Parking and courtesy to other drivers?

[Deimos]

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I work downtown and always park my bike in green P street parking spots. I back my bike into a spot, angled about 60 degrees, making sure the drivers next to me have enough space to back out and move forward. It's routine for me.

Today I parked next to another cbr on Ontario st. and went to get coffee. Came back and saw a black suv parallel parked into the spot ahead of my bike and found the owner fidgeting with my mirror to see if she broke it. She didn't of course and had told her it was my bike she was touching and to be more careful about parking since another irresponsible driver tipped my bike over 2 months ago and fled without so much as a letter.
She said it's hard to see the bike from her suv and i told her that's the same thing another driver said when he side swiped me off the street last year nearly killing me.

So it comes down to me thinking if it's really worth the risk of using small space on street parking just to let another driver in. I've been bitten once already and almost again today (let's see if she can get out of her spot. I took pictures just in case).

........Hell, free parking is free parking but I just can't afford another cager tipping my bike over and writing it off.

 

[KawasakiGal]

I work downtown and park on James st when I have the bike with other bikers...but honestly I came out one day to find a bike parked so close to me, that if I put my bike upright, my mirror and signal would be rubbing against his fairing...a cager saw me trying to get out and waited becuase he saw I had to lift my bike and pull it over.....I was ****** to say the least and didnt expect it from another rider...another coworker also came out one day to find a biker picking up his bike that he had knocked over and smashed in the gas tank to the tune of 700 bux...real NICE....

Jenn

 

[CanadianBiker]

No, there's no place for courtesy whatsoever in Toronto, not from drivers, riders, cyclists, e-bikes, pedestrians, TTC employees, cabs, merchants or stray dogs. Even the pigeons are rude.

 

[jolomatic]

came out one day to find a bike parked so close to me, that if I put my bike upright, my mirror and signal would be rubbing against his fairing

This drives me nuts. I actually had to twist the mirror stem on someone's bike once just to get my bike off the stand without causing dammage.

Another time, a guy parked his bike beside mine, but backwards (front tire to the curb), so that his mirror was resting against my topcase/trunk.

Generally I like parking in a big bunch of bikes, I figure it's more visible and less likely to be hit by a cage... but bikers in general are definately no better at life than cagers in general.

 

[KawasakiGal]

Me too I was soo annoyed, and my bike is extremely heavy for me to try and lift...I had to lift it out ackwardly towards the traffic lane thats why the cager waited he saw how much of a struggle, couldnt even take my kickstand off without hitting other biker.....

This drives me nuts. I actually had to twist the mirror stem on someone's bike once just to get my bike off the stand without causing dammage.

Another time, a guy parked his bike beside mine, but backwards (front tire to the curb), so that his mirror was resting against my topcase/trunk.

Generally I like parking in a big bunch of bikes, I figure it's more visible and less likely to be hit by a cage... but bikers in general are definately no better at life than cagers in general.

 

[Spyug]

Parking is difficult all over it seems. I seem to have problems at Horton's and in store parking lots.

In places like Hortons in Smithville that are well supported by bikers, I end up having people I don't know squeeze right into the same spot with me....even when I try and take up the whole spot by parking diagonally. A few years back, I came out to find myself sandwiched between two cruisers. I couldn't get the bike off the stand or even get it upright enough to squeeze out. When I asked the road captain of the crew of pirates to whom the bikes belonged to have them move for me he stated, " hold on we are just on a quick stop and shouldn't be more than 20 minutes, 30 tops". In other words piss off and wait. It was more like 40 minutes and when the two yahoos who owned the bikes finally got around to saddling up there were some words exchanged but precious little I could do against 30 inconciderate yobos. Thank you Southern Cruisers.

Yesterday at a local market I parked diagonally in a normal parking spot away from most other vehicles and easily seen. I came out to find the bike hemmed in on three sides by SUVs and or vans. You couldn't see the bike until you came right to it. As I was walking to it, some old biddy, thinking the spot was empty, started to dart in but thankfully stopped in time. She had to park further away from the entrance and as she passed me she barked, " you need to park that thing somewhere other than these spots". I was tempted to shoot her a finger but just held my peace.

Since when did we become second class citizens for riding a bike?

Ride safely friends,
Spyug

 

[mindactivated]

....She had to park further away from the entrance and as she passed me she barked, " you need to park that thing somewhere other than these spots"....

A lot of people have absolutely no clue about how laws, rules, and road etiquette apply to motorcycles and often times will take out their anger on you because they think they're in the right.

 

[MadPoet]

No, there's no place for courtesy whatsoever in Toronto, not from drivers, riders, cyclists, e-bikes, pedestrians, TTC employees, cabs, merchants or stray dogs. Even the pigeons are rude.

That is just not true, bikers are courteous to other bikers by parking half a car length from each other saving spots for other bikers who come later (That's just one example). I guess it all falls down to your expectations. As much as some of the folks here like to concentrate on negative aspects of life, there are lot more positive experiences that people go through every day and not just think twice about it.

