Fifty Plus (50+) - Riding to a drive up window

Read how Twitter has helped a mom change the drive through policy for bikes at a burger joint. (http://www.usatoday.com/money/industries/food/2009-08-19-twitter-bicycle-drive-through-bike-tweet_N.htm)

I find that my recumbent is much better for going through a drive through. Since you can sit down and you are at about the same height as most drivers (excepting SUVs). It works nicely. DF bikes are a pain in the drive through

Kudos to Sarah and her Xtracycle. :thumb:

Now, if the idiots around here would allow bikes in drive-thrus. :notamused:

The comments are more entertaining then the story. Geez, teh morons......

The worst part about places that don't allow bikes through the drive-thru is they don't have bike parking either.

I have never been told I couldn't go through a drive-in on my bike. Is this restriction common? Why?

The comments are more entertaining then the story. Geez, teh morons......

The worst part about places that don't allow bikes through the drive-thru is they don't have bike parking either.

Just take it inside until they change their minds about it.

Let's see, her "custom made stretch" bike has a 'step through' style frame, generally not known as the most stable of frame designs, and she's putting her three kids on it ( feeding them fast food is another issue, looks to me as though she cares more about the ENVIRONMENT than her kids health). But I really like her qoute;"Bicyclists aren't dangerous," says Gilbert, who has accepted the chain's apology. "They're people who've chosen not to drive a car."
Righto. And "A wet bird never fliys at night".

Don

The mcDonalds drive throughs don't seem to get 'tipped' when I bike rolls up - I give up and ride to the window - they say they can't serve me - I have to come in - Yet they have NO bike racks ... so they don't get my business. - I'm am probably better off...

I have never been told I couldn't go through a drive-in on my bike. Is this restriction common? Why?

The biggest reason is, you guessed it, liability. If a bike, or pedestrian, gets hit in the drive-thru you can bet the lawyers will have a field day with it. For that reason most chains refuse service to peds and bikes, at least in this area.

Funny how the comments say she was too lazy to take her kids inside. If she's lazy for riding a bike to the restaurant, what does that make the car drivers?

Couple of thoughts:

The way the story is written, it portrays her are having a sense of entitlement. MAybe she has a 'chip on her shoulder' and feels others around her should give her special treatment just because she rides a bicycle with her three children.

Regardless of insurance concerns, I'd probably deny her drive thru privileges due to the possibility of injury. I would think any auto driver would not be expecting a bicycle as part the drive-thru traffic and could easily pull around to the window and not see the smaller profile bicycle (also no brake lights to catch the eyes of an auto driver).

Why not just ask for convienient bicycle parking at the store? Maybe with a canopy to protect from rain. If she's riding a bicycle with three kids on it, why the hurry to go through the drive-thru?

The burger chain is supposed to be 'environmentally & socially conscious', but they have a drive-thru to accomodate gas-guzzling cars? Kind of ironic, isn't it?

Regardless of insurance concerns, I'd probably deny her drive thru privileges due to the possibility of injury. I would think any auto driver would not be expecting a bicycle as part the drive-thru traffic and could easily pull around to the window and not see the smaller profile bicycle (also no brake lights to catch the eyes of an auto driver).

Bikes can, (and do), legally share the roads with motor vehicles with speed limits up to 65 mph.
And I'm supposed to believe they cannot share a drive-through where the cars are doing about 5 mph.:twitchy::twitchy::twitchy:

Bikes can, (and do), legally share the roads with motor vehicles with speed limits up to 65 mph.
And I'm supposed to believe they cannot share a drive-through where the cars are doing about 5 mph.:twitchy::twitchy::twitchy:

Just what I was thinking. I don't see the point.

