Park right on the sidewalk? - Motorcycle-Journal Forums

St0nkingByte · 01-27-2005, 11:18 PM

OK I know for a fact, because I read the book, that parking on the sidewalk on a public street is illegal around here however I've noticed that when I go some places that bikers, particularly sport bikers park on the sidewalk usually right up by the entrance to a place. Sometimes its off in a bicycle parking area and sometimes, like tonight at my local mall, they were just right up there on the sidewalk. I've never done that myself. I always find motorcycle parking or just take a regular parking spot. Aside from the fact that I'm afraid I'd drop my bike negotiating the curb it just seems kind of pretentious to me.

Do you guys think its kosher, am I missing out on the ultimate parking spots?

SDSUsnowboards · 01-27-2005, 11:20 PM

I agree in that it seems a bit pretentious. Sometimes I feel bad lane splitting in my "lane splitting legal" state. oh well.

c50tiger · 01-28-2005, 12:09 AM

Most places I've lived sidewalk parking was not kosher. Last time I saw someone do that was when I was visiting family back in NC and a guy pulled FatBoy right up next to the door of the restaurant we were eating in. Cheeky bastage even used the curbcut (you know, for wheelchairs?) instead of hopping the curb.

Curbs aren't that hard, btw. When I was in college I always got ground floor apartments so I could pull up on the patio and be sheltered by the balcony above. Curb was never any problem. Except for my father, as I noted in another post...

Gixxerdale · 01-28-2005, 12:11 AM

I plead Guilty on two counts.

1. I park on the sidewalk at my local Cycle Gear. The sidewalk is 15 feet wide in front of the store and there are only 8 or so car spaces in the lot to park in, always full it seems. Everyone uses the sidewalk parking to check out the bikes anyhow.

http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/gixxer...3a.jpg&.src=ph

2. My local WalMart is the other. No where to park and a massive walkway where many bikes park, but not near the doors or blocking any access.

Guess I do it out of necessitty more than anything. Most of the time I park like everyone else. Then the other side of the coin is the cagers complaining that a motorcycle is taking up a cars parking space.

As for lane splitting or lane sharing. I do it regularly when the traffic is nearly stopped. I don't do it at speed when the traffic is moving normally or at a fast speed. I don't enjoy it as it's dangerous and tiring staying in high alert for long periods filtering between cars. Again, on the other hand, if bikes didn't lane share or if each bike was an additional car on the road, LA traffic would never move!

St0nkingByte · 01-28-2005, 12:23 AM

There is one spot I get stuck in traffic everyday that I could ride right down the whiteline on the right and not even have to worry about the cars, if only lane splitting were legal. They did float a lane splitting bill in the WA legislature last year but it died in committee. I hear they're going to try it again next year.

jaydog19833 · 01-28-2005, 12:25 AM

I like that pic dale.....your bike looks cozy and peaceful on the sidewalk

GIXXER-Mike · 01-28-2005, 01:11 AM

Wow! Must be nice to be able to park right in front of the store... literally!

**inspiron** · 01-28-2005, 02:13 AM

Why do most Harley riders park on the sidewalk?

Q: "Where does a 300 lb gorilla sit?"
A: "Anywhere it wants to..."

pjd · 01-28-2005, 02:36 AM

A Harley on the sidewalk?
Don't the training wheels scrape?

I'd like to see more motorcycle spots around. Like Dale said, it sucks the cagers get mad when you take a regular space. By the same token, they'd get mad if you pulled up in front of the store too.

md2lgyk · 01-28-2005, 08:09 AM

Sorry, SDSU, but lane-splitting is NOT legal in CA. It is tolerated, for sure, but I challenge you to cite the motor vehicle code section saying it's legal.

**Clint** · 01-28-2005, 08:30 AM

The MV code wasn't written to tell you what is legal, but what isn't. I challenge you to find where it says you can open your door to get in the car. Or that it's legal to use your windshield wipers.

I park on the sidewalk in areas that don't get foot traffic. Often there are inside corners of buildings that serve only to collect leaves, so I help myself.

md2lgyk · 01-28-2005, 08:50 AM

Yes and no. Consider, for example, right turns on a red light. In every state I've seen where you can do it, the law doesn't say it's "illegal unless otherwise posted", but rather it's "legal unless otherwise posted." You won't find similar wording for lane splitting; it's illegal everywhere.

themeatmanlandry · 01-28-2005, 09:07 AM

I try not to park on the sidewalk.

I usually try ot find a spot out in the open away from the other humans. I do that with my cages also, even though one of them has been totalled. I just have a thing about people that can't get out of their car without marring the car next to them. That's me.

