Motorcycle Parking Etiquette

[jstark47]

A riding buddy at work got our Security to combine a couple of spaces into a motorcycles only spot last summer. All was well......... until the Queen Mary started showing up! That's what we call one guy's Harley ElectraGlide with sidecar. That thing's as big as an army tank!! Well, the Harley rider's a real nice guy, we don't want to discourage him, so a few of us who know and trust each other have started parking the bikes real tight to give him room. It's amazing how close together you can park bikes with a little motivation....

[sharpmagna]

If someone does complain, they will likely just tell you never to do it again.

That's fine by me if they tell me I can't do it. I can greedily occupy a single spot with my bike and my coworker can do the same. The parking facilities are limited and when we occupy the striped spot, my coworker and I actually free up two spots for other people so we're doing others a favor. It's no skin off my back as I get to work early and get a pick of the lot.

[NorthernPete]

could the two of you not just occupy a regular spot? I would assume the dashed lines are there for a reason. I may be a bit confused on the lay out though, this white hatched area, is it between two side by side spots, or between two spots nose to nose?

A


or

B

[sharpmagna]

It is more like B

Also this thread has gone way off topic. Instead of how close should someone park their bike next to yours it has turned into me stealing a handicapped person's parking spot

[NorthernPete]

I use a whole space to myself..... park all crooked so no one else can squeeze in.

[gimpster]

Also this thread has gone way off topic. Instead of how close should someone park their bike next to yours it has turned into me stealing a handicapped person's parking spot

I can't speak for the other guys/gals that have responded but let me start by saying that I'm just trying to look out for you, not to criticize you. In most states, handicap laws are state-wide and therefore cannot be altered by an agreement with a private company. The contract you have basically means that the security company that takes care of your parking lot won't have you towed, but it doesn't mean that someone can't have your bikes impounded if it's a violation of state law and there's nothing the security company could do about it if the police officer who gets called out is under a lot of heat over the deal. It's cool that you have that kind of agreement with your security force and it's commendable that you are freeing up spots for other drivers, but in this case I would consider this a CYA-affair and go with one of the other options like having motorcycle-only parking put in or just doubling up on a regular parking spot. This is, of course, all assuming that your state is like mine where it's a state law and not just something that your company does on its own. Like I said, nothing personal, just don't want you get your bike impounded because you were misled by some people who didn't know better.

[sharpmagna]

Well I believe I found myself a legal loop hole. The disabled parking spots have no vertical signs saying they are for handicap parking. Only the concrete is painted with wheel chair sign. I found this text while searching Virginia's Legislative website:

All parking spaces reserved for the use of persons with disabilities shall be identified by above grade signs, regardless of whether identification of such spaces by above grade signs was required when any particular space was reserved for the use of persons with disabilities. A sign or symbol painted or otherwise displayed on the pavement of a parking space shall not constitute an above grade sign. Any parking space not identified by an above grade sign shall not be a parking space reserved for the disabled within the meaning of this section.

Here is the full text: http://leg1.state.va.us/cgi-bin/legp504 ... .11+502559

Since there is no "above grade signs" in sight, then those parking spots are TECHNICALLY NOT handicapped parking spots so I cannot be towed from them.

So do you like apples?





How do you like them apples?!

[gimpster]

Good detective work, Sharp.

[Andrew]

Sounds good, but I'm sure somewhere else it also states what the meaning of the diagonal stripes is. Probably that no parking at all is allowed there.

Back to topic, definetely leave a note. Maybe trying to leave more room for someone else to park...

[gimpster]

Just leave a note informing him which "handicap" spot has been reassigned as his personal parking space.