[dc-critmass-list] Pay bike parking coming to Union Station

[Luke Kuhn]

Washngton Post says only 20 "outside" spots will remain-like i said, i espect them and the sign posts to fill first.

From: gill at waba.org
To: lukekuhn at hotmail.com; dc-critmass-list at lists.mutualaid.org
Subject: RE: [dc-critmass-list] Pay bike parking coming to Union Station
Date: Thu, 13 Aug 2009 16:18:59 -0400



















There
will still be plenty of free bike parking at Union Station.  If you want
to pay $1 for the added security you can do that.  If you want to park on
a free rack you can do that, too.  Personally, my ancestors are psyched
that someone considers bicycling a serious form of transportation and is
building such a great facility.

 



Eric
Gilliland

Executive
Director

Washington
Area Bicyclist Association

1803
Connecticut Ave NW, 3rd Floor

Washington,
DC 20009

p)
202-518-0524

f)
202-518-0936

e)
gill at waba.org

w)
www.waba.org



 





From:
dc-critmass-list-bounces at lists.mutualaid.org
[mailto:dc-critmass-list-bounces at lists.mutualaid.org] On Behalf Of Luke
Kuhn

Sent: Thursday, August 13, 2009 4:03 PM

To: dc-critmass-list at lists.mutualaid.org

Subject: [dc-critmass-list] Pay bike parking coming to Union Station





 

http://dc.thecityfix.com/union-station-bike-station-good-for-existing-riders-symbolism/



>From DC Indy:



  Union Station's Bicycle Transit Center is slated to open in October,
offering nearly 500 instead of 150 bike lockup spots-but indoors, for a $1 a
day 7 Am-7PM only access, or $100 a year for 24 hour access. Only 20 spots will
be outside, nobody is saying if they will be free.



   Allowing anyone to remove free bike racks and replace them with
pay parking sets a brutal precedent where more and more establishments will
seek to prohibit locking up bikes on the sidewalk and put in pay-to-lock bike
racks instead.



   In 2002, Union Station posted signs on all sign posts on their
property prohibiting bike parking-and threatened to confiscate bikes. Those
signs are long gone, but I suspect they will soon return.



   It's going to be very, very difficult to get Union Station to keep
free bike racks or even tolerate the use of their sign posts once this
expensive indoor facility for yuppies opens.



   If the 20 outdoor spots included in the bike center  are
free, my guess is commuters will fill them first, then all of the street sign
posts across 1st st from Union Station, then divide with some paying to park,
and some walking a block plus from sign posts on North Capitol St or Capitol
Hill locations.



   Anyone wanting to bike to  Metro in rush hour and lock up
their bike will have to avoid Union Station, and anyone needing to get off
Metro and use the toilets will have to use another Metro station and stop by a
bush somewhere.



   If bicycle users are asked to pay to park as though they were
driving cars, a key advantage of bicycles over cars disappears. Once this
starts, people will ignore both their bike and Union Station, driving their car
instead even if they must use a parking meter on the far end.



  I swear on the graves of all my ancestors that I will never, ever use a
pay bike parking facility, no matter how "secure" or pretty! 
For those of us who ride without dollars, this thing could set a disasterous
precedent.







Get
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