Parking etiquette

[Burgi]

Would like to know how people feel about fellow motorcyclist sharing your parking space?
Not people you know, but when you leave your bike somewhere and come out and find another motorcycle sharing your parking place.
I've had this happen a few times and it doesn't bother me (although the guy that did it today could have left enough space so that I didn't have to horse my bike around his  ). I am hesitant to pull in as a "second" though since I don't know how the other motorcyclist will feel about it.....

[Tryvelcro]

I'm ok with it, if they don't crowd my space, allowing me enough room to get on my bike, get it upright & get it out I'm ok with it. I've had people park so close to my bike that I couldn't stand it up off the side stand - not cool imo.

Just as a rant, I HATE when people park their bikes on the sidewalk.  Watched a handicapped person try to get their wheelchair around a busa that was too good for the parking lot the other day

[Bumblebee]

You learned everything you need to know in the kindergarten playground. (I'll have to go find that list again because it is good)

If there are empty spaces reasonably nearby, get your own space.
If parking is limited and you're parking in my space, I'm generally ok with that..within reason.
If I've parked in a manner that you can't get in easily or won't fit without a hassle, go somewhere else. (There's likely a good reason for me parking that way even if you can't tell what that reason is)
Leave cleareance so I can get out even if cages crowd the line on each side.
Don't make me ride up on the sidewalk to get out even if I'm riding an absolutely filthy 30 year old beat up lightweight dirt bike.
Don't make me move your bike to get mine out.
Don't park in a manner that your bike can fall on mine if someone bumps it.
If you're a klutz or careless, park on the other side of the parking lot, or preferably in the next state over from where I'm at.
Don't park so close that I can't get mine off the stand, regardless of which stand it's on, and out easily.
Don't touch my bike. 
The only times you're allowed to touch my bike is if it's laying on the ground when you show up (stand it up please) or if it's at obvious risk (such as idget cager activity, fire, etc)

Just as a rant, I HATE when people park their bikes on the sidewalk.  Watched a handicapped person try to get their wheelchair around a busa that was too good for the parking lot the other day

I park on sidewalks when possible in busy areas. I do the same in the unusable triangle shaped slots at the end of parking rows as long as the triangle is not next to a handicapped parking space. However I only do that if it's not in a position to inconvinence anyone or if I'm right there to move it. I'll take a big huge wide sidewalk area like outside a wallyworld or a supermarket away from the entrance doors over parking spaces. It does two things: (1) reduces risk to my motorcycle and (2) allows an extra space for cagers to park as a courtesy. It also has the additional side effect of allowing me to walk less distance however that's only a side effect of the two main reasons listed. If the place is half empty, I'll most likely park in the designated parking areas or at the end triangles.

Sadly most malls and shopping centers have started ticketing, or calling the police to ticket for being polite because they think you're taking advantage of a situation. Apparently the earth will end if you attempt to be considerate in a manner that is not readily obvious to everyone. Personally I feel bad when I'm forced to use a parking space and get one reasonably close then come out and see a senior citizen having a hard time with a cane having to walk halfway across the parking lot because no parking spaces were available up close that I wouldn't have been parked in otherwise.

[soyavenger]

Just as a rant, I HATE when people park their bikes on the sidewalk.  Watched a handicapped person try to get their wheelchair around a busa that was too good for the parking lot the other day

i second that, we're motorist just like the cars, park in the lot.

when i first started to ride, i would take up the space like i was in my truck, now i make it a point to leave half the space open for another bike. if two vehicles can share the same space, its better for everyone. if its a parallel parking situation, i pull past the space and back in facing roughly 10:30 so a couple bikes can occupy the same space with me

[Tryvelcro]

You learned everything you need to know in the kindergarten playground. (I'll have to go find that list again because it is good)

I love that list.

[Tryvelcro]

Share everything.

Play fair.

Don't hit people.

Put things back where you found them.

Clean up your own mess.

Don't take things that aren't yours.

Say you're sorry when you hurt somebody.

Wash your hands before you eat.

Flush.

Warm cookies and cold milk are good for you.

Live a balanced life.

Learn some and think some and draw and paint and sing and dance and play and work every day some.

Take a nap every afternoon.

When you go out into the world, watch for traffic, hold hands and stick together.

Be aware of wonder.

Remember the little seed in the plastic cup? The roots go down and the plant goes up and nobody really knows how or why, but we are all like that. Goldfish and hamsters and white mice and even the little seed in the plastic cup -- they all die. So do we.

And then remember the book about Dick and Jane and the first word you learned, the biggest word of all: look.


