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Where do you guys park?

2K views 30 replies 23 participants last post by  Brock_ 
#1 ·
So I just want to know how you guys take advantage of parking when riding the motorcycle. And I want to know if there are any laws (I live in CA) that prohibit parking in certain areas even though it looks like a perfect place to park a motorcycle, especially when you got no other options or if it's just the perfect spot.

When I rented the scooter at the beach, I never had to worry about parking and I could just get off the scooter whenever I wanted and just walk around. And this was a peak summer weekend where you would have to circle around for parking and pay alot just to park. I parked my scooter next to a bike rack by the pier and no one seem to care, but I dunno if police would ticket me for that if they came along. And when street parking for another spot, I got to park close to where I wanted to go because it was a perfect size for a motorcycle and another bike parked there.

So yeah, just wanna hear your stories so I can figure what's fine and what's not gonna fly.
 
#3 ·
I'll park in motorcycle parking, if available. Otherwise I'll park in whatever regular parking is available, but it has to be where I can see the bike from wherever I'm going to be. If I can't do that, I usually opt not to stop there. Or I don't ride there in the first place. Exceptions being a huge bike event where there are hundreds of bikes parked in the same place anyway (like Daytona).

Or, if there is room in a regular spot occupied by another bike, I will park there, but only if I am not crowding the bike that was already there in the process.


I will occasionally park on the walkway in front of a store, away from the door where it can't bother anyone, but only if I know I'm going to be inside for a moment.

I have parked in places that aren't really meant to be parking spots, but only if I am pretty confident that the owners of the establishment have a casual attitude about parking (places out in the middle of nowhere esp if I see bikes parked in random places there already)
 
#6 ·
So yeah could you use this excuse about how you don't want your bike to get run into if store management or police have a problem with your bike being parked on the side of the building or anywhere else that's you're not supposed to park a bike? As long as it's not in anyone's way (not parked in front of a dumpster or entrance of some kind), should they see it as us doing a favor by freeing up parking spaces?

I would hate to have to park my bike in a parking spot on a busy day where cars are circling around for parking, especially that some of them will rush for that one open spot that came up and not consider if a bike is parked in there. I always thought those grated oval shaped lines at the end of parking spots would be a perfect place since cars can't park there and isn't in anyone's way. And it's usually closer to your destination.
 
#5 ·
No guarantee someone won't hit your bike out of spite because you parked somewhere they can't. :lol I hate parking my bike out in public and walking away from it. Never know what will happen. But if I want to go anywhere on the bike (besides just ride out and straight back), it's a risk I have to take.
 
#9 ·
And I want to know if there are any laws (I live in CA) that prohibit parking in certain areas even though it looks like a perfect place to park a motorcycle, especially when you got no other options or if it's just the perfect spot.
Almost all those laws are local ordinances. State law and people's experiences from other locations won't help you much.

KeS
 
#12 ·
Wherever I damn well please. It's a motorcycle!

But seriously, at big stores, park up by the door, behind the bollards. Never had a problem. In garages, either the stripey area at the end of an isle, or the motorcycle section. On sidewalks in retail or commercial areas, never a problem. Loading ramps can be fine. I just try to avoid a normal car parking spot so I don't get crunched.
 
#13 ·
I park anywhere that I know I'm not gonna be in peoples way, and never in any of the blue striped handicap areas. Yellow and white stripe areas are always a go, as are the big wide sidewalks in front of places like home depot and wal-mart, but off to the side away from the main entry traffic.

Just use your brain. If you're in a spot where you're gonna block pedestrian traffic you shouldn't park there. If you're out of the way nobody is gonna get pissed enough to have you towed. Anyone who has ever worked a retail job in a shopping center will tell you they generally have way more to deal with than worrying how people park. For the most part they dont ever even look outside their store/restaurant/whatever. If you're not causing a problem, you're not gonna get fucked with. The only exception to this is major malls and shopping centers with security that drive around all day looking for something to do. Those fuckers are bored and will sometimes be dicks. Even so the worst I've ever gotten is a note on the bike saying not to do it again. Those notes are the only trash I ever simply throw on the ground and leave.
 
#15 ·
At large lots like the mall, I try to park in the typical place for bikes, like the thin yellow lined area at the end of a parking row.

When I park in a normal spot, I leave it near the outer edge of the spot, so people driving by don't think it is an empty spot and dive in, like the old lady described above.
 
#16 ·
At large lots like the mall, I try to park in the typical place for bikes, like the thin yellow lined area at the end of a parking row.
When I park in a normal spot, I leave it near the outer edge of the spot, so people driving by don't think it is an empty spot and dive in, like the old lady described above.
A lot depends on the state. In Ohio parking lots are considered private property, in Kentucky they aren't. I used to park in the hash lines near the end of a row but I had a guy in KY tell me that he'd gotten a ticket for doing that. I've gotten to the place where I usually park in a regular slot for a car, but near the end so a car can see that I'm there.
 
#20 ·
Covered parking is huge. I don't mind riding in the rain, but I hate leaving my bike sitting out in it all day. Where I work now if I think it's going to rain during my work day, I pull it up to the front door of the building and put it under that awning. Bosses don't seem to care, but I work at night when most of them aren't there anyway.

Sent from Motorcycle.com Free App
 
#21 ·
bike gets parked wherever. around here, the more conspicuous you are, the more people fuck with it.

meaning that on a sidewalk is a bad idea. someone will fuck with it.
in the hash lines is a bad idea. some bitter asshole will fuck with it.

matter of fact, just parking anywhere is a bad idea.
 
#23 ·
I park slap dab in the middle of whatever spot strikes my fancy. Sometimes purposefully out a ways both so I can pull straight through and so I can more easily see my bike after I forget where I've parked it. People generally dont mess with my stuff at work, restaurants, or movies, and I have no reason to ride the bike to wally world as it cant carry much :/
 
#25 ·
My workplace has about 20 or so spots for bikes.


In the past 3 years I've only noticed it completely filled 4 times. 2 of those times have been within the last 2 weeks, lol.

In public, it's usually thrown anywhere there are other bikes. Last thing I want to do it park it by itself as an open target. If all the other bikes are out of the way, that's where mine goes as well.
 
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