Design Public Buildings Around Bicycle Racks

[Bret Cahill]

Instead of the bike rack off to the side in the shadows where
components or the entire bike can be stolen out of sight, create
uncertainty in the minds of bike thieves:

Locate the bike rack in front of the computer room window were some big
guy might be glancing out the window watching his bicycle.


Bret Cahill

 

[Notan]

Bret Cahill wrote:
>
> Instead of the bike rack off to the side in the shadows where
> components or the entire bike can be stolen out of sight, create
> uncertainty in the minds of bike thieves:
>
> Locate the bike rack in front of the computer room window were some big
> guy might be glancing out the window watching his bicycle.

Big guys in the computer room? <g>

Notan

 

[RicodJour]

Notan wrote:
> Bret Cahill wrote:
> >
> > Instead of the bike rack off to the side in the shadows where
> > components or the entire bike can be stolen out of sight, create
> > uncertainty in the minds of bike thieves:
> >
> > Locate the bike rack in front of the computer room window were some big
> > guy might be glancing out the window watching his bicycle.
>
> Big guys in the computer room? <g>

You don't think a diet of McDonald's and Cheetos would increase your
bulk?

R

 

[Bob]

On Sun, 07 May 2006 13:03:45 -0600, Notan
<[email protected]> wrote:

>> Locate the bike rack in front of the computer room window were some big
>> guy might be glancing out the window watching his bicycle.
>
>Big guys in the computer room? <g>

And the computer room is always located in the deepest, darkest corner
of the building, not our front with windows. Come to think of it - it
probably is right next to the bike rack.

 

[Werehatrack]

On 7 May 2006 12:02:36 -0700, "Bret Cahill" <[email protected]>
wrote:

>Instead of the bike rack off to the side in the shadows where
>components or the entire bike can be stolen out of sight, create
>uncertainty in the minds of bike thieves:
>
>Locate the bike rack in front of the computer room window were some big
>guy might be glancing out the window watching his bicycle.

Better: Put the bike rack in the vehicle garage where the same
security cams that watch the SUVs rusting can do something useful for
a change.
--
Typoes are a feature, not a bug.
Some gardening required to reply via email.
Words processed in a facility that contains nuts.

 

[Brian Huntley]

Werehatrack wrote:

> Better: Put the bike rack in the vehicle garage where the same
> security cams that watch the SUVs rusting can do something useful for
> a change.

No way - did that, gave up almost immediately.

Do you have any idea of the slope and the coeffient of friction on your
typical office parking garage ramp? It's about 25%, grooved, and
concrete. Plus they tend to be sooty and rubbery from cars being
flogged up them, and sometimes have a sharp hook to the right,
effectively increasing the slope.

Of course, I'm talking about parking in the sub-basement, which is
typical here in Toronto. An above ground parking garage might be
different. The old Eatons Centre one had a nice CCW spiral going up,
but they didn't allow bikes no way no how. Didn't much care for
skateboarders coming down, either.

 

[Notan]

RicodJour wrote:
>
> Notan wrote:
> > Bret Cahill wrote:
> > >
> > > Instead of the bike rack off to the side in the shadows where
> > > components or the entire bike can be stolen out of sight, create
> > > uncertainty in the minds of bike thieves:
> > >
> > > Locate the bike rack in front of the computer room window were some big
> > > guy might be glancing out the window watching his bicycle.
> >
> > Big guys in the computer room? <g>
>
> You don't think a diet of McDonald's and Cheetos would increase your
> bulk?

I was thinking in terms of the the OP's "big guy" also being thick.

Back when I was (was?) a geek, the only thing thick about us was the
lenses in our glasses!

Notan

 

[Bret Cahill]

Certainly any office building could have an indoors bike rack.

We just need Martha Stewart or Donald Trump to say it is politically
correct.


