Cycle bays - waste of space?

[The Older Gentleman[_2_]]

On Friday, I had to pop up to town for a lunch appointment in Kensington
High Street.

Of course, as the councils have been ripping out motorcycle bays, or
making them smaller, and as the ones that are left are filled with
scooterbois who don't know how to park, finding a space is rather
tricky.

What intrigued me was how down the centre of KHS, they'd installed cycle
parking, with those gigantic great metal rails to chain bicycles to. OK,
good idea.

Except the rails are set about six feet apart, and each rail 'contains'
precisely two bicycles, one on each side, because (I suppose) if
someone's already chained their bicycle to the rail, chaining a second
one on the same side is rather tricky.

In short, what a ****ing waste of space. Bleeding acres of space that
could be used for disabled parking, or bus bays, or (yes) a motorcycle
bay or two would be nice, in order to accommodate a very few dozen
politically correct bicycles.

There's got to be way of using the space to hold more bicycles securely
in the given area. Hasn't there?



--
BMW K1100LT 750SS CB400F CD250 CB125 SL125
GAGARPHOF#30 GHPOTHUF#1 BOTAFOT#60 ANORAK#06 YTC#3
BOF#30 WUSS#5 The bells, the bells.....

[steve auvache]

In article <1i5m5tc.1s27lum15gp188N%chateau.murray.takethisout @dsl.pipex
..com>, The Older Gentleman >
writes
>
>There's got to be way of using the space to hold more bicycles securely
>in the given area. Hasn't there?

Give your man Boris a shout, he has managed to pack half a dozen away
where no one can see them so he should know.


--
steve auvache
A Bloo one with built in safety features

[Membrane]

(The Older Gentleman) wrote:

>There's got to be way of using the space to hold more bicycles securely
>in the given area. Hasn't there?

How about a more efficient way to park motorcycles?:
http://image.guardian.co.uk/sys-images/Guardian/Pix/pictures/2007/03/05/ch1.jpg

--
Membrane

[ginge]

In article <1i5m5tc.1s27lum15gp188N%
>,
says...

> Except the rails are set about six feet apart, and each rail 'contains'
> precisely two bicycles, one on each side, because (I suppose) if
> someone's already chained their bicycle to the rail, chaining a second
> one on the same side is rather tricky.
>
> In short, what a ****ing waste of space.

Round here they space them sensibly at about 3 feet apart.

They also allow 2 hours free bike parking in the pay and display areas
on the street.

[Grimly Curmudgeon]

We were somewhere around Barstow, on the edge of the desert, when the
drugs began to take hold. I remember
(The Older Gentleman) saying
something like:

>There's got to be way of using the space to hold more bicycles securely
>in the given area. Hasn't there?

Bury the Town Councillors bum up.
--
Dave
GS850x2 XS650 SE6a

Teach a man to fish and he and his pikey mates will have the
river cleaned out in a day.

[Marc Brett]

On Sun, 07 Oct 2007 13:20:53 +0100, Membrane >
wrote:

(The Older Gentleman) wrote:
>
>>There's got to be way of using the space to hold more bicycles securely
>>in the given area. Hasn't there?
>
>How about a more efficient way to park motorcycles?:
>http://image.guardian.co.uk/sys-images/Guardian/Pix/pictures/2007/03/05/ch1.jpg

I've always thought it'd be a good idea to do a critical mass type of
thing where zillions of bicycles park en masse in car parking bays, one
per bay, having bought valid tickets, etc. Then sit back and video the
results. As an art installatio, it ranks right up there with laying
down green carpet and potted plants in the same parking bays.

[Ekul Namsob]

Marc Brett > wrote:

> I've always thought it'd be a good idea to do a critical mass type of
> thing where zillions of bicycles park en masse in car parking bays, one
> per bay, having bought valid tickets, etc. Then sit back and video the
> results. As an art installatio, it ranks right up there with laying
> down green carpet and potted plants in the same parking bays.

That's a tremendously good idea. Let's organise it.

