Living Car Free - I don't know about this one...

The bike valet stations I've seen have been somewhat less convenient than finding a parking meter or something. I suppose if it is so crowded that there is no other place to park, or if you're really paranoid the valet stations are good. Lately at crowded events on the mall bike parking has been tight so the extra racks will be welcome. Bike is really the best way to get down there during events. When the event is political they sometimes don't let bikes in the security perimeter which can be quite large. A good thing is that they might not forbid bikes on the Metro so if you're coming from out of town by car, you can park a mile or so away from the Metro, bike to the metro and take your bike with you downtown. There is some talk of keeping the bars open later for some reason too. I'm not sure if it is to keep the political tourists more drunk so they'll be easier to rip off or what. I don't like it, the more drunk the car drivers get the more likely they'll be to kill a cyclist or pedestrian. I don't understand why the political types have to drink so much anyway.

http://www.dcexaminer.com/local/Pro-bicycle_groups_urge_valet_service_to_aid_with_inauguration_crowds12-11.html

Bike valet stations are a million miles from my experience. It reminds me of the comment made here a while back that the executive from the Big 3 car companies could bike to Washington rather than flying in a private jet. It just seems slight absurd.

My first instinct would be to avoid all this brouhaha at any cost.

Bike valet stations are a million miles from my experience. It reminds me of the comment made here a while back that the executive from the Big 3 car companies could bike to Washington rather than flying in a private jet. It just seems slight absurd.

My first instinct would be to avoid all this brouhaha at any cost.

Well, one positive at large events is they make this temporary fenced area with attendants. People who bike in from the suburbs with simple cable locks feel that there is a good chance their bikes will be there when they return. The hope is that the attendants will confront anyone cutting the locks. Its not really a valet service where the attendant rides off on your bike with your keys to park it out of site like the car parking valets at the downtown nightclubs.

Sometimes I ride to Brooklyn College, where they don't allow any bikes on campus. They're very strict about it. But there's a fenced area of bike racks, complete with a guard, who signs the bike in by make and color together with owner's name and ID. The guard isn't just watching the bikes, s/he has other things to do as well, but is always nearby I feel pretty safe leaving my bike there. It's a pretty good way of keeping bikes safe and keeping the campus bike-free.