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Date: 29 Aug 2007 14:17:30
From: dgk
Subject: No parking for bikes at the US Tennis Open
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I had a wonderful time at the opening day of this year's US Open
(Monday), until I came out to find that my bike had gone missing. I
finally tracked it down at a Parks Department storage area. It seems
that locking a bike to a light pole is not ok when the US Open is
underway so they cut the chain and took the bike. They only cut the
last link so the chain is still useable, that was sort of nice of
them.
The US Open takes place in Flushing Meadows Corona Park, a very large
park in Queens, NY. As part of my daily commute, I ride right by the
south gate of the Billy Jean King National Tennis Center. I also play
there during the rest of the year when you simply pay for court time
like at any other tennis facility. It's sort of cool to watch a match
on one of the outer courts and think that I play on the same court. Of
course, no one watches us.
I suggested that I could save them the hassle of cutting my chain if I
just brought my bike to the storage area when I go on Friday. Then I
can pick it up later and go home. Apparently that is not considered a
good idea by them although it did get a laugh.
So, I ask, where can I park the bike? Oh, how about at the bike rack a
mere half a mile away. Hmm. Sort of defeats the purpose of biking, no?
I'm raising a minor stink about the lack of secure bike parking for
the Open. They've spread all sorts of temporary buildings around the
Center (taking over parkland which is a touchy subject around here)
for various corporate party purposes, and even have a baggage check
for folks who bring backpacks and other things that aren't allowed
inside. But they can't seem to figure out how to build a bike-check
area.
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Date: 30 Aug 2007 00:25:25
From: Leo Lichtman
Subject: Re: No parking for bikes at the US Tennis Open
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"dgk" wrote: (clip) have a baggage check for folks who bring backpacks and
other things that aren't allowed inside. But they can't seem to figure out
how to build a bike-check area.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
My Dahon zips into a canvas case and becomes "baggage." A friend of mine
used to carry his Dahon on public transit, and didn't have a zippered case,
so he always carried a black garbage bag tucked into the seatpost, just in
case they every raised the issue. As far a I know, they never did.
How far does the Park Police authority extend? I would think you could lock
your bike to a pole a block or two away, and they wouldn't take any notice.
I wonder what a parking lot would charge for a bike.
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Date: 04 Sep 2007 13:00:35
From: dgk
Subject: Re: No parking for bikes at the US Tennis Open
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On Thu, 30 Aug 2007 00:25:25 GMT, "Leo Lichtman"
<l.lichtman@worldnet.att.net > wrote:
>
>"dgk" wrote: (clip) have a baggage check for folks who bring backpacks and
>other things that aren't allowed inside. But they can't seem to figure out
>how to build a bike-check area.
>^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
>My Dahon zips into a canvas case and becomes "baggage." A friend of mine
>used to carry his Dahon on public transit, and didn't have a zippered case,
>so he always carried a black garbage bag tucked into the seatpost, just in
>case they every raised the issue. As far a I know, they never did.
>
>How far does the Park Police authority extend? I would think you could lock
>your bike to a pole a block or two away, and they wouldn't take any notice.
>I wonder what a parking lot would charge for a bike.
>
We aren't allowed to bring anything as big as a backpack into the US
Open; I don't think they would welcome bikes in bags. I think I will
follow up with Parks to find out what they would allow.
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Date: 29 Aug 2007 15:33:05
From: Bellsouth Ijit 2.0 - Global Warming Edition ®
Subject: Re: No parking for bikes at the US Tennis Open
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"dgk" <dgk@somewhere.com > wrote in message
news:h5dbd3h33d04q8mn747a49qeq5jst35a90@4ax.com...
>I had a wonderful time at the opening day of this year's US Open
> (Monday), until I came out to find that my bike had gone missing. I
> finally tracked it down at a Parks Department storage area. It seems
> that locking a bike to a light pole is not ok when the US Open is
> underway so they cut the chain and took the bike. They only cut the
> last link so the chain is still useable, that was sort of nice of
> them.
>
> The US Open takes place in Flushing Meadows Corona Park, a very large
> park in Queens, NY. As part of my daily commute, I ride right by the
> south gate of the Billy Jean King National Tennis Center. I also play
> there during the rest of the year when you simply pay for court time
> like at any other tennis facility. It's sort of cool to watch a match
> on one of the outer courts and think that I play on the same court. Of
> course, no one watches us.
>
> I suggested that I could save them the hassle of cutting my chain if I
> just brought my bike to the storage area when I go on Friday. Then I
> can pick it up later and go home. Apparently that is not considered a
> good idea by them although it did get a laugh.
>
> So, I ask, where can I park the bike? Oh, how about at the bike rack a
> mere half a mile away. Hmm. Sort of defeats the purpose of biking, no?
>
> I'm raising a minor stink about the lack of secure bike parking for
> the Open. They've spread all sorts of temporary buildings around the
> Center (taking over parkland which is a touchy subject around here)
> for various corporate party purposes, and even have a baggage check
> for folks who bring backpacks and other things that aren't allowed
> inside. But they can't seem to figure out how to build a bike-check
> area.
