Parking

[Timmygp]

Pcx being my first street bike - what's the proper US parking edequate??? Like at the grocery store, take up an entire parking space, or park on a sidewalk trying to leave a clear path?

[Fiah]

Pcx being my first street bike - what's the proper US parking edequate??? Like at the grocery store, take up an entire parking space, or park on a sidewalk trying to leave a clear path?

Funny you should ask, I see a lot of US bikers parking in a car spot with their bikes, something that we'd really avoid over here (Holland, Germany) if at all possible. I guess it's a matter of parking space, over here parking spots are often in very short supply, so no one really cares if you park your motorcycle somewhere as long as it's not in a parking spot for cars.

Anyhow, I don't really know the US etiquette, so just consider this as another perspective

[you you]

Same where I am in GB. It's a scooter, park it somewhere close to where you want to be without causing an obstruction and the traffic wardens leave you alone

[mad trapper]

Depends, some places let you park on the sidewalk sometimes limited by engine size. Other areas its a ticket. I see full size motorcycles parked at the bicycle rack at the train station.
If you use a car spot dont pull all the way in, otherwise a car wont see the bike and will run it over. Happened to me once, bike only had 68 miles on it.

[you you]

Depends, some places let you park on the sidewalk sometimes limited by engine size. Other areas its a ticket. I see full size motorcycles parked at the bicycle rack at the train station.
If you use a car spot dont pull all the way in, otherwise a car wont see the bike and will run it over. Happened to me once, bike only had 68 miles on it.

True. You can definitely get away with more on a scooter

In my area you can use car bays for free on a motorbike. On a scooter it looks like you are wasting it and the Wardens are happy if you shove it somewhere sensible

[mad trapper]

Up in Lake Geneva under Wisconsin state law you can park 50cc and less on the sidewalk but anything over that is considered a motorcycle and has to be parked in a parking spot. You can put multiple bikes in one spot with the parking meters.

[you you]

Up in Lake Geneva under Wisconsin state law you can park 50cc and less on the sidewalk but anything over that is considered a motorcycle and has to be parked in a parking spot. You can put multiple bikes in one spot with the parking meters.

That seems sensible enough. So could you get away with parking the PCX on the pavement as its quite small and could be mistaken for a 50cc bike?

[mad trapper]

I doubt it, anything under 50 has to have a Moped license plate.. They have some real cute but dedicated parking matrons there. They just put in the electronic parking meters. When you run close to being out of time you get a text and can text more money into the meter. Makes it easy if we are on the boat.
Theres always tons of small scoots on the sidewalk, never noticed if anyone tried sneaking another bigger in. But then again I was usually on the motorcycle so didnt pay that much attention. Could be because of all the bikinis too.

Looks like here in illinois no parking any scooter or moped on the sidewalks as far as I can google.
The gym I go to has a huge parking lot and they have dedicated motorbike parking.

[Tristik]

~~
Haven't had to park much yet, but when I have, I usually park a bit further away than I did with my car. Like at the store or some such, I'll park a few spaces back from the last car and walk the extra little bit up to the building. Makes the bike visible so no one hits it and most people could use that little bit of extra exercise anyway.

And I hate those parking meters, trapper. You'd think they could have at least made them take something other than just quarters now that they're all fancy. >.< I only usually park up there to go to Starbucks and I NEVER have change on me when I go. So I just started going to the one in Target instead heh.
~~

[mad trapper]

~~
Haven't had to park much yet, but when I have, I usually park a bit further away than I did with my car. Like at the store or some such, I'll park a few spaces back from the last car and walk the extra little bit up to the building. Makes the bike visible so no one hits it and most people could use that little bit of extra exercise anyway.

And I hate those parking meters, trapper. You'd think they could have at least made them take something other than just quarters now that they're all fancy. >.< I only usually park up there to go to Starbucks and I NEVER have change on me when I go. So I just started going to the one in Target instead heh.
~~

They take all forms of your money now. Heres the info from their site.

Parking Enforcement

Introducing... LUKE II Parking Stations!

In May 2012, the City of Lake Geneva replaced all coin-operated parking meters with LUKE II parking stations. Visitors can now conveniently purchase parking at any station using a variety of payment options including coins, bills, credit or debit card and even an option to extend-by-phone (via text message). Please note that the parking stations do not provide change or give refunds.

We usually hit Egg Harbor for breakfast.

[Tristik]

~~
I went to the meter station, and it said QUARTERS ONLY on it. All I had was singles so I just took my chances. I didn't take the time to sit there an try to learn the thing as there were other people trying to get to it. The menus are shitty anyway. I'll just keep going to target while the meters are on during the summer months. More of a hassle than I care to worry about. Usually get my drink faster up there anyway 'cause there's no line.
~~

[maddiedog]

It entirely depends on the city. In the suburbs, it really doesn't matter from my experience. I usually park on an inconspicuous spot of sidewalk (out of the way of foot traffic) or at a bike rack. In the city, I have gotten a ticket for parking on the sidewalk before, but I've also gotten cussed at for taking a spot that a car could have taken. Lots of areas around me are starting to have motorcycle parking, which is nice.

The general rule of thumb I use in the city is, when in doubt, park in a gore zone. I've never had trouble parking in a gore zone... Just to be clear, this is a gore zone:

parking-lot.jpg (69.31 KiB) Viewed 3500 times

Make sure you don't park in the gore zone next to a handicapped spot, or you will get ticketed for obstructing the handicapped space.

[you you]

Not teasing, what is a gore zone?

[uploader]

Not teasing, what is a gore zone?

A gore zone is just a blank bay between the handicapped space to allow disable drivers to enter and exit there cars, very useful for wheelchair drivers

[you you]

Not teasing, what is a gore zone?

A gore zone is just a blank bay between the handicapped space to allow disable drivers to enter and exit there cars, very useful for wheelchair drivers

Never come across that term before

When you look at the picture it's faintly ridiculous seeing the cars jiggled into the spaces when there is so much space in the background. There is absolutely nothing for miles and miles

[maddiedog]

qed -- the area in the pictures with the "yes" is a gore zone. The area next to the handicapped area is also a gore zone, but don't park next to handicapped spaces or you'll get ticketed.

The picture I used is a random one from google images. It looks like somewhere in the mid-USA. There's a lot of space out there, lots of nothing for miles and miles.

[you you]

Wonder why it's called "gore"?

[gn2]

Vacant empty space... Clinton's mate Al... any connection...?

[LancPA_PCX]

I know this has nothing to do with the subject, but apparently somebody screwed with my bike and turned my idle wayyyyy up...to the point that it pushes me forward when i'm stopped at a light or in traffic. Can anybody tell me where the idle screw is?

[you you]

Vacant empty space... Clinton's mate Al... any connection...?

But then it would be a "Gore" space not a "gore" space