Motorcycle Parking Etiquette

[sharpmagna]

Are there any rules for parking your motorcycle?

At work, my coworker and I regularly ride in and we share a spot that has white lines through it and it is between two handicapped spots. We've already discussed it with building security and they said we can park there without any issues and also we can use the handicap spots because there are no disabled users in our building. Also parking spaces are limited at our lot so we are actually freeing up 2 spaces when we ride in.

Well a new rider shows up and he parks really close to my coworkers bike. So close that my coworker had difficulties mounting his bike. It has happened twice now so I think this person is doing this on purpose rather by accident. I jokingly told my coworker that the next time the guy does it we're going to move his bike into the middle of the street

We're still trying to find out who this person is, but in the meantime is there some unspoken rules about how close to park to another bike? If a bike has left plenty of room in one spot so I can fit, I take the spot as long as there is plenty of space between the bike, me and the next spot over. I don't normally "hog" the entire space, but I don't see why I couldn't do that either if I wanted to.

Well anyways, we're thinking of leaving this person a note on the bike if they do it again.

July

[KarateChick]

Hey sharp - that's a darn good question. Sorry I have no answers as I've been wondering myself and just haven't asked yet so thanks for posting this! I'll be looking for responses too.

[Bachstrad37]

You know, I've been digging for months on a consistent rule but can't find jack! I've taken it up with my local DMV to see whether they have literature on the topic and they looked at me like I'm a moron (uh, I'm not a moron).

My concern now lay toward clearance from other parked vehicles. I play it safe by staying clear enough where others won't be cramped in order to get in/on their vehicles. Parking too close to others pisse$ them off and they might retaliate by kicking my bike over. It's like some idiot parking waaay too close to your car. Some people will huff-puff about it, but others might take it a step further by keying your ride.

[earwig]

I don't believe there is any set Etiquette or rules... most people just use common sense. Leave him a sticky note on his gague cluster asking him to nicely park a little further

[bok]

at the motorcycle school here they tell you only to park two bikes to a stall.

if a sticky note telling him to back off a bit doesn't help.

depending on the geometry of the space, you and your buddy should just use it all.

you park at a 45 degree angle at the top of the stall and him do the same at the bottom

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something like that where he can't pull in without having his wheel hanging out or something.

[dieziege]

Or, better yet, leave a note on the cluster introducing yourself... they are a fellow rider after all... maybe they'll be interesting to talk to. Once you are talking, mention, "hey... by the way... we should figure out how to park so everyone has room, Steve had a really tough time getting on his bike the other day 'cause of how we were all crowded together...."


But don't count on anything. Some people are just clueless. I used to work with a guy who could not park his car... literally could not park it...without nearly scraping the passenger side door against whatever was to his right. Not always "nearly" either...he sideswiped coworkers' cars...twice! I always parked at the far end of the parking lot from him. We all knew who it was but there was really nothing we could do except try to avoid parking where he would park.

[BigChickenStrips]

i agree with introducing yourself. if you leave a note telling them to move it that may create hostilities. and you cant be mad he keeps doing it if he doesnt know its wrong.

[rapidblue]

I would just get you and your buddy to take up the whole space. # to a stall is to many.

Or leave the guy a real nice note, like previously said, introducing yourself and askign politely to find a nother spot to park. A nasty note will just make him do something stupid. That or he'll just try to beat you to the spot every day and then you guys are screwed.

[ejshotgun]

Or, better yet, leave a note on the cluster introducing yourself... they are a fellow rider after all... maybe they'll be interesting to talk to. Once you are talking, mention, "hey... by the way... we should figure out how to park so everyone has room, Steve had a really tough time getting on his bike the other day 'cause of how we were all crowded together...."
But don't count on anything. Some people are just clueless. .

Seems like this is the best approach because the person is a Rider and maybe they were thinking that another Rider could park into the space if he parked that close.
Personally I like to leave enough space so I/they can get on and off w/out any probs. And I always leave an open space in the spot so another Bike can park but if there are 2 Bikes in the spot I won't park in it unless we all agree to this.
It really annoys me if only one bike is taking up a whole vehicle parking space.

[The Grinch]

I work in a building with an underground parking garage where the spaces are barely wide enough for a mid-size car. Often I'll come out to find another cage parked so close to mine that I can't even open the driver's side door and have to climb in via the passenger side.

This got so annoying that I had some custom bumper stickers made up that say "I can't park worth a dodo". Whenever one of these asshats parks so close that I can barely squeeze into my car, I slap one of the stickers on their bumper.