The main reason I don't park on the sidewalk is that boneheads will let their kids (or at lest refuse to stop their kids) climb on your bike like it was a freaking coin-op ride thingy.

Hasn't happened to me, but I've seen it.

At work, the bikes used to park on the sidewalk, because we thought we HAD to park there. I stood and wateched a b!tchy lady bump into dude's brand new V-Star HARD, and she just kept walking. She bumped the handlebars and the whole bike rocked like someone had jumped in the saddle

. From that moment forward, I started parking in a regular spot. They tried to tell me I couldn't, but they didn't have a rule. I was like, "It runs on gas, it is licensed, you must have a license to operate it, and it CARRIED MY SKINNY BUTT 25 MILES TO GET HERE THIS MORNING." They had no rebuttal.

I park in a regular spot.

<My workplace (county government) has 600 employees and only 400 parking spots. That means that if you stand in a group of 3 employees, one of them had to seek parking outside the facility. We are in downtown Memphis.>

**inspiron** · 01-28-2005, 09:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by themeatmanlandry

The main reason I don't park on the sidewalk is that boneheads will let their kids (or at lest refuse to stop their kids) climb on your bike like it was a freaking coin-op ride thingy.

And then they sue you for every penny you have and will ever earn because "little Johnny" burned his leg on the exhaust pipe...

themeatmanlandry · 01-28-2005, 09:55 AM

heh-heh

Proof positive that he's the one that put those scratches on my fairing!

finch20th · 01-28-2005, 10:13 AM

here we just park in the no parking spot the one with all the lines in the spot.

no one cares or has ever said anything. i saw a dudes bike get smoked in a parking stall.

she just wiped right into the spot and smoked the bike atleast she found the guy. too bad it was a harley

themeatmanlandry · 01-28-2005, 11:00 AM

I am also fearful of that happening. I forgot to mention that earlier. Either they can't see you on the way in and hit you, or they do it when they back out by making a nice, broad turn that they wouldn't have if there had been a car in the spot.

LayinLo · 01-28-2005, 11:17 AM

I usually ride a wheelie around the parking lot, then pull a rolling stoppie up over the curb and park my bike wherever it comes to rest..............j/k

finch20th · 01-28-2005, 11:20 AM

LOL Layinlo that is great i would love to see that !

sunny · 01-28-2005, 11:31 AM

when i ride in to work i double park in the basement sideways against a wall where no one else ever parks. my boss has done real well at training cagers not to park there.
he can be a domineering ******* sometimes, but he gets things done.

01-27-2005, 11:18 PM	#1 (permalink)
St0nkingByte Sprocket Pilot Joined: Nov 2004 Bike: 2005 BMW R1200RT Location: Bellevue, WA Posts: 893	Park right on the sidewalk? OK I know for a fact, because I read the book, that parking on the sidewalk on a public street is illegal around here however I've noticed that when I go some places that bikers, particularly sport bikers park on the sidewalk usually right up by the entrance to a place. Sometimes its off in a bicycle parking area and sometimes, like tonight at my local mall, they were just right up there on the sidewalk. I've never done that myself. I always find motorcycle parking or just take a regular parking spot. Aside from the fact that I'm afraid I'd drop my bike negotiating the curb it just seems kind of pretentious to me. Do you guys think its kosher, am I missing out on the ultimate parking spots?

01-27-2005, 11:20 PM	#2 (permalink)
SDSUsnowboards Tin Foil Inspector Joined: Jul 2004 Bike: 2000 CBR600f4 Location: Southern California Posts: 764	I agree in that it seems a bit pretentious. Sometimes I feel bad lane splitting in my "lane splitting legal" state. oh well. __________________ The notion should be deleted from your noggin. -FIVEINCH

01-28-2005, 12:09 AM	#3 (permalink)
c50tiger Can Ride And Chew Gum Joined: Aug 2004 Bike: 2005 C50 Location: Selma, Alabama Posts: 2,058	Most places I've lived sidewalk parking was not kosher. Last time I saw someone do that was when I was visiting family back in NC and a guy pulled FatBoy right up next to the door of the restaurant we were eating in. Cheeky bastage even used the curbcut (you know, for wheelchairs?) instead of hopping the curb. Curbs aren't that hard, btw. When I was in college I always got ground floor apartments so I could pull up on the patio and be sheltered by the balcony above. Curb was never any problem. Except for my father, as I noted in another post... __________________ Let's think the unthinkable, let's do the undoable, let's prepare to grapple with the ineffable itself, and see if we may not eff it after all. - Douglas Adams COGITO EGGO SUM: I think, therefore I am... a waffle

