For Lack of a Rack
This weekend I had to run a quick errand in the Back Bay and ran into a problem.
While I prefer not to lock to railings either other options are not always provided. And the number of racks in Boston hasn’t grown as fast as the number of bikes. So even when there is a rack…
Enough is enough. I’ve decided to of take the matter into my own hands.
So whenever I need to lock up I won’t be lacking a rack.
In Melbourne, and all other Australian cities, it is very very rare to see “do not lock bicycle here” signs. They only apply to particular busy thoroughfares, or specific cases where the fencing may actually be moved for emergency vehicles etc.
In almost every case any kind of street furniture is up for grabs. Posts, trees, seating, railings, it all gets used. Most of out local governments will also add bike parking hoops on request, the City of Melbourne installed over 400 last year (on top of many already extant hoops).
For example, the railings outside Flinders St Station. There might be 50+ bikes there some days:
http://i1.wp.com/farm9.staticflickr.com/8166/7407452228_db166308c3.jpg?resize=500%2C333
I love this idea so much.
Why not suggest to the city fathers the idea of incorporating the racks into the parking meter posts? (I assume there are parking meters in some portions of the Boston area, I have not been there in over 40 years.
Those are some amazing drawing skills – wish I had something like this myself, since I love to create. Thanks for the article, keep up the awesome blog!