Okay, a happy post...

[Geonz]

Our town's supposedly required to have bicycle parking in the biz district (but not next door in Champaign). I also bring my bike conspicuously into places where there isn't a good place to stick it (a bank that every once in a blue moon I have to go to - but then, last time I did that, one of our local racers came out from the back and gave me friendly grief about just how much that bike wasn't worth ;-)).
I will go the extra mile for a place where I can park - too bad I don't spend enough for that to change biz practices, but the more of us who are out there...

[pooks]

Have you ever had anyone tell you the bike had to stay outside?

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

Next time I go to my bank I'm going to ask the manager to get a bike rack outside the door- there's plenty of space for one. After that....the supermarket. One step at a time.

[MomOnBike]

You know, most of the time I use the handy-dandy bike-up window at the bank. I stay parked on my bike (in the shade) & haven't had a bit of problem. My bike & I haven't been able to trip the switch at fast food places though. We're too light, I guess. It's the only time I'm too light for something, and I don't apprecite it. Some people are never satisfied.

I guess I'm lucky. Lincoln has a pretty good network of useable trails, and some very bikeable roads. Generally aware drivers, too, though there are some idiots out there. Our bikes have remained unmolested when we go to movies downtown, too.

Therefore DH & I get out and ride places where others drive. And ask for bike racks at those businesses that don't have them. My conceit is that I am helping make transportational cycling more "normal" and mainstream.

Baby steps....

[spokewench]

Tell them, that there are plenty of cyclist who are their clients. That they have every ability to buy and install a decent bike rack which they most probably only have to ask their landlord if they can install it. The landlord usually will not care if the store owner foots the bill!

So, don't let them fob you off and keep up trying to get bike racks. We are trying to the get the City of Flagstaff to put some meat in their ordinances, planning and development so that when new businesses go in, they have to put in a certain percentage of bike parking, with caveats that this parking is in plain site near the front of the building and not hidden in the back where bikes get stolen!