Bret Cahill

 

[Adam Weiss]

Bret Cahill wrote:
> Certainly any office building could have an indoors bike rack.
>
> We just need Martha Stewart or Donald Trump to say it is politically
> correct.
>
>
> Bret Cahill
>


Who needs their OK? Just put the bikes in a secure area, out of sight.
Like a room off the bottom of the emergency stairs.

The point is to give the bikes their own sort of "garage", and putting
that space off the stairs means that people who arrive by bike also are
encouraged to get even more exercise climbing the stairs....

 

[Bret Cahill]

< Who needs their OK?

Not me but everyone else seems to think bicycles are uglier than an 8
lier V8 SUV.

< Just put the bikes in a secure area, out of sight.

That's just the problem. They get stolen when they are "out of sight."


Bret Cahill

 

[Dave Larrington]

In article <[email protected]>, Bob
([email protected]) wrote:
> On Sun, 07 May 2006 13:03:45 -0600, Notan
> <[email protected]> wrote:
>
> >> Locate the bike rack in front of the computer room window were some big
> >> guy might be glancing out the window watching his bicycle.
> >
> >Big guys in the computer room? <g>
>
> And the computer room is always located in the deepest, darkest corner
> of the building, not our front with windows. Come to think of it - it
> probably is right next to the bike rack.

Not here. Difficult to put a bike rack outside the third floor, y'see.

--
Dave Larrington - <http://www.legslarry.beerdrinkers.co.uk/>
I am Wan, for I am pursued by the Army of Plums.

 

[3D Peruna]

Bret Cahill wrote:
> Instead of the bike rack off to the side in the shadows where
> components or the entire bike can be stolen out of sight, create
> uncertainty in the minds of bike thieves:
>
> Locate the bike rack in front of the computer room window were some big
> guy might be glancing out the window watching his bicycle.
>
>
> Bret Cahill

It's not that simple. You just need to sit in a programming meeting
with a client (like the institution you're taking about) to realize the
trickle-down effect of trying to make such design decisions.

I'm not saying there's a "better" solution to having the racks hidden
away, but the idea that it's "simple" is false.

Not only that, but I've had experience on large college campuses where
the bike racks are out in the open with parts and bikes being stolen or
damaged in full light of day and with people all around. Short of
posting a guard, you're not going to be 100% secure (and even with a
guard I wouldn't expect security).

 

[RicodJour]

Dave Larrington wrote:
> In article <[email protected]>, Bob
> ([email protected]) wrote:
> > On Sun, 07 May 2006 13:03:45 -0600, Notan
> > <[email protected]> wrote:
> >
> > >> Locate the bike rack in front of the computer room window were some big
> > >> guy might be glancing out the window watching his bicycle.
> > >
> > >Big guys in the computer room? <g>
> >
> > And the computer room is always located in the deepest, darkest corner
> > of the building, not our front with windows. Come to think of it - it
> > probably is right next to the bike rack.
>
> Not here. Difficult to put a bike rack outside the third floor, y'see.

Actually, putting the bike rack there would be easy. Riding up to it
would be another story.

R

 

[eds]

"3D Peruna" <""w!h#a$r%o^l&d\"@w*e#i%r!d#n$e%s^s.c^o*m"> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Bret Cahill wrote:
>> Instead of the bike rack off to the side in the shadows where
>> components or the entire bike can be stolen out of sight, create
>> uncertainty in the minds of bike thieves:
>>
>> Locate the bike rack in front of the computer room window were some big
>> guy might be glancing out the window watching his bicycle.
>>
>>
>> Bret Cahill
>
> It's not that simple. You just need to sit in a programming meeting with
> a client (like the institution you're taking about) to realize the
> trickle-down effect of trying to make such design decisions.
>
> I'm not saying there's a "better" solution to having the racks hidden
> away, but the idea that it's "simple" is false.
>
> Not only that, but I've had experience on large college campuses where the
> bike racks are out in the open with parts and bikes being stolen or
> damaged in full light of day and with people all around. Short of posting
> a guard, you're not going to be 100% secure (and even with a guard I
> wouldn't expect security).
>
>
Back in the day when I worked in offices (admittedly funky ones) I brought
my bike up the elevator and locked it to my desk. ADA compliant elevators
easily hold bikes.
EDS