Sorry Burgi 

[83FirstHawk]

a little common courtesy, and common sense, is all thats needed to share a parking space. If you can fit two bike, safely, why not?

[martian]

Maybe I'm selfish but if I'm alone and the lot is crowded I park dead center and close to the isle so it's visible to cages thinking they found an open space between the two mini vans and not in danger of getting hit with doors flying open and I purposely angle it to discourage sharing (I guess I just don't trust people).

However if the lot isn't packed I park in the back away from everybody most likely near a light pole or right next to the BMW / Mercedes who is back there for the same reason I am.

I have used the triangle areas (especially if "guarded" by a light pole) to save a cage space in very crowded lots so long as it isn't impeding a handicapped space but try to avoid this as people seem to frown on it for some reason.  The only time I ever park on the sidewalk is in front of my house since it's my sidewalk (yes, it is really mine not the cities in this case).

[Custom82Hawk]

i normally don't mind it, and sometimes i even park off the side and back it in just to make it easier just in case.  being a biker does make you part of the unknown brotherhood, why else would we all wave to each other?  but yeah, if there's an open space, i'll usually take it first before parking next to another bike.

[jwomack]

i dont mind if a bike shares my space when and if i park in one, i stoped when my very first bike got totaled due to a car whipping in there and smashing into it...so therefor i no longer park in spaces, exept at work...i park in the tri-angle lined off spaces..after all there just the right weith for a motorcycle and it fits just fine...

[Hangster]

Interesting subject  , never had to share space as personally i park way back in the lot where there are few to no vehicles at all , walking a little further isn't gonna kill ya .

[ROJ]

Interesting subject  , never had to share space as personally i park way back in the lot where there are few to no vehicles at all , walking a little further isn't gonna kill ya .

Same here.. even in the cage I park away from everyone/ high traffic areas. If you're on the bike, odds are you're not going to be carrying big, awkward and heavy object over to it to go home, so a little walk won't kill you. As for sharing spaces, I usually take a whole space if I'm in the back and there are plenty of other spaces available. If parking is tight, I'll back in and take the back 1/2 of the space, so someone can park beside me if need be. As long as I can get out without being a contortionist, then I'm perfectly happy to share a space with someone.

[Team Zoltan]

Good subject,

-hadn't thought about it too much, I've shared my space a few times, especially when in parallel parking areas.  One time I even came out to a little Vespa type scooter sitting next to my hawk (it was up on it's center stand and looked really funny), I quickly educated my hawk in making sure it understood that although they may be cute it was not to be fraternizing with subordinates and that Gremlins can be passed through such relationships.  I did however tell the hawk that if there is a cute girl riding the scooter and looks to be about my age  that there is a responsibility for it to hook me up! 

As for parking in spots other than designated parking areas, If i"m just running in for one thing and expect it to be 5min or less I'll park near the entrance if I'm not blocking any sort of access, however I normally err on the safe side and grab a spot.

[rwilli1228]

Unless there is designated motorcycle parking I do not waste a parking space.  Wasted space is like cooking a gourmet meal just to throw it in the trash. 

I see no point in using up an entire space by myself and forcing another vehicle to find one further away when I could easily find a spot on the sidewalk that doesn't obstruct the normal flow of things.  I've actually been blocked in by another bike before and had to move his bike out of the way.  That's another reason I don't use parking spaces.   

Also sometimes when I'm in the truck I see what looks like an open parking space but can't tell there is a bike in it.  As I start turning in to the space I notice the bike and get annoyed.  I would assume that others are annoyed by this too.  I also think this may contribute to the tension between biker and cager. 

[rwilli1228]

Sadly most malls and shopping centers have started ticketing

I got a ticket from the Augusta Mall security... SECURITY for Pete's sake!!!  I laughed, ripped it up, and stuck it under the wipers of a parked security car. 

[DesignFlaw06]

Because every freakin' mall has to have some artsy fartsy design to it, the parking lots never are consistent. It never fails that there is a triangle space that's crossed out so cages don't park there. Truth is, that's a perfectly good 1/2 space for a motorcycle. Plus there is almost always a lamp post there to help protect the bike from someone coming around too fast. I make sure its not a handicap spot or anything like that.

At school, the parking was limited. Again, another goofy parking lot that allowed us to park right next to the building. There was a crossed off section to allow the snow plow drivers to put the snow. No need to worry about that in the summer, so worked out well for us. In the cages, we just would get a parking ticket the first day and then put it under the windshield everyday when parking against policy.

And I will share, and don't mind sharing a spot with another bike. But usually if the lot is crowded. And I always make sure they have enough room to get out, should they leave before me.