Etiquette When locking a bike up
 

I've been commuting for nearly a year but have only recently gotten a lock. Since then I've been doing a little more stopping at places to perform "Honey do" chores. Most of the places don't have bike racks to lock to. What is the etiquette and standard practices you guys use when locking up somewhere that it does not really seem designed for locking a bike up? Whenever I lock up I always feel as if I am in the way or something.

I always bring two chains, and lock it up on two separate cars.

In order of precedence:
1. Make sure it's safe.
2. Keep it visible, preferably where you can see it. Theoretically, it's less likely to be stolen if other people can see it happen.
3. Keep it out of peoples way, both as a courtesy and so that some idiot would have to go out of his way to damage it.

1. Parallel to the sidewalk unless its extremely wide.
2. Away from the entrance way so you aren't impeding customer flow and you don't want your bike to get nailed by shopping carts.
3. If out in the parking lot, I've chained to light poles next to handicap spots since they're always empty.
4. If to a bench, don't block the ability to sit down on the bench.
5. Don't block the landings on stairways.
6. At the local NJ supermarket, the only place to chain my bike to is unfortunately on the fire hose wheel. But I'm sure the boys carry chain cutters.

Basically, just common sense.

Sounds good. Kind of what I figured. Thanks!

Shop at store that have bike racks.

point out to the store managers that they should provide proper bike parking (no ****ing wheel-benders!), as you prefer to shop where you can conveniently, safely and securely lock your bike, without causing a nuisance or a hazard to others.

do they say they want your business, or do they really want your business?

if the only place you can find to lock up creates conflict with people pushing strollers, people in wheelchairs, emergency services, blocks a sidewalk, blocks shopping-carts, etc... point that out, and politely explain that you'd much prefer proper bike parking facilities.

if your city or state has a published "bicycle parking guidelines", refer them to it. if not, find some other jurisdiction's bicycle parking guidelines and refer to that. most of these guidelines are pretty good; they exclude wheel-benders and help with proper installation of proper racks.

+1 Down the hill from me,somebody keeps locking their Jamis hybrid to a sign right next to the crosswalk ramp at the narrowest part of the sidewalk...about 6ft away from a fence that's at the wide part of the sidewalk and perfect for locking to. I've seen it knocked over 3 times;the first time I picked it up for them,after that I left it to see if they'd learn. They haven't. Given the condition of the bike,I don't think they care.

I'll also add:NEVER lock to someone else's bike,unless you know them. And don't lock in a way that prevents other cyclists from using the rack.

the problem im always faced with especially when i go into more bike populated areas is finding something i can lock up to

something that i can reach with my lock when theres 2 or 3 bikes already locked to it, and making it so that everyone can get out of the pile if they leave first

otherwise i just try to keep my bike out of the way so people can still use the sidewalk or whatever else is near it

Metal railing. Found at most places I go to

Etiquette? That seems too polite a word for what you often need to do.

Basically you get really good at spotting things that won't easily move that you can get a lock around. I use only a cable lock, so the range is more.

So the list is:
- tree
- fence
- railing
- park bench
- the bike (self lock)

I can guarantee you if the FD has to remove your bike they will damage it. Gleefully.

I am currently in firefighter school and you are correct, bolt cutters are a common tool on the firetruck, usually used for gaining entry into a building but if a bike lock was in our way, we would remove it or hunt you down to unlock it, whichever was fastest.

cutting through the bike frame is always fastest.

as an added bonus, it discourages people from locking up to fire-fighting equipment.

here's what happens when you park a BMW in front of a fire-hydrant - http://www.carthrottle.com/car-parki...through-a-bmw/

that'll teach 'im :eek:

Take care if you have to move someone else's bike a little to fit yours on the rack, and to make sure they can get out.

As far as locking to non-standard stuff I just take into account the setting and how long I'm going to be locked up there. Would never lock to fire equipment though.

There is no hunting down. And I would guess at least a 50/50 chance that a truckie just hits it with a k-12 saw on the way to the roof!

Common sense applies here:

If you lock it up near a path of egress, such as a staircase railing, I would expect that at a minimum it will end up on the ground and scratched as people would push it out of the way based on principle. I wouldn't be surprised if it had a bent wheel or two either once it hit the ground as people stepped on it. If you lock it up out of the way to a fence, light post or railing, no one will care and it would be fine.

