Bike etiquette (Parking)

[Stitches]

It takes a certain type a bastard to proudly acclaim that he is A. a Bastard, and B has been so recently. As such I join the long line of folks who have committed a "dick move". Today while going out to lunch I found myself in a parking lot where the only available parking spot was in a space occupied by a BMW rs100 or similar. I regrettably poinied up next to him; not as to interfere with his leaving, but certainly as to use some of his space. It then occurred to me that I've never been instructed in the ways of Biker parking etiquette. I was wondering, at what point is close too close? and what makes a "polite" fellow motorcyclist on the road, and when surrounded by hyper-caffinated soccer-mom death machines?

[McVaaahhh]

As long as you don't get in the way of the bike that's already occupying the space, either in parking so close the guy can't get on/around his bike, or can't leave the space he parked in I'd say you're fine.

Polite on the road should never trump safety.

[fullgrownbear]

You should've parked on his right in such a way that when you dropped your kickstand your left bar-end was touching his tank

[matt2778]

One motorcycle per One car parking space

[tarded400]

Interesting.... I hate those guys that park so that they take up the entire parking spot. To me it seems like a compotent motorcyclist should be able to park 2 per spot at least. At CSU they made nice little parking "lines" so that each bike takes up 1.5X the room they need and cut down on spots. On the other hand, I don't want to come out from a meal and see some jackass parked 2" from me and a scratch all the way down my tank.

[Snowman]

They have it figured out in London. As long as the other guy can get out I don't think there should be a issue.

[Aracheon]

There's a few guys at work who ride. I always park in such a way that someone else could park in the spot too. I don't mind if someone parks in the same slot as I do, as long as I can get out.

[XJ600s]

I'll usually just park way out in the lot where there are a ton of open spots...that way those in-a-hurry soccer moms don't accidentally (or intentionally) pull into the spot with my bike because they "couldn't see it" around the other cars.

When thats not an option, I park in the middle of the spot to avoid any doors swinging out and hitting my bike. At work, I park in a corner of the parking garage that is not painted for a spot, but fits my bike and has room for another 5 bikes at least. Thing is, it doesn't say no parking or is painted with no parking white or yellow striped lines.

[tarded400]

XJ- I know what you mean about people pulling in really fast... almost had it happen to me. Now I park way out even with the other people's bumpers so they have a better chance of seeing me. I always leave it in gear too, so if it does get bumped, maybe it won't go down. Doesn't help when some moron backs completely over your bike though... ask me how I know.

[Jason ON]

I always park out towards the "aisle" of the parking space to avoid those people in a hurry to pull into a space only to bump me.

Otherwise, as long as the other person can get on their bike and pull out without having difficulties, then I think you're okay.

[asp_125]

At work there's a few older guys with their hardly davidsons and their wide saddle bags and huge assed windshield fairings. I can't see sharing a space with them. I park in back where the normal sized bikes park, we can squeeze closer and still not block anyone.

[zetaetatheta]

I always look for a fat chick lying face down sunbathing then put the front wheel in her ass crack. No kickstand nor tie downs required.

[MetaLord 9]

Since I got yelled at for parking on the overlarge sidewalk area at our building I take up an entire space with my bike. I don't regularly see other bikes at the office so I don't usually worry about it. I always park in the middle of the spot so no one tries to squeeze in or crowd the bike with their car and I leave my rear tire sticking out past the nearby bumpers to keep people from rushing in on it. As long as I can throw a leg over, stand the bike up, & get out with worrying about bumping, scratching, or even touching another bike or car I'm fine.

[Joecycle]

Since I got yelled at for parking on the overlarge sidewalk area at our building I take up an entire space with my bike.

Same! People bitched when I parked close to the building in a spot that wasn't designated for parking, but had plenty of room. They were jealous. So now I take up an entire spot and they bitch about that.
But anywhere else I go, I'll leave room and I'm fine with 2 bikes in a spot.

[ihavealegohead]

1 bike 1 spot, unless you plan to leave at the same time.. If one bike leaves early the other bike is parked with 3/4 of the spot open, which might lead some cagers to park next to your bike.