Luke


--
Red Rose Ramblings, the diary of an Essex boy in
exile in Lancashire <http://www.shrimper.org.uk>

[vernon]

"Marc Brett" > wrote in message
...
>
> I've always thought it'd be a good idea to do a critical mass type of
> thing where zillions of bicycles park en masse in car parking bays, one
> per bay, having bought valid tickets, etc. Then sit back and video the
> results. As an art installatio, it ranks right up there with laying
> down green carpet and potted plants in the same parking bays.
>
Your cunning plan falls apart at the buying valid tickets stage. They are
valid only for cars.......

[Rob Morley]

In article >, Grimly
Curmudgeon
says...

> Bury the Town Councillors bum up.
>
But then they'll still be able to talk local politics.

[doetnietcomputeren]

The Older Gentleman wrote:

>
> There's got to be way of using the space to hold more bicycles securely
> in the given area. Hasn't there?

Amsterdam seems to have solved it:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/doesnotcompute/190220421/

--
Dnc

[Dan L]

doetnietcomputeren wrote:

> The Older Gentleman wrote:
>
> >
> > There's got to be way of using the space to hold more bicycles
> > securely in the given area. Hasn't there?
>
> Amsterdam seems to have solved it:
> http://www.flickr.com/photos/doesnotcompute/190220421/

Is that the one by the cental station?

It's always been rammed full of bikes on the occasions I've walked past
it.

--
Dan L

Too much time to think, too little to do.


http://thebikeshed.spaces.live.com/
1996 Kawasaki ZR1100 Zephyr

BOTAFOT #140 (KotL 2005/6/7)
X-FOT#000
DIAABTCOD #26
BOMB#18 (slow)
OMF#11

[doetnietcomputeren]

Dan L wrote:

>>> There's got to be way of using the space to hold more bicycles
>>> securely in the given area. Hasn't there?

>> Amsterdam seems to have solved it:
>> http://www.flickr.com/photos/doesnotcompute/190220421/
>
> Is that the one by the cental station?

Aye, tis that.

> It's always been rammed full of bikes on the occasions I've walked past
> it.

Indeed. For those cloggies who commute by train, it's fairly common to
have two bikes. One at home station and one at destination station, so
as not to have to fill the train with bikes.

--
Dnc

[Dan L]

doetnietcomputeren wrote:

> Dan L wrote:
>
> > > > There's got to be way of using the space to hold more bicycles
> > > > securely in the given area. Hasn't there?
>
> > > Amsterdam seems to have solved it:
> > > http://www.flickr.com/photos/doesnotcompute/190220421/
> >
> > Is that the one by the cental station?
>
> Aye, tis that.
>
> > It's always been rammed full of bikes on the occasions I've walked
> > past it.
>
> Indeed. For those cloggies who commute by train, it's fairly common
> to have two bikes. One at home station and one at destination
> station, so as not to have to fill the train with bikes.

My impression of cyclists in Amsterdam was they were silent killers.
Nearly go mowed down on several occasions.

--
Dan L

Too much time to think, too little to do.


http://thebikeshed.spaces.live.com/
1996 Kawasaki ZR1100 Zephyr

BOTAFOT #140 (KotL 2005/6/7)
X-FOT#000
DIAABTCOD #26
BOMB#18 (slow)
OMF#11

[Ekul Namsob]

vernon > wrote:

> "Marc Brett" > wrote in message
> ...
> >
> > I've always thought it'd be a good idea to do a critical mass type of
> > thing where zillions of bicycles park en masse in car parking bays, one
> > per bay, having bought valid tickets, etc. Then sit back and video the
> > results. As an art installatio, it ranks right up there with laying
> > down green carpet and potted plants in the same parking bays.
> >
> Your cunning plan falls apart at the buying valid tickets stage. They are
> valid only for cars.......

Are they? Do you have any evidence for that? I ask as I've never
checked.