Over here, if you locked if up to a fire hose "dispenser", someone would call the police/fire department and they'd saw the frame and remove it immediately as it poses a threat to occupants of the building. The local authorities definitely would not wait until the fire hose was needed.

acceptable locking spots are away from people and where they'd walk. as far as what happens in those areas, anything goes really.

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The hard part for me is U-locking to some crappy comb rack which is shoved against a wall with very little room, and doing so without blocking the walkway or anything.

Random question, is it dangerous to lock to a rack which is bolted into the pavement? I always worry that someone's just going to undo the rack bolts or something... or is that not possible?

And those that do not, tell them to install a 'good' rack if they would like your business.

OP, be sure you do NOT put a sticker with your favorite bands name on your bicycle.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/This_Bike_Is_a_Pipe_Bomb
Must have been a really stupid bomb squad that cut into a frame that they thought might contain explosives. That or they just wanted to destroy the bicycle when x-rays showed the tubing was clean.

:lol:

typical overreaction from a small-town cop.

Sometimes you americans crack me up :) In Belgium you just put it wherever the hell you want. Outside any popular pub on a friday night half of the sidewalk is guaranteed to be blocked by a layer of bikes 2 or 3 deep. Also, everyone has a beat up old bike for this purpose.

+1

actually, a lot of the time the local football "fans" ride their bikes to the matches. they don't seem so worried about where to lock the bikes up.

needless to say, i'm not excited by attending a sporting event in the states.

:lol:

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information about the "fans": http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ultras_Frankfurt

they tend to get quite "wound up":

if there are more desirable bikes, with cheaper locks (or locks not used properly!) parked nearby, you'll be fine.

if you've got the most desirable bike and the cheapest lock (or you're not using the lock properly!), then how the rack is attached to the ground should be the least of your worries.

anyway, if you put a U-lock or heavy chain through the rear-wheel and rear-triangle, then even if someone cuts/unbolts the rack, they still won't be able to ride away with your bike... but they could throw it in "the van".

and just because a rack is "sunk" into the sidewalk doesn't mean it's solid. give it wiggle, make sure it doesn't move.

Please, please tell me that's really what you meant to say! I can just imagine locking your bike to two different cars! Coming out to angry drivers and saying "what?! It's safer this way."

in fact, I think I'm going to start randomly chaining cars together, that should be fun!

Bring the bike in with you,it's no bigger than a stroller or shopping cart.....and it doesn't scream or run up on the back of other shoppers legs.

If they won't let me,I shop elsewhere.

If I MUST go in,park where you/everybody can see it,try to keep it out of other peoples way,don't lock it to a city sign(some cities frown on that).......take a good look at it,it could be the last time you see it!

I frequently shop in the Hillcrest district of San Diego where there are no laws, merely suggestions. Dogs, cats, rabbits, weasels, birds, you name it, are allowed inside food handling establishments and grocery stores. Aside from the often chaotic conditions on the streets here that result from drivers routinely ignoring traffic control devices, pedestrians jaywalking, and salmoning bike riders who also ignore said traffic control devices, businesses here allow customers to bring their bikes inside. One recent exception is the local Ace Hardware store. They allow entire menageries inside, routinely blocking aisles and tangling hapless customers with retractable leashes, but now have decided to exclude bicycles. Recently a friend who was unaware of the sudden change in policy was barred from bringing his Colnago into the store. He hadn't brought a lock with him and so stowed the bike outside the front door between some planters. Less than a minute later he came out with his purchase to find his bike gone, even though he had loosened the quick releases and disconnected the brakes. Two days later he found it on CraigsList, assembled a posse comitatus, met the seller, and strongarmed the bike back while threatening to call the cops and report the seller for receiving stolen property. He was lucky this time.

It was a joke, but it's also one of my most brilliant stupid ideas, now that I've thought of it.

This. WHen I first started doing this I was surprised at all the places I could bring my bike without anyone saying anything.

If there is no bike rack, a lot of the time I bring the bike with me into the store. If someone challenges me, I simply explain that I will happily lock up, but there is no place to do so. If they insist I cannot have the bicycle in there, I take the bike out. And leave. Interestingly, I've never been told to take the bike out. I've taken it in to grocery stores, electronics stores, pharmacies, and when someone remarks that the bike should stay outside, simply stating that there is no place to lock up usually backs them off.

At the grocery store near my home, they finally did install a bike rack. This as a couple months after a short conversation with the store manager (not a confrontation, just a remark by her about the bike, and a remark by me about lack of a bike rack).