I'd prefer the restaurants add a bike rack area, preferably covered (although I have to admit, if I'm out riding in the rain, I'm NOT stopping for fast food, I'm going home as quickly as possible!). Drive throughs may be fine for normal bikes, and even for a lot of recumbent bikes, but they'd be a disaster for something like my tadpole trike. I'm sitting a little over a foot off the ground (14" according to Sun's website); with the way the seat's reclined, even the top of my head's probably right around three feet off the ground (and I'm 6'4"!). There's no way I'm going through a drive through, even if the restaurant would allow it! Besides that, too many drivers just aren't paying enough attention - I've been hit from behind three times on sunny days while stopped behind other traffic at red lights, in a crew cab 4x4 pickup truck. In all three cases, the first thing the other drivers said was "I didn't see you!" If they can't see a truck that's bright red, six and a half feet tall, almost 8 feet wide and over 20 feet long, what chance would I have on my trike? I'll gladly concede the drive through to the cars, if I have a safe place to park my trike while I'm inside.
- Bob

Bikes can, (and do), legally share the roads with motor vehicles with speed limits up to 65 mph.
And I'm supposed to believe they cannot share a drive-through where the cars are doing about 5 mph.:twitchy::twitchy::twitchy:

You would be amazed at how many cars "bump" into each other at drivr-thrus. If you think that drivers don't pay attention to what's going on around them on the road...they really get distracted in a drive-thru line! That's the time to change DVD's for the kids, check make-up, look for a CD in the glove box,look for change, you name it, anything but drive. I for one, would never ride through a drive-thru, getting "bumped" by a car is not worth a cheeseburger in my opinion. :innocent:

I have never been told I couldn't go through a drive-in on my bike. Is this restriction common? Why?

I am not sure why but in my area there is a sign on the window that says it is policy to not serve walk up or bicycle customers at the drive through window.

Bikes can, (and do), legally share the roads with motor vehicles with speed limits up to 65 mph.
And I'm supposed to believe they cannot share a drive-through where the cars are doing about 5 mph.:twitchy::twitchy::twitchy:

The property that restaurants are on typically isn't a public road, but private property that's maintained by a private property owner. The owner (or leasee, in the case of most restaurants) could do whatever they wanted, which could include refusing to serve customers on bicycles or on foot at their drive-thru window. I don't find it unusual when I walk into a retail establishment and see a sign stating that the business can refuse service to anyone they want to.

If I was the owner of that PNW burger chain I'd install nice convienient bike racks to accomodate bicyclists, but never let riders use the drive-thru - its just seems too dangerous.

I'd prefer the restaurants add a bike rack area, preferably covered (although I have to admit, if I'm out riding in the rain, I'm NOT stopping for fast food, I'm going home as quickly as possible!). Drive throughs may be fine for normal bikes, and even for a lot of recumbent bikes, but they'd be a disaster for something like my tadpole trike. I'm sitting a little over a foot off the ground (14" according to Sun's website); with the way the seat's reclined, even the top of my head's probably right around three feet off the ground (and I'm 6'4"!). There's no way I'm going through a drive through, even if the restaurant would allow it! Besides that, too many drivers just aren't paying enough attention - I've been hit from behind three times on sunny days while stopped behind other traffic at red lights, in a crew cab 4x4 pickup truck. In all three cases, the first thing the other drivers said was "I didn't see you!" If they can't see a truck that's bright red, six and a half feet tall, almost 8 feet wide and over 20 feet long, what chance would I have on my trike? I'll gladly concede the drive through to the cars, if I have a safe place to park my trike while I'm inside.
- Bob

I really do believe that the "I didn't see you" statement for drivers is in the same league of statements as "The check's in the mail", "I gave at the office", and "I won't **** in your mouth".

I also believe that any driver that uses that statement as a defense should recieve a ticket for distracted driving automatically just because I'm tired of hearing it.

The real problem is people for too long have gotten away with bad driving habits because our law enforcement won't enforce the current laws, aside from speeding because it entails a bit of work that which they are supposed to be doing in the fist place... Protect and serve.

That said, if bicyclists in fact have the same privileges as motorized traffic then this shouldn't be an issue at a drive-thru or anywhere else for that matter, because everyone should be looking out for each other. The main issue is people are so caught up in their own little world they rarely see anything other than what is right in front of their noses and oft times not even then because they are distracted with texting, cell phones, makeup, kids, dvds, cds, husbands, wives, drinking, eating, reading books and newspapers...the list is enormous.

If people would just slowdown and figure out how to be courteous to one another again we could be a little safer once more. But honestly, I just don't see that happening anytime soon. The whole of the US is so consumed with profit and themselves there is no room for anything else, let alone one of us on 2 wheels.