Cheers,
Luke


--
Red Rose Ramblings, the diary of an Essex boy in
exile in Lancashire <http://www.shrimper.org.uk>

[ogden]

doetnietcomputeren wrote:
>
> Dan L wrote:
>
> >>> There's got to be way of using the space to hold more bicycles
> >>> securely in the given area. Hasn't there?
>
> >> Amsterdam seems to have solved it:
> >> http://www.flickr.com/photos/doesnotcompute/190220421/
> >
> > Is that the one by the cental station?
>
> Indeed. For those cloggies who commute by train, it's fairly common to
> have two bikes. One at home station and one at destination station, so
> as not to have to fill the train with bikes.

And the more pre-1940 they look, the better!

--
ogden
sv650 & rgv250

[Wicked Uncle Nigel]

Using the patented Mavis Beacon "Hunt&Peck" Technique, ogden
> typed
>doetnietcomputeren wrote:
>>
>> Dan L wrote:
>>
>> >>> There's got to be way of using the space to hold more bicycles
>> >>> securely in the given area. Hasn't there?
>>
>> >> Amsterdam seems to have solved it:
>> >> http://www.flickr.com/photos/doesnotcompute/190220421/
>> >
>> > Is that the one by the cental station?
>>
>> Indeed. For those cloggies who commute by train, it's fairly common to
>> have two bikes. One at home station and one at destination station, so
>> as not to have to fill the train with bikes.
>
>And the more pre-1940 they look, the better!

Pre-1940 bikes in the Netherlands? I think not:

"Where's my bike?"

--
Wicked Uncle Nigel - "He's hopeless, but he's honest"

WS* GHPOTHUF#24 APOSTLE#14 DLC#1 COFF#20 BOTAFOT#150 HYPO#0(KoTL) IbW#41
SBS#39 OMF#6 Enfield 500 Curry House Racer "The Basmati Rice Burner",
Honda GL1000K2 (Fallen apart)
Suzuki TS250 "The Africa Single" Honda ST1100 wiv trailer Norton 850 Commando
Kawasaki GTR1400

[Grimly Curmudgeon]

We were somewhere around Barstow, on the edge of the desert, when the
drugs began to take hold. I remember Rob Morley >
saying something like:

>In article >, Grimly
>Curmudgeon
says...
>
>> Bury the Town Councillors bum up.
>>
>But then they'll still be able to talk local politics.

Not with a knobbly stuck in their gobs.
--
Dave
GS850x2 XS650 SE6a

Teach a man to fish and he and his pikey mates will have the
river cleaned out in a day.

[doetnietcomputeren]

Wicked Uncle Nigel wrote:
>>> >>> There's got to be way of using the space to hold more bicycles
>>> >>> securely in the given area. Hasn't there?
>>>
>>> >> Amsterdam seems to have solved it:
>>> >> http://www.flickr.com/photos/doesnotcompute/190220421/
>>> >
>>> > Is that the one by the cental station?
>>>
>>> Indeed. For those cloggies who commute by train, it's fairly common to
>>> have two bikes. One at home station and one at destination station, so
>>> as not to have to fill the train with bikes.
>>
>> And the more pre-1940 they look, the better!
>
> Pre-1940 bikes in the Netherlands? I think not:
>
> "Where's my bike?"

Heh. The first area I lived in was a sailing/holiday area that attracted
lots of non-cloggies. The cloggy kids would taunt something along the
lines of "does your granddad still hve my granddad's bike".

--
Dnc

[ogden]

Wicked Uncle Nigel wrote:
>
> Using the patented Mavis Beacon "Hunt&Peck" Technique, ogden
> > typed
> >doetnietcomputeren wrote:
> >>
> >> Indeed. For those cloggies who commute by train, it's fairly common to
> >> have two bikes. One at home station and one at destination station, so
> >> as not to have to fill the train with bikes.
> >
> >And the more pre-1940 they look, the better!
>
> Pre-1940 bikes in the Netherlands? I think not:
>
> "Where's my bike?"

That's exactly the point. AIUI, cloggies are rather proud of old bikes
for precisely that reason. Or, at least, the cloggies I've known have
been.