 

[JeffWills]

Bret Cahill wrote:
> Instead of the bike rack off to the side in the shadows where
> components or the entire bike can be stolen out of sight, create
> uncertainty in the minds of bike thieves:
>
> Locate the bike rack in front of the computer room window were some big
> guy might be glancing out the window watching his bicycle.
>
>
> Bret Cahill

2 jobs ago: 1 bike rack in the open, right in front of the MAC Store on
the ground floor. 2nd bike rack in the garage. I always used the one in
the open, and my bike was never touched.

1 job ago: bike parking area in a room off the parking garage. This
room had a locked door, with the combination only given to people who
parked their bikes there. My bike was never touched.

Current job: Bike rack in parking garage, in a fenced, locked cage. You
need to register with Security to get the combination. My bike hasn't
been touched.

Of course, I can't see why any self-respecting thief would touch this:
http://home.pacifier.com/~jwills/jeff-big.jpg :-><

Jeff

 

[RicodJour]

JeffWills wrote:
>
> Of course, I can't see why any self-respecting thief would touch this:
> http://home.pacifier.com/~jwills/jeff-big.jpg :-><

You should put one of those fake bullet hole decals on the fairing to
give it a little more of the "I'm a bad ass and don't mess with my
bike" edge. And start wearing leather chaps when you ride. Just don't
go overboard or they'll try to recruit you for the Village People!

R

 

[JeffWills]

RicodJour wrote:
> JeffWills wrote:
> >
> > Of course, I can't see why any self-respecting thief would touch this:
> > http://home.pacifier.com/~jwills/jeff-big.jpg :-><
>
> You should put one of those fake bullet hole decals on the fairing to
> give it a little more of the "I'm a bad ass and don't mess with my
> bike" edge. And start wearing leather chaps when you ride. Just don't
> go overboard or they'll try to recruit you for the Village People!
>
> R

Acturly, I've painted mine to resemble a Mondrian, with yellow and red
reflective swatches. I think that's more effective at confusing people.


A couple of my friends have copied fairings in Kevlar. Now *that's*
bulletproof!

Jeff

 

[Bret Cahill]

Justice O'Conner must wonder about the bicycles parked in the stacks at
the UA law library.


Bret Cahill

 

[Bret Cahill]

I'll pick up some neon orange spray paint this afternoon.

As for the quick release you can remove everything from the skewer and
but a small 5mm- 8 nuts & washers at Home Depot

I like to think I'm a non materialistic guy but disabling someone's
bike in the desert could be life threatening.


Bret Cahill

 

[Matt O'Toole]

On Sun, 07 May 2006 17:04:10 -0700, Bret Cahill wrote:

> Certainly any office building could have an indoors bike rack.
>
> We just need Martha Stewart or Donald Trump to say it is politically
> correct.

Actually Trump could be a good ally. For all his bluster he's very good
at what he does. If his buildings had nice bike rack solutions, we could
point to them and say, "Look, Trump does it, and it hasn't hurt him
any..."

Seriously, does anyone here live or work near a Trump property? What kind
of bike parking solutions does he have?

The current climate of rising fuel prices, NYC transit strikes, etc., have
definitely raised bike awareness. If people like Trump can use these
issues for positive PR, they'll jump at. For example, look at Donald
Bren's personal website:

http://www.donald-bren.com/

So these days he's all about parks, open space, bike trails, etc. FWIW
his shopping centers and office parks generally have good bike racks.

The key to bike advocacy is to forge relationships with people like these,
and work on them continually for years, or decades. This is what
organizations like the Bikeleague should be doing. It is businessmen, not
governments, who drive development and shape the environments we live and
work in.

Matt O.