PS. The pigeons are rude just because idiots keep on feeding them.

 

[turbodish]

That is just not true, bikers are courteous to other bikers by parking half a car length from each other saving spots for other bikers who come later

And thereby screwing car or truck drivers who also have a need to be able to park. Use the space you need, no more. "Saving spaces" for others who may or may not come is rudeness in itself.

 

[nakkers]

All I will say is I find this less of a problem riding an HD. Don't know if folks admire it, or think some 1%er or whatever. No one trys to squeeze near my space.

Yet, park the Ninja, and bam! It's seems to attact big SUVs, minivans with stick people in the rear windown that rep how many family members and pets ride in the bloody thing. Or a Sunfire or Neon with poor tint job and CD handing from the rearview mirror. All seem to find a way to snuggle right up to my wife's Ninja.


However, I generally don't test TO parking. It's only a cage, taxi or public trans for downtown TO for me.

 

[Baggsy]

And thereby screwing car or truck drivers who also have a need to be able to park. Use the space you need, no more. "Saving spaces" for others who may or may not come is rudeness in itself.

Yes, but most of the morally handicapped people that then park in the spots on top of the bikes would have no trouble walking the extra distance. They seem to have an issue with paying for parking however.

I used to park down near Metro Hall and I saw one person that had a cane. No one that I would classify as handicapped enough to need a sticker. Some would bounce out of their sports car and race around to the hatch and pull out heavy gear and head several blocks away to work.

Something needs to be done to curb the abuse. The traffic chaos that it causes when these people are parked during rush hour is unsustainable, and people who are legitimately handicapped are going to suffer for it along with the abusers.

 

[Smutty]

I was parked in a spot in a mall lot, near a starbucks. Both sides were empty when I pulled in. I was right in the middle of the spot, on a diagonal and a fine old gentleman in his hummer managed to back into my bike, break the left mirror, scratch the arm and drag the bike about 6". The bike somehow stayed upright. I was lucky enough that someone saw it and told me. I went outside and saw the guy admiring his work. Got his info and the bike was fixed for only $150 at the dealer.

 

[Smutty]

2 words "Contour HD"

Yes, but most of the morally handicapped people that then park in the spots on top of the bikes would have no trouble walking the extra distance. They seem to have an issue with paying for parking however.

I used to park down near Metro Hall and I saw one person that had a cane. No one that I would classify as handicapped enough to need a sticker. Some would bounce out of their sports car and race around to the hatch and pull out heavy gear and head several blocks away to work.

Something needs to be done to curb the abuse. The traffic chaos that it causes when these people are parked during rush hour is unsustainable, and people who are legitimately handicapped are going to suffer for it along with the abusers.

 

[MadPoet]

And thereby screwing car or truck drivers who also have a need to be able to park. Use the space you need, no more. "Saving spaces" for others who may or may not come is rudeness in itself.

I understand that we can't please everyone without giving up riding or driving altogether. since I was backed into, I find it safer for my bike and convenient for my fellow bikers to save them the spots and to save me the worry of being hit again. If you want to call that selfish or uncourteous then so be it, to each his own.

 

[elnady]

All I will say is I find this less of a problem riding an HD. Don't know if folks admire it, or think some 1%er or whatever. No one trys to squeeze near my space. .

+1 funny how it works! it also help that my bike (FLHTP) have a big "Harley Davidson Police Special" on the breather, I was in Downtown late for a meeting, parked an green P and didn't buy a ticket, walking back to the bike I saw the meter maid standing beside the bike, looking at it, then walk away without giving me a ticket!

 

[Baggsy]

I understand that we can't please everyone without giving up riding or driving altogether. since I was backed into, I find it safer for my bike and convenient for my fellow bikers to save them the spots and to save me the worry of being hit again. If you want to call that selfish or uncourteous then so be it, to each his own.

I think that's why some car drivers take up two or four spaces. Since my van is 10 years old and I can climb in through the back anyways, I'd love to snuggle up real close, but I don't usually do that anymore, apathy has gotten to me.

 

[Pete5000]

This has given me a great idea for a new paint job. I wonder if I can use non-functional blue reflectors?

 

[companyman]

That is just not true, bikers are courteous to other bikers by parking half a car length from each other saving spots for other bikers who come later (That's just one example).

I park downtown in an area that is frequented by motorcycles. Generally, I'm an early riser and get there early. If given the opportunity, I park in such a way to "block" cars from parking there for a couple of reasons: (1) bike/scooter parking density is much higher so by doing this I'm doing more good to more people than harm to the few, and (2) I'd MUCH rather have some bike parked too close to me than a cage - the rider can directly see how close they are. I don't know how many times I've had to exit my spot on an angle, since another rider has parked so close on my right that I can't get my bike to vertical to ride out. But I still prefer that to some cage bumping me during their 9 or 11 point maneuver to get into a tight space.

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