That's a good question. If it is not an expensive bike (the fact that the
parks people were able to cut the chain, I hope for your sake it isn't
expensive), I would try to lock it up outside the Shea/Willets Point subway
station.
The Mets had a Bike Day @ Shea Stadium (across from US Open) and they had
bike stands set up in the parking lot. Don't think they were permanent,
though. NYC truly still isn't a bike friendly town, even with 40,000+
showing up for Five Borough bike tour and Mayor Bloomberg (a bike rider)
thankfully painting bike lanes all over the streets.
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Date: 30 Aug 2007 08:07:17
From: dgk
Subject: Re: No parking for bikes at the US Tennis Open
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On Wed, 29 Aug 2007 15:33:05 -0400, "Bellsouth Ijit 2.0 - Global
Warming Edition ®" <bjit@bellsouth.net > wrote:
>
>> I'm raising a minor stink about the lack of secure bike parking for
>> the Open. They've spread all sorts of temporary buildings around the
>> Center (taking over parkland which is a touchy subject around here)
>> for various corporate party purposes, and even have a baggage check
>> for folks who bring backpacks and other things that aren't allowed
>> inside. But they can't seem to figure out how to build a bike-check
>> area.
>
>That's a good question. If it is not an expensive bike (the fact that the
>parks people were able to cut the chain, I hope for your sake it isn't
>expensive), I would try to lock it up outside the Shea/Willets Point subway
>station.
>
>The Mets had a Bike Day @ Shea Stadium (across from US Open) and they had
>bike stands set up in the parking lot. Don't think they were permanent,
>though. NYC truly still isn't a bike friendly town, even with 40,000+
>showing up for Five Borough bike tour and Mayor Bloomberg (a bike rider)
>thankfully painting bike lanes all over the streets.
>
A victory of sorts. As I passed by on the way home, I started asking
around and got passed to folks with more authority. One finally
arranged for bike parking at the bag check tents (one by each
entrance). Apparently now I can just turn in the bike as if it were a
backpack, get a claim check, and pick it up at the end of the day!
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Date: 30 Aug 2007 13:46:20
From: Kristian M Zoerhoff
Subject: Re: No parking for bikes at the US Tennis Open
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On 2007-08-30, dgk <NoWhere@MailsAnonymous.com > wrote:
>
> A victory of sorts. As I passed by on the way home, I started asking
> around and got passed to folks with more authority. One finally
> arranged for bike parking at the bag check tents (one by each
> entrance). Apparently now I can just turn in the bike as if it were a
> backpack, get a claim check, and pick it up at the end of the day!
Good work! Yet another victory.
--
__o Kristian Zoerhoff
_'\(,_ kristian.zoerhoff@gmail.com
(_)/ (_)
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Date: 04 Sep 2007 13:01:04
From: dgk
Subject: Re: No parking for bikes at the US Tennis Open
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On Thu, 30 Aug 2007 13:46:20 GMT, Kristian M Zoerhoff
<kristian.zoerhoff@gmail.com > wrote:
>On 2007-08-30, dgk <NoWhere@MailsAnonymous.com> wrote:
>>
>> A victory of sorts. As I passed by on the way home, I started asking
>> around and got passed to folks with more authority. One finally
>> arranged for bike parking at the bag check tents (one by each
>> entrance). Apparently now I can just turn in the bike as if it were a
>> backpack, get a claim check, and pick it up at the end of the day!
>
>Good work! Yet another victory.
It never occurred to me that they would charge to store a bike! $5.
Still, better than having it clipped.
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Date: 29 Aug 2007 21:18:37
From: Tom \Johnny Sunset\ Sherman
Subject: Bike Lanes (was: No parking for bikes at the US Tennis Open)
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Bellsouth Ijit 2.0 - Global Warming Edition ® wrote:
> ...NYC truly still isn't a bike friendly town, even with 40,000+
> showing up for Five Borough bike tour and Mayor Bloomberg (a bike rider)
> thankfully painting bike lanes all over the streets.
Many of us disagree on the last part. (Sorry, but I can not let these
things pass without comment).
--
Tom Sherman - Holstein-Friesland Bovinia
A Real Cyclist [TM] keeps at least one bicycle in the bedroom.
--
Posted via a free Usenet account from http://www.teranews.com
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Date: 29 Aug 2007 20:50:30
From: Mike Kruger
Subject: Re: No parking for bikes at the US Tennis Open
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Bellsouth Ijit 2.0 - Global Warming Edition ® wrote:
>
> The Mets had a Bike Day @ Shea Stadium (across from US Open) and they
> had bike stands set up in the parking lot. Don't think they were
> permanent, though.
If it helps any negotiations, you might note that the Cubs have secure bike
parking.
http://chicago.cubs.mlb.com/chc/ballpark/bike_program.jsp
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