01-28-2005, 12:11 AM	#4 (permalink)
Gixxerdale Forensic Bug Splatter Analyst. Joined: Mar 2004 Bike: 02 GSXR 1k Location: The warm and twisty roads of SoCal Posts: 3,028	I plead Guilty on two counts. 1. I park on the sidewalk at my local Cycle Gear. The sidewalk is 15 feet wide in front of the store and there are only 8 or so car spaces in the lot to park in, always full it seems. Everyone uses the sidewalk parking to check out the bikes anyhow. http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/gixxer...3a.jpg&.src=ph 2. My local WalMart is the other. No where to park and a massive walkway where many bikes park, but not near the doors or blocking any access. Guess I do it out of necessitty more than anything. Most of the time I park like everyone else. Then the other side of the coin is the cagers complaining that a motorcycle is taking up a cars parking space. As for lane splitting or lane sharing. I do it regularly when the traffic is nearly stopped. I don't do it at speed when the traffic is moving normally or at a fast speed. I don't enjoy it as it's dangerous and tiring staying in high alert for long periods filtering between cars. Again, on the other hand, if bikes didn't lane share or if each bike was an additional car on the road, LA traffic would never move! __________________ Proud Father of a U S Army Soldier... The key to life is to die young...at a very old age... Ride like you own the road...and...someday the road will own you.. My Favorite Ride? Tomorrows!

01-28-2005, 12:23 AM	#5 (permalink)
St0nkingByte Sprocket Pilot Joined: Nov 2004 Bike: 2005 BMW R1200RT Location: Bellevue, WA Posts: 893	There is one spot I get stuck in traffic everyday that I could ride right down the whiteline on the right and not even have to worry about the cars, if only lane splitting were legal. They did float a lane splitting bill in the WA legislature last year but it died in committee. I hear they're going to try it again next year. Last edited by St0nkingByte; 01-28-2005 at 12:26 AM.

01-28-2005, 12:25 AM	#6 (permalink)
jaydog19833 U.B's LoveChild Joined: Jun 2004 Bike: 04 GSXR 600 Location: Lake George, NY Posts: 1,288	I like that pic dale.....your bike looks cozy and peaceful on the sidewalk __________________ Anyone can fire a bullet. Only the good ones can steer one. Bend your elbow, move your arse, and stick the knee out.

01-28-2005, 01:11 AM	#7 (permalink)
GIXXER-Mike U.B's LoveChild Joined: Aug 2004 Bike: 2004 GSX-R600 (Blue/White) Location: ALABAMA Posts: 1,113	Wow! Must be nice to be able to park right in front of the store... literally! __________________ "I'm here to fight for truth, and justice, and the American way."

01-28-2005, 02:13 AM	#8 (permalink)
inspiron Muscle Biker Joined: Jul 2004 Bike: Blue Suzuki GSX 1400 (2003) Location: Canton Basel-Land, Switzerland (47.4493, 7.76536) Posts: 12,073	Why do most Harley riders park on the sidewalk? Q: "Where does a 300 lb gorilla sit?" A: "Anywhere it wants to..." __________________ There is nothing worse than aggressive stupidity. - Johann Wolfgang von Goethe blog: gsx1400

01-28-2005, 02:36 AM	#9 (permalink)
pjd In Training Joined: Nov 2004 Bike: 2002 Katana 750 Location: Washington Posts: 105	A Harley on the sidewalk? Don't the training wheels scrape? I'd like to see more motorcycle spots around. Like Dale said, it sucks the cagers get mad when you take a regular space. By the same token, they'd get mad if you pulled up in front of the store too. __________________ How do you shoot the devil in the back? What if you miss?

01-28-2005, 08:09 AM	#10 (permalink)
md2lgyk Wants Better Weather Joined: May 2004 Bike: '03 Marauder 800 Location: Harpers Ferry, WV Posts: 665	Sorry, SDSU, but lane-splitting is NOT legal in CA. It is tolerated, for sure, but I challenge you to cite the motor vehicle code section saying it's legal. __________________ "The great object is, that every man be armed. Everyone who is able may have a gun." - Thomas Jefferson

01-28-2005, 08:50 AM	#12 (permalink)
md2lgyk Wants Better Weather Joined: May 2004 Bike: '03 Marauder 800 Location: Harpers Ferry, WV Posts: 665	Yes and no. Consider, for example, right turns on a red light. In every state I've seen where you can do it, the law doesn't say it's "illegal unless otherwise posted", but rather it's "legal unless otherwise posted." You won't find similar wording for lane splitting; it's illegal everywhere. __________________ "The great object is, that every man be armed. Everyone who is able may have a gun." - Thomas Jefferson