[BigE]

On a ride to Estes a couple years back we got 11, yes Eleven!, bikes in 1 parking place. Without scratching anything up too.

[455bird]

11 ?!? http://i279.photobucket.com/albums/k...8/DSCN0773.jpg This is the group I was with on the noob ride, and I thought that was impressive.
If I'm in a hurry I usually park towards the back of the space so the bike can be seen easily by others looking for a spot, but there is still enough room for someone else on a bike to pass me and park in front of me. But I worry about the people next to me thinking they have another inch or two when backing out and knocking the bike over. Which is why I normally park far away from cars and typically next to some type of median or island in the parking lot. All in all, if you don't scratch my bike and it's not a TOTAL pain for me to get out, feel free to park next to me.

[BigE]

OK, I will admit we had to do some...ah, shuffling...to get all the bikes in and we may have been at touch over the line on the sidewalk side. We parked 8 side by side crossways in the space and the other 3 lined up on the side. Somewhere I have pics, I think on my other computer.

[Xtremjeepn]

I always park to allow 2-3 bikes in a spot. In 28 years I have yet to see a bike actually downed by someone rushing into a spot thinking it was open.

I do see them try to go for the spot but to actually drive into it and hit the bike is super rare.

At my office there are 2-3 guys that ride often and we all share a spot. It is nice because when one guy leaves for lunch the other bikes keep the spot when he returns. It is also a great way to meet other bikers. That is how I met one of the other CSC guys.

When I was at CSU (before there recent parking lot changes) They had little blocked off motorcycle parking areas. Just 10x10 square areas with parking blocks around them. You could only get in between the blocks. The ONLY way to get all the bikes in and out was to be able to move other bikes around. Everyone knew this and left their steering unlocked. I have found that motorcyclists tend to be VERY respectful of others bikes.

Multiple bikes in one space is not only courtious to cars in a parking lot but tends to make your bike safer than sitting all by itself. A bike sitting far off in a lot by itself has a greater change of being not seen and hit by a car flying between rows than bikes parked in a group.

[tarded400]

They left their steering unlocked? Where were you parking? I only left a note on one bike telling them they could move mine because I parked so they couldn't get out very easily because that was the only spot. I don't know how I'd feel about someone else moving my bike, and I don't think I would feel free to move someone elses... I do remember the engineering bike parking.... it was the size of 2 regular parking spots and it was solid motorcycles.

[Xtremjeepn]

This was back in 90-96. The parking by the student center and library were always packed.

[tarded400]

Looks like you took the same graduation schedule I am! That spot is still pretty crowded, but only in the warm (really warm) weather. I could park anywhere I wanted when it was below 50 degrees.

[Clovis]

I always park to leave room for another bike and it's never been an issue; likewise I try to park next to other bikes for the reasons already mentioned.

All though when I worked at Countrywide, there was this guy (one of the military units that shared the building with us) that rode a Honda Superhawk that didn't like that; I parked next to him in the same splot with plenty of room for both of us, left for lunch and came back... he had actually gone out and moved his bike to be directly in the middle and angled to take the whole spot, so some bikers don't appreciate it and are dicks.

It was a pain in the ass because while most days parking wasn't an issue, on others they had conferences or something and the parkinglot would be 100% full by 8am and I had to use one of 3 designated parking garage spots, assuming they weren't already taken.

-Clovis

[Mental]

I always park to allow 2-3 bikes in a spot. In 28 years I have yet to see a bike actually downed by someone rushing into a spot thinking it was open...

My first bike (waaay back in 1989) had that happen to it three times. I worked at a movie theater. Then I started parking it on the sidewalk and folks started thinking it was a jungle gym, I actually caught one guy lifting his kid and placing him on my bike.

So then I started parking to one side of a space and even with the bumpers of the cars, usually facing out. There are a lot more bikes around now than there was back then, so its not as much of an issue. On other bases I have been at, we would do the same as mentioned, put em four to a spot and leave your steering unlocked to roll the other guy out. It was respectful of other bikes, but you usually know the guy/gal as well.

I still park to the side and forward of a spot and around here, usually find another bike in the spot when I leave, which is why I do it.