I currently park at a co-workers house and ride from there. I have rode more than a handful of times in a year for close to 15 years. So, I am starting light with 3.5 miles each way between work and the car. Going to slowly start stepping out in a couple weeks. I work 2nd shift so most business are closed when leave work (quit time for me is 11 pm).

Does anyone have suggestions for asking businesses permission to park in their lots for 8 and a half hours? The last thing I want is my car towed.

I worked out a deal with a church that had vandalism and burglary problems. Since I usually started my ride about 0500 they let me park all day (out of the way but in the shade) in exchange for driving through the parking lot and shining my headlights on anyone "hanging out". Worked really well.

Sam

I usually park on the street. Not always the same place, but 3 or 4 different places. Also park in a National Park Service lot, along with several other bike commuters.

Right now, I am parking on the street in front of a co-worker house but wanting to start increasing the ride distance over the next few weeks. But I was hoping for something a bit more lit. Also, no parks, national, state, or county between work and home. I do have a few big box stores, a mall, some strip malls, etc available.

You might want to call the big box store or mall managers and ask. Parking at the far end of the lot isn't likely to hurt their business (until Christmas). Otherwise, they might get concerned after the first few times seeing the same car there.

I struggled with the worsening traffic conditions on my 17 mile commute that consisted of about 40% bike path between home and the office. The drivers' attitudes toward bicyclists and several close calls forced me to look for alternatives.

For a while I parked in a parking garage at a mall and then rode the 12 miles to the office. Although the distance was a little shorter, the main reason for changing my commute was safety as there are bike paths about 80% of the way between the mall and my office. I never asked permission, but the garage was never anywhere close to full - which indicates the serious lack of mall patrons these days. I also considered parking at a church, which is a little further to the office than the mall, but bike paths probably cover 85% of the total distance.

I struggled with the decision for a while because it actually took about 20 minutes longer each way for me to drive and bike than it did to bike the whole way from my house due to distance and traffic to/from the mall, and to loading/unloading my bike in the car). Eventually, I returned to my original home to office commute with a few tweaks to the route that has reduced the negative interactions with drivers.

COVID-19 changed things! Now, I do a morning ride of 15-20 miles (through local neighborhoods without any bike paths) just about everyday. Traffic volume is much lower now, but I think that just about everyone is driving significantly faster. I have found that I really like riding every morning on varying routes.

Be Safe!

maybe it's time to be an activist! maybe you can help start this kind of thing in your area

https://www.parkandpedal.org/

Park N Rides

that's what kept me from using our local park & pedal program. I would have to sit in my car, in traffic, for at least 30 minutes just so I could ride an hour on my bike. made more sens to just ride my bike 2 hours. saving 30 minutes wasn't worth the hassle

Prior to this shutdown, I was parking my car at the local airport where I work part-time for a rental car company and then riding my bike into downtown to my full-time job. With it being closed and I don't want to come back to a vandalized car, I've decided to bike all the way into work. It's roughly a 15-19 mile commute each way depending on the routes (about 5 miles on the road to get to the nearest trail which takes me directly to my workplace). It has helped my commute with fewer vehicles on the roads in the mornings when I head out which has been nice. Hopefully, the shutdown will lift soon and I can go back to my normal routine so I don't have to worry about dodging vehicles.