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Why the hell do the meters in the port prohibit bikes being locked to them? This isin front of NSCAD for God sake! And right next to the bike friendly new Market location. Is this for security sake? If so the Terrosists have won!
—pcostello
This article appears in Jul 30 – Aug 5, 2009.
24 Comments
“Terrosists” This word does not mean what you think it means. In fact it doesn’t exist.
Yes, Donkey!! As much as I searched, I couldn’t find this word anywhere!!! Lol.
Well I had a terrosist once but I got it lanced.
holy shit, the grammer police are here on LTWWB. Look this one up while you’re at it: FUCK OFF
That’s two words.
Well at least the grammar police aren’t parked in a no-parking spot right Kay? 🙂
LOL @Miles.
FFS, Kay, can’t we have a bit of fun? Lighten the hell up!
OKAY
I’m curious though… Why can’t you chain a bike to a parking meter?
Probably has something to do with their duty to empty said meter of coins without having to fuck around with your bike.
If I remember correctly there are bike racks right next to the side entrance of the NSCAD port campus, why don’t you lock it there?
don’t waste your breath, OB – HRM is not exactly what i’d call a ‘bike-friendly’ city… and likely never will be.
the mindless car culture here is firmly entrenched, and many motorists are downright hostile toward bikers, ime.
@ Miles – it is ironic that Kay would take it upon herself to correct other people’s grammar – just take a quick look at her comments archive, you’ll find plenty of her own grammatical gaffes.
but it’s not surprising really… petty and narrow-minded homophobe that she is.
A parking meter doesn’t seem like a good place to lock your bike to anyway… if you’re worried about people stealing it, anyway. Perhaps with the right kind of lock…
In any case, Kay is probably right (shock).
Tech, I don’t think this particular issue has anything to do with bike-friendliness though you’re not wrong that there is a rampant car-culture here that makes being a cyclist difficult.
techcafe WTF? I’m not the one getting hung up on spelling and grammar here. I’m flaming those who do. Mooo much?
If you wanted to steal a bike that was chained to a meter, couldn’t you just lift it over the top of the meter?
That’s spelling kay. Not grammar.
nevermind: those U shaped locks are safe for parking meters, AFAIK. I suppose chains too if you wrap them around enough.
*yawn*
I think kay’s explanation is probably right. The bike gets in the way of the users of the meter. More risk for the cars parked nearby to get dinged, motorists tripping over bikes to feed the meter and the meter guys dicking around with them to empty the meter.
Halifax should have more bike racks though. I can just see why locking bikes to meters is discouraged.
Bad enough to pay for parking, even worse trying to move around a fucking bike to try and put your money in.
in every Canadian city that i’ve lived, we cyclists have been locking our bikes to parking meters for YEARS (because they are *secure*) – but ONLY in halifax is it suddenly a fucking problem for motorists!
@ Bro Tim, Miles, et al – how in the hell does a bike ‘get in your way’ when putting money in the parking meter?? the coin slots are located nowhere near the bike. and if the bike has fallen over, pick the damn thing up. is that so bloody difficult??
jesus, don’t you lame-ass twits have something better to bitch about??
I’m not the one bitching, the OP is. I’m just trying to suggest why there might be a rule against chaining bikes to a meter. I really don’t give a shit either way since I don’t drive or bike.
Bikes get in the way because they are about 4′ wider than the post the meter is mounted on. Going around a bike is not that big a deal, I know, but it IS in the way. Also, a car parked next to a bike chained to a meter now (potentially) has a bike parked next to the passenger door which could get in the way of opening the door. If the bike has fallen over into the street where I want to park then I have to stop, pick up the bike, get back in my, then park. None of these are that big a deal, but they are all examples of how a bike can get in the way. I’m sure there are enough cranky drivers out there who will bitch and moan about these things to the right people until they make a policy about chaining bikes to meters.
Yeah I don’t bike anywhere or really drive anywhere either so I was just curious.
FYI the land in front of NSCAD falls under the domain of the Halifax Port Authority and not our city. HPA is it’s own little world where patronage is firmly entrenched and they have enough minions to run HRM. In addition to the Halifax Police, they have their own security, and plenty of Commisionaires.
The chances of getting your bike nicked are therefore greater than anywhere else in the city as very few of the above mentioned actually do diddly squat.