I'd love to see bike racks at restaurants, but that means someone needs to pay for that and in this economy where profit is measured by the bean counters, there will be no frivolous expenditures on something only maybe 1/2 of 1% of their clientele would use. Everything is formula based and it is all numbers and the numbers show we do not matter and therefore should be excluded.

Of course we all could just boycott those stores or better yet create a new chain that caters to the environmentally conscious.

Me...I prefer to try to educate those around me in order to effect change. When fuel goes back up to $4.00+ change will happen again. For now I'll patronize the businesses that make accommodations for those like us.

Maybe she didn't want to leave the bike locked up because bikes in that area tend to disappear rather quickly, even if locked.

Hmmmm, if cars bump into each other a lot in drive throughs, then why do those restaurants have drive throughs? It's not a sense of entitlement, it's being treated just like everyone else. Do restaurants still have two drinking fountains with signs?

I don't understand what people like in going to/going in to/drive by a McDonalds. I have eaten my share of burgers, but it always tasted like gum, grease, and not even remotely nice. It was just for the quick bite. I don't understand this woman - and I don't understand the drivers - Everyone should be banned from these restaurants ;-)

Read how Twitter has helped a mom change the drive through policy for bikes at a burger joint. (http://www.usatoday.com/money/industries/food/2009-08-19-twitter-bicycle-drive-through-bike-tweet_N.htm)

Nice.

The chain isn't your usual burger joint and Portland isn't your average city...

Around here BK and McD's don't allow bicycles (you have to test these things) while DQ and Tim's do.

I don't understand what people like in going to/going in to/drive by a McDonalds. I have eaten my share of burgers, but it always tasted like gum, grease, and not even remotely nice. It was just for the quick bite. I don't understand this woman - and I don't understand the drivers - Everyone should be banned from these restaurants ;-)

I view MD's as a last-ditch emergency place to eat when you are on a long road trip,
in the middle of the night, and there is nothing else open.
I can't remember the last time I was in one.

for all those who hate burgers and denigrate those who eat them.........just change the drive through line to the window at the bank and get back to the discussion. should they let cyclists go through the drive through line or not?

I've pulled up on a tandem and gotten served, but I had the element of surprise in my favor.

They serve Motorcycles...yes? Ok that's it! This is petrol discrimination! You cannot be served unless you burn petrol. ahaha

They serve Motorcycles...yes? Ok that's it! This is petrol discrimination! You cannot be served unless you burn petrol. ahaha

So there is the solution;
Bolt a model airplane engine to your downtube, then fire it up just before you pull in.
Then when they say something on the speaker, cup your ear: "WHAT'S THAT? I DIDN'T HEAR YOU!":D

So there is the solution;
Bolt a model airplane engine to your downtube, then fire it up just before you pull in.
Then when they say something on the speaker, cup your ear: "WHAT'S THAT? I DIDN'T HEAR YOU!":D

Sorry - not petrol. Those old model airplane engines used a fuel blend of methanol, nitromethane and castor oil...which means you'd be OK at a drive through at the drag-strip :p

"We can't serve you on a bike."

"Can you consider this a motorcycle since it does have a motor?"

"A motor?"

"Yep, and this is a fuel stop for it."

...
If I was the owner of that PNW burger chain I'd install nice convienient bike racks to accomodate bicyclists, but never let riders use the drive-thru - its just seems too dangerous.I have heard many say the same thing about riding on the road.:rolleyes: So I take it, that you would just put bike racks along all roads, so we never have to ride on those seemingly unsafe roads. Just park the bicycles in the racks next to the road and leave them there forever.:twitchy:

The biggest reason is, you guessed it, liability. If a bike, or pedestrian, gets hit in the drive-thru you can bet the lawyers will have a field day with it. For that reason most chains refuse service to peds and bikes, at least in this area.


You would be amazed at how many cars "bump" into each other at drivr-thrus. If you think that drivers don't pay attention to what's going on around them on the road...they really get distracted in a drive-thru line! That's the time to change DVD's for the kids, check make-up, look for a CD in the glove box,look for change, you name it, anything but drive. I for one, would never ride through a drive-thru, getting "bumped" by a car is not worth a cheeseburger in my opinion. :innocent:All BS excuses by these places. They have just as many "accidents" in the parking lot, yet they do not ban peds and cyclist in the parking areas, do they?

