I’ve noticed some concerning regression in my community these past few months: the removal of bike racks.
One school removed their racks just before kids returned to school this September. The result? Bikes are now chained to fences near the local park.
Yesterday, while picking up a few grocery items, I noticed that the bike rack that’s usually in front of the store was gone. No other rack was provided elsewhere.
Last year, my city removed numerous bike racks along a street that ironically has the only protected bike lanes.
All of these locations are busy with cycling traffic, so the need has always been there for these racks.
I’ve reached out to all these places with no reply, so I have no idea what’s going on, but I’m curious if this has been happening elsewhere.
Time to get involved with your city’s planning process?
Already do. I go to every in-person meeting they offer for public feedback, and I make sure that I’m in contact with our Active Transportation Committee, development people, and have contacted council members.
Could you imagine these places removing car parking with no alternative offered? Seems crazy to remove a bike rack BEFORE installing a new one, if replacing them the goal.
SLPT: If you’ve got a chain lock, you can lock your bike to any car wheel!
For the grocery store at least, I’m going to walk in my large mountain bike, fitted with panniers, into the store just to pick up an item here and there. If I get any side-eye or complaints, I’ll clearly state that there’s no place to lock it up outside because the store removed the bike rack.
This store in particular also made sure that the rack they once had was located as far from the store entrance as possible, despite the entire front wall being available. I think they just hate bikes.
I like your style.
This is a great solution. I will be making use of this in the future.
Awesome, this is the first time I’ve seen somebody other than me suggesting that strategy.
I have to admit, I haven’t actually walked around a store with my bike before… but I have taken it up to the customer service desk and made the clerk responsible for guarding it. (And mine’s a cargo e-bike with a child seat on the back, so it’s even bigger and more obnoxious than your mountain bike, LOL.)
Your comment was great timing! I had to pick some groceries up at the store in question and absolutely brought my mountain bike with grocery panniers inside the other day.
I was in there no more than a few minutes before security said that I can’t have the bike inside the store.
When i mentioned that I have nowhere to lock it up since they got rid of the rack, he spoke to the manager (?) who directed me to lock it up outside by the shopping carts. This was not an ideal place to lock it, as it puts my bike in the way if pedestrians walking on the sidewalk in front of the store, but whatever, I proved my point and asked that they add another rack. 😂
I’ll continue to do this at other stores, and have been successful at doing it several times already.
Was there any cause or reason for the removal?
I wouldn’t know because I received no response (pending for the grocery store, since I submitted a complaint just yesterday).
I’ve seen only crappy racks removed where I live, and that’s because these fantastic giant tube racks that are almost too thick to fit my u-lock around have been popping up everywhere.
For a long while there were racks, but they all sucked. These, are just a giant tube cemented into the ground, that does two things. Provide something to lean your bike against, and provide something so secure to lock your bike to, that the weak point will always be your lock, rather than the rack.
Any update?
Glad you asked!
One school removed their racks just before kids returned to school this September. The result? Bikes are now chained to fences near the local park.
The school has NOT replaced the bike racks they removed.
Yesterday, while picking up a few grocery items, I noticed that the bike rack that’s usually in front of the store was gone. No other rack was provided elsewhere.
This store has NOT replaced the bike racks they removed. When I did finally take my bike into the store, security and management stopped me and asked me to take it outside. When I pointed out that I would, but the bike rack was removed, they asked me to basically chain it up where the shopping carts are docked outside… in the way of people trying to walk in front of the store.
Last year, my city removed numerous bike racks along a street that ironically has the only protected bike lanes.
They added bike parking on a totally different street, which I had commented is nonsensical. The street they removed them from has the only buffered protected bike lanes in the city. The area they moved them to doesn’t have any bike lanes; they are now on a one-way street; and they put the parking on the wrong side of the road, so you’d have to cross all the lanes of the one-way to get to the side that has the bike parking.
Extremely frustrating situation. I did connect with a local advocacy group, so perhaps they’ll nudge someone who has control of all this.
Well that sucks.
It does, but there’s always more to be done, and I haven’t given up on advocating for better infrastructure and bike parking.
