwd is not required to go out of his way to supply additional research to satisfy another member's curiosity. If you really want to know (which I doubt), then do the work yourself to find out. Did you get your big sister to do your homework for you also?

If I were interested in getting a particular car space changed to bike parking I'd ask BaracksSi's type of questions but its enough for me to see with my own eyes that it happens. BaracksSi I think lives closer to St. Elmos than I do and can just as easily call. Maybe BaracksSi will report back to us what it took to convert the parking space. I live in Mt. Pleasant up near the Zoo and if Eastern Market is the nearest farmer's market to BaracksSi then that is a lot closer to Del Ray. Anyway, around here if a shop wants convenient bike parking it can happen. Just bike around and see all the shops with city installed bike racks out front and even a few with car spaces converted to bike/ motorcycle spaces.

... but its enough for me to see with my own eyes that it happens...Anyway, around here if a shop wants convenient bike parking it can happen. Just bike around and see all the shops with city installed bike racks out front and even a few with car spaces converted to bike/ motorcycle spaces.

When I lived in Philadelphia, I saw lots of people place lawn furniture or milk crates in the street side parking spaces in front of their row homes to "reserve" the spot for themselves. Especially after shoveling out a parking spot and reserving it for their return from a trip to work or the store; or when living near a Stadium to keep "outsiders" from parking in the locals' normal spots on the street. All of this claiming exclusive use of specific parking spots by the closest resident were without sanction. Saw lots of it though.

Just because he doesn't know the inner workings of their business operations? Unless he's a partner or stockholder, how would he?

Um, I don't know, maybe in some conversation with them since he knows them by first name?

There's a sandwich shop I frequent, and I know how much their rent has shot up in the past couple years just because we've talked so much. I know that they're now grandparents to a healthy 8-pound baby boy, and I talk with the wife about her husband's chemotherapy.

I have no stake in the business whatsoever, nor do I want any part of it. Friends talk about more than just the weather, right?

Keep in mind the OP was referring to Performance, not an LBS. Calling the "evil empire" an LBS is about like calling Wal-Mart local.

SP