For the reason already stated that a drive-through line is where many people turn to other distractions, bikes may be more prone to being hit there than in the street ---- though probably at much slower speeds, so the actual risk of injury may be the same, or lower.

I just read a discussion in a knitting forum about knitting while riding in the car. One person said she may knit while driving, if she's on a long stretch of a lonely rode.... if by "lonely" she means no cars for miles, I'd hate to be a cyclist on that road. :eek:

I've ridden with my daughter to the local McDonald's, but always eaten inside. However, one time we did show up in our rollerblades, and since I was pretty sure that rollerblades would be frowned upon inside, we ordered from the pickup window. They didn't seem to have a problem with that, but perhaps they hadn't gotten the memo from the legal department :-)

I've ridden with my daughter to the local McDonald's, but always eaten inside. However, one time we did show up in our rollerblades, and since I was pretty sure that rollerblades would be frowned upon inside, we ordered from the pickup window. They didn't seem to have a problem with that, but perhaps they hadn't gotten the memo from the legal department :-)

I used to live in Schaumburg IL, and the Woodfield Mall was between my home and Busse Woods Park,
so I would rollerblade across the Mall parking lot to/from the Park.
That is until the jackass security at the Mall threatened to "prosecute" me for rollerblading across the parking lot.:twitchy:
If I had been as cranky then as I am now, I just might have pushed it to see what they would try to do.

I have heard many say the same thing about riding on the road.:rolleyes: So I take it, that you would just put bike racks along all roads, so we never have to ride on those seemingly unsafe roads. Just park the bicycles in the racks next to the road and leave them there forever.:twitchy:

You're mixing two different things - public roadways with a privately-owned parking lots. Using your logic you'll insist on rolling your wheelchair through the drive-thru after getting out of the hospital; you were in the hospital because you were hit by a car while on a bicycle in the drive-thru.

All BS excuses by these places. They have just as many "accidents" in the parking lot, yet they do not ban peds and cyclist in the parking areas, do they?

BS excuses? There's nothing BS about a 6 figure settlement for something you can prevent simply by having a policy that prohibits the action in the first place. In California lawyers are more prevalent than McDonald's, and they are all eager to win a big one.

I work with a young man, 28, that just spent the last 5 years as a manager of a McDonald's. He has stated that a half dozen "bumps" in the drive-thru line each DAY is not unusual. Most, that is the vast majority, result in no damage because of 5 mph bumpers on today's cars, but I can assure you that would not be the case if it was a bicyclist.

You can call it BS if you choose, but the fact of life in this part of the world is lawyers have changed the way we do business...and not for the better.

Sonic Restaurants are very bike friendly thanks to the electronic menu at the patio.

I went through the drive-in window at the bank this week with no problem.

I went through the drive through at the bank on day and the lady was very nice and even wanted to know how far I had ridden to get there and how far I usually ride. I have stopped at the local Walgreens drive through a couple of times to pick up a prescription and they never said anything. I haven't tried McDonalds as it looks like a good place to get ran over.
I always find it humorous on the forums how everybody hates McDonalds, WalMart, big gas companies, etc. but they all sure do a lot of business. Makes me wonder where "we" all shop.
My wife and I stop and get hot fudge sundies at McDonalds and they are cheap, not to big, and pretty tasty.

for all those who hate burgers and denigrate those who eat them.........just change the drive through line to the window at the bank and get back to the discussion. should they let cyclists go through the drive through line or not?

OK, here is a vegetarian's take on issue. :) -- What's missing in the discussion so far is that driveup windows are frequently open much longer hours than the main bank/restaurant/etc. Back in the bad old days before ATMs, automated deposit, etc., my wife and I got chastised for walking up to a bank's drive-up window to deposit a check. I told the teller what I thought of their "no walkups" policy and made it clear to her that if the danger were real (I really don't think it is at all), the longer we stood there arguing with each other, the greater the likelihood of a mishap. She finally agreed to accept my check and deposit slip, but said she would not credit it for an hour or so, until the walk-in doors officially opened.



I have urged my local city government to make acceptance of bicyclists and pedestrians a condition of issuing a major use permit for a drive-up window. Personally, I would prefer to see all drive-up windows converted to walk-up or bike-up windows for myriad reasons, including traffic safety, air pollution, and fuel consumption.

