Bicycle Parking

Can’t Find an Open Bike Rack at Rock Center? Tough Luck. [Updated]

A report popped up on Twitter yesterday of a bike parking crackdown of sorts at Rockefeller Center. Per Mike Noble, a.k.a. bikewobble, security officers under "pressure from the city" were threatening to cut the locks of bikes secured to objects other than racks. Maybe this would seem more reasonable if there were nearly enough racks to support the demand for bike parking. Noble points to an inadequate number of racks, and notes that some, at least, are not secured to the pavement (see the photo after the jump).

By Brad Aaron

1:50 PM EDT on September 2, 2009

Photos: Mike Noble

A report popped up on Twitter yesterday of a bike parking crackdown of sorts at Rockefeller Center. Per Mike Noble, a.k.a. bikewobble, security officers under “pressure from the city” were threatening to cut the locks of bikes secured to objects other than racks. Maybe this would seem more reasonable if there were nearly enough racks to support the demand for bike parking. Noble points to an inadequate number of racks, and notes that some, at least, are not secured to the pavement (see the photo after the jump).

Also: How is a bike chained to a sign post a threat to pedestrian safety or a “security concern”? We have a message in with DOT to see if the city is indeed involved.

Update: A DOT spokesperson says the agency is not aware of action by the city to regulate bike parking at Rockefeller Center.

Brad Aaron

Brad Aaron began writing for Streetsblog in 2007, after years as a reporter, editor, and publisher in the alternative weekly business. Brad adopted New York's dysfunctional traffic justice system as his primary beat for Streetsblog. He lives in Manhattan.