01-28-2005, 09:07 AM	#13 (permalink)
themeatmanlandry Happy-ass Lunatic Joined: Dec 2003 Bike: 2002 Bandit 600S (Black); 2006 GSXR750 (Black) Location: Memphis Posts: 11,423	I try not to park on the sidewalk. I usually try ot find a spot out in the open away from the other humans. I do that with my cages also, even though one of them has been totalled. I just have a thing about people that can't get out of their car without marring the car next to them. That's me. The main reason I don't park on the sidewalk is that boneheads will let their kids (or at lest refuse to stop their kids) climb on your bike like it was a freaking coin-op ride thingy. Hasn't happened to me, but I've seen it. At work, the bikes used to park on the sidewalk, because we thought we HAD to park there. I stood and wateched a b!tchy lady bump into dude's brand new V-Star HARD, and she just kept walking. She bumped the handlebars and the whole bike rocked like someone had jumped in the saddle . From that moment forward, I started parking in a regular spot. They tried to tell me I couldn't, but they didn't have a rule. I was like, "It runs on gas, it is licensed, you must have a license to operate it, and it CARRIED MY SKINNY BUTT 25 MILES TO GET HERE THIS MORNING." They had no rebuttal. I park in a regular spot. <My workplace (county government) has 600 employees and only 400 parking spots. That means that if you stand in a group of 3 employees, one of them had to seek parking outside the facility. We are in downtown Memphis.> __________________ Go to hell

01-28-2005, 09:55 AM	#15 (permalink)
themeatmanlandry Happy-ass Lunatic Joined: Dec 2003 Bike: 2002 Bandit 600S (Black); 2006 GSXR750 (Black) Location: Memphis Posts: 11,423	heh-heh Proof positive that he's the one that put those scratches on my fairing! __________________ Go to hell

01-28-2005, 10:13 AM	#16 (permalink)
finch20th Baiting for a Banning!!!!!! Joined: Jan 2005 Bike: 2005 Gsxr 600 20th Anniversary Edition Location: Eau Claire, WI Posts: 1,107	here we just park in the no parking spot the one with all the lines in the spot. no one cares or has ever said anything. i saw a dudes bike get smoked in a parking stall. she just wiped right into the spot and smoked the bike atleast she found the guy. too bad it was a harley __________________ Wisconsin Winters Suck! Miles to date on the 600: 2263.2 #4803!!! The Proud New Owner Of A 2005 Suzuki Gsx-R 600 20th Anniversary Edition!!!

01-28-2005, 11:00 AM	#17 (permalink)
themeatmanlandry Happy-ass Lunatic Joined: Dec 2003 Bike: 2002 Bandit 600S (Black); 2006 GSXR750 (Black) Location: Memphis Posts: 11,423	I am also fearful of that happening. I forgot to mention that earlier. Either they can't see you on the way in and hit you, or they do it when they back out by making a nice, broad turn that they wouldn't have if there had been a car in the spot. __________________ Go to hell

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01-28-2005, 11:17 AM	#18 (permalink)
LayinLo Flipper ( Don't Ask ) Joined: Jul 2004 Bike: Crunchy 02 GSX-R 750 Location: Alabama Posts: 3,936	I usually ride a wheelie around the parking lot, then pull a rolling stoppie up over the curb and park my bike wherever it comes to rest..............j/k

01-28-2005, 11:20 AM	#19 (permalink)
finch20th Baiting for a Banning!!!!!! Joined: Jan 2005 Bike: 2005 Gsxr 600 20th Anniversary Edition Location: Eau Claire, WI Posts: 1,107	LOL Layinlo that is great i would love to see that ! __________________ Wisconsin Winters Suck! Miles to date on the 600: 2263.2 #4803!!! The Proud New Owner Of A 2005 Suzuki Gsx-R 600 20th Anniversary Edition!!!

01-28-2005, 11:31 AM	#20 (permalink)
sunny Leaned over, knee down Joined: Nov 2004 Bike: '97 suzuki savage, '90 honda shadow, '75 kh400, and a broom Location: fort worthless Posts: 4,678	when i ride in to work i double park in the basement sideways against a wall where no one else ever parks. my boss has done real well at training cagers not to park there. he can be a domineering ******* sometimes, but he gets things done. __________________ "blah blah blah, the world revolves around me, blah blah blah, your perception of events can't possibly be valid, blah blah blah, i wasn't there but i know everything about everything, blah blah blah." - 95% of the male population. you WISH this post was brought to you by rum.

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