BS excuses? There's nothing BS about a 6 figure settlement for something you can prevent simply by having a policy that prohibits the action in the first place. In California lawyers are more prevalent than McDonald's, and they are all eager to win a big one.

I work with a young man, 28, that just spent the last 5 years as a manager of a McDonald's. He has stated that a half dozen "bumps" in the drive-thru line each DAY is not unusual. Most, that is the vast majority, result in no damage because of 5 mph bumpers on today's cars, but I can assure you that would not be the case if it was a bicyclist.

You can call it BS if you choose, but the fact of life in this part of the world is lawyers have changed the way we do business...and not for the better.So show us the 6 figure settlement for the cyclist that got run over in the drive-thru. When McDonald's got sued for the hot coffee, they put out corporate policy on coffee. But there is no corporate policy by McDonald's on bicyclist using the drive-thru.

...
If I was the owner of that PNW burger chain I'd install nice convienient bike racks to accomodate bicyclists, but never let riders use the drive-thru - its just seems too dangerous.


I have heard many say the same thing about riding on the road.:rolleyes: So I take it, that you would just put bike racks along all roads, so we never have to ride on those seemingly unsafe roads. Just park the bicycles in the racks next to the road and leave them there forever.:twitchy:


You're mixing two different things - public roadways with a privately-owned parking lots. Using your logic you'll insist on rolling your wheelchair through the drive-thru after getting out of the hospital; you were in the hospital because you were hit by a car while on a bicycle in the drive-thru.I am not mixing anything. YOU are using the same stupid, wrong headed excuse for banning cyclist from a drive-thru, as many try to use to ban cyclist from roads.

If you cannot see that connection, you have a real problem.

And you also have no sense of humor!

Anyone know of an actual case of someone on a bicycle being injured by a car while in a drive-in line?

This is one of those debates not worth having.

So show us the 6 figure settlement for the cyclist that got run over in the drive-thru. When McDonald's got sued for the hot coffee, they put out corporate policy on coffee. But there is no corporate policy by McDonald's on bicyclist using the drive-thru.

You know, I have no dog in this fight...I can tell you why something happens and if you choose to call it BS that's fine, it doesn't change the facts. If someone gets seriously hurt getting bumped by a car in a drive-thru, you can bet it will be a 6 figure settlement. But you tell me...how big of a lawsuit would it take for you, if you owned one of these drive-thrus, before you changed your policy to no pedestrians? $5k, $10k...how much? Would you be willing to let people walk or ride through a drive -thru and make even one payout?

I always find it humorous on the forums how everybody hates McDonalds, WalMart, big gas companies, etc. but they all sure do a lot of business. Makes me wonder where "we" all shop.
My wife and I stop and get hot fudge sundies at McDonalds and they are cheap, not to big, and pretty tasty.
Speak for yourself when you say "we."

I was denied service at a Wendy's in N'Awlins when I walked up to a window, they told me to go get a car and come back.

I never thought my post would generate so many responses. Many have made me stop and think about different points of view. There does seem to be something odd about biking (healthy) to McDonalds (unhealthy, for the most part) but then again, why not?

As to biking through the drive-up window, I dunno. I'd prefer that they provide good bike parking myself. It's not THAT big a hassle to come inside. But that's me.

Now, if they'd only get McDonalds to deliver, I could stay at home, ride a trainer, and have my junk food delivered! :lol:

This is one of those debates not worth having.

Again, the elephant in the room is extended service hours being offered only at the driveup window and that window being reserved exclusively for those in motor vehicles. I would love to see someone drive up in a pocket scooter or a Segway ...

I am not mixing anything. YOU are using the same stupid, wrong headed excuse for banning cyclist from a drive-thru, as many try to use to ban cyclist from roads.

If you cannot see that connection, you have a real problem.

And you also have no sense of humor!

Just curious, but are the parking lots of private business in Hawaii under government control for traffic violations? :) :) :) :) Could someone get ticketed by the police for cutting across a parking lot on a bicycle or in a car, disobeying parking lot signs and directional markings on the asphalt? :) :) :) :) BTW, what does the famous "hot coffee" lawsuit have to do with riding a bicycle through McDonalds?.