--
ogden
sv650 & rgv250

[The Older Gentleman[_2_]]

doetnietcomputeren > wrote:

> Wicked Uncle Nigel wrote:
> >>> >>> There's got to be way of using the space to hold more bicycles
> >>> >>> securely in the given area. Hasn't there?
> >>>
> >>> >> Amsterdam seems to have solved it:
> >>> >> http://www.flickr.com/photos/doesnotcompute/190220421/
> >>> >
> >>> > Is that the one by the cental station?
> >>>
> >>> Indeed. For those cloggies who commute by train, it's fairly common to
> >>> have two bikes. One at home station and one at destination station, so
> >>> as not to have to fill the train with bikes.
> >>
> >> And the more pre-1940 they look, the better!
> >
> > Pre-1940 bikes in the Netherlands? I think not:
> >
> > "Where's my bike?"
>
> Heh. The first area I lived in was a sailing/holiday area that attracted
> lots of non-cloggies. The cloggy kids would taunt something along the
> lines of "does your granddad still hve my granddad's bike".

Allegedly, when the Cloggies play the Boxheads at footie, one Cloggie
chant is "Grandma wants her bicycle back."

Can any of our tame cloggies confirm?


--
BMW K1100LT 750SS CB400F CD250 CB125 SL125
GAGARPHOF#30 GHPOTHUF#1 BOTAFOT#60 ANORAK#06 YTC#3
BOF#30 WUSS#5 The bells, the bells.....

[vernon]

"Ekul Namsob" > wrote in message
news:1i5mlmv.1t2ff7dwk46maN%notmyaddress.1.ekulnam ...
> vernon > wrote:
>
>> "Marc Brett" > wrote in message
>> ...
>> >
>> > I've always thought it'd be a good idea to do a critical mass type of
>> > thing where zillions of bicycles park en masse in car parking bays, one
>> > per bay, having bought valid tickets, etc. Then sit back and video the
>> > results. As an art installatio, it ranks right up there with laying
>> > down green carpet and potted plants in the same parking bays.
>> >
>> Your cunning plan falls apart at the buying valid tickets stage. They
>> are
>> valid only for cars.......
>
> Are they? Do you have any evidence for that? I ask as I've never
> checked.
>
My mate's parking ticket and subsequent conversation with a warden in
Liverpool suggests that is the case. Paradoxically, motorcycles can park in
residents permit only parking spots without atrracting a penalty ticket - a
recent chnage in local regs for Liverpool. Here in Leeds I'd not use a car
space because there's designated spaces for motorcycles and, get this, they
are free. There's also the problem of displaying a parking ticket on a motor
bike. Failure to display a parking ticket attracts the penalty ticket.
There might be local variations on parking regs for motorcycles but I've yet
to see a motorcycle parked in a car bay in my 30+ years' worth of
motorcycling.

[Beav]

"The Older Gentleman" > wrote in
message
news:1i5m5tc.1s27lum15gp188N%chateau.murray.taketh ...
> On Friday, I had to pop up to town for a lunch appointment in Kensington
> High Street.
>
> Of course, as the councils have been ripping out motorcycle bays, or
> making them smaller, and as the ones that are left are filled with
> scooterbois who don't know how to park, finding a space is rather
> tricky.
>
> What intrigued me was how down the centre of KHS, they'd installed cycle
> parking, with those gigantic great metal rails to chain bicycles to. OK,
> good idea.
>
> Except the rails are set about six feet apart, and each rail 'contains'
> precisely two bicycles, one on each side, because (I suppose) if
> someone's already chained their bicycle to the rail, chaining a second
> one on the same side is rather tricky.
>
> In short, what a ****ing waste of space. Bleeding acres of space that
> could be used for disabled parking, or bus bays, or (yes) a motorcycle
> bay or two would be nice, in order to accommodate a very few dozen
> politically correct bicycles.
>
> There's got to be way of using the space to hold more bicycles securely
> in the given area. Hasn't there?

Yep and we call them "skips" as a rule.


--
Beav

VN 750
Zed 1000
OMF# 19