Topic: Getting smashed in parking lots

[78_SaltLick]

How do you guys park your bikes in a large parking lot like Home Depot?  Or any business establishment.  Do you park it someplace right up front, basically making your own parking space? Do you pick someplace where no one else in parking in the back of the lot? Or do you just park with everyone else?

I ask this question because im a new rider, and my first trip to a big parking lot left me wondering what is the best thing to do. I saw a bike parked right up front, not in any sort of parking spot, just kinda parked next to the front door. I see this alot, and wonder what is legal....and what is the "standard" thing most riders do, and what is accepted even though its not legal. I didnt want to park my bike in with everyone else, cause with all the huge trucks and suburbans these days and especailly in home depots parking lot i felt my bike would easily get hit with someone either backing out next to me, or pulling in. What i did was park way far away from everyone else, out in the boon docks, of course someone had to pull in next to me as i was walking away in a huge truck, making me think i should have just pulled it in front with the other bike. I saw two harley riders pick a spot far away from people, then back thier bikes in to the spot, but those are two huge fat boy harleys. Anyways, what do you guys do when you pull in.... to any business establishment?  What i would like to do is make my own parking spot in front, or to the side somewheres.

[Einyodeler]

I always park farther out in the lot because when people see a spot close to the door they`ll whip right in there without looking between the 2 suv`s to see if there`s a bike there.
And always carry this sign to hang on your bike that reads: U TOUCHA MY BIKE I BREAKA U FACE!!!!

[frostypuck]

"Getting smashed in parking lots" has a different meaning around here, but perhaps the same outcome. We get smashed in parking lots before Patriots and Red Sox games, Jimmy Buffett concerts etc. but NOT the Rolling Stones concerts this weekend... the city of Boston has said (insert appropriate Puritan accent here) "thou shall not get smashed in the parking lots prior to the Stones shows at Fenway. Or else thou shall see thine insides of yon jail cell"
Chris (Can't get no satisfaction) in Boston
Immature, I know, but hey-it's the Open Forum!

[douglascoolgrey]

Depends on the store and the parking lot. If there are other bikes around, I tend to park near them. If this means sharing a parking spot, so be it.

[Gordon]

Sometimes I'll park up next to the building on the sidewalk if there's plenty of space, but I stay away from the front doors.  Too many shopping cart mishaps, and it's just rude to park where it's going to be in the way. 

When I park in a regular spot, I just make sure to park it near the back of the space with the taillight even with the rear of the cars next to me.  That way the bike is easily visible to other drivers looking for a spot and decreases the chance of someone whipping into the spot without seeing the bike. 

[26.2]

Depends...

If it a hot day, the parking lot is asphalt and I know I'll only be in the store for 5 minutes... I'll park on the concrete sidewalk (I don't want the side stand sinking into the asphalt to the point where the bike could fall over) by the other bikes near the entrance .

Other than that, I park away from the cars, diagonally in a regual parking spot.

If it's hot and asphalt, no other bike, no concrete sidewalk, I use a regual parking spot but will first put down a metal plate to prevent the side stand from sinking.  For a metal plate, I use a electrical octagon box cover available from any hardware store for pennies - I keep it stored under my seat.

- Tom

[the_genrl]

i have never came out of a store to find my bike on the ground.  I'm still very weary of it though  . It might not be worth much but i dont feel like fixing it and it's the princibal of the matter!

I usta park in the lots, but then, out of fear, became "that guy" and park on the sidewalk or something elevated (like those stupid little tree and shrub islands litter on newer parking lots. 

of course, when you park on the sidewalk you have a chance of some prick walking by saying, "who does the jerk think he is?"  as he pushes the bike over.   

[78_SaltLick]

I would like to be able to put my bike up on the center stand everywhere i park, but dang my bike is heavy.......isnt the 78 the heaviest year? I can get it down from the center stand easy....its just getting it up on there that kills me, in fact i havent been able to do it yet. Do any of you blokes put it on the centerstand when you park it to go into a store? Or is it not worth breakin your backs.

[SteveD CB500F]

Here in UK we (bikers) always park up by the front doors of the superstores (Tesco in Wokingham is my favourite with wide brick-paved area surrounded by bollards so the cars don't encroach).

In the 70's I was a dispatch rider in London during the vacations. We always parked on the pavement (sidewalk) outside the delivery location as we had no time (or inclination) to park any further away.

On the subject of centre-stands.  My 500 is a bugger. I can't lift it up while sitting on the bike and have to climb off, hold bars and seat rail, and heave.
My 550K3 has totally different geometry and slides back onto the stand really easily - why did it take Mr Honda 6 years (71 - 77) to get this right?

[dusterdude]

i park up front in the striped off area of the parking lot.

[nashport_native]

I too wondered the same thing when I started riding this year, It just depends on where we are at.
My kz 550, 900 z1, gs 550 and the cb 750 I cant get on the center stand by my self, but my virago 700 i can get up on the stand just as easy as the side stand, just step on it and it plops  right up on it.

lol, I just relized I have a small fleet of late 70's-80's bikes.
you would never guess i got the first one in march.
mike

[Tim.]

Darn - I thought this was about getting smashed in parking lots - used to do that a lot when I was young and foolish 

[pmpski_1]

When I go to Home Depot I don't park it at all. Ride right through the doors and up and down the aisles.

 - Then I woke up

[Einyodeler]

When I go to Home Depot I don't park it at all. Ride right through the doors and up and down the aisles.

 - Then I woke up

Just watch out for those crazy speed demon forklift drivers

[smithrelo]

I too thought this post was about drinking!!

Anyway, I park on sidewalk...off a good bit from the front door and I try to find SHADE - as the seat get hot REAL quick here at 6000 feet! 

My question is..do you leave your helmet with the bike?  I end up taking mine inside with me 95% of the time, cause I'm afraid some duffas will spit in it (or worse!)

Linda - who is somewhat jaded on this subject!

[78_SaltLick]

hmm, i left my helmet on the bike, but never thought of someone spitting in it, or worse yet trying to yank it off the bike real quick as they are going by and the bike tipping over cause of it. Now im gonna take it in.....

[SteveD CB500F]

I always take my helmet with me.  My neighbour (Harley) always hooks his over the back of his backrest and just walks away.

Who is the more foolish ..? 

[Chris Liston]

I usually park mine away from the store usually in the most open area of a parking lot so its sure to be seen and Hopefully not hit.  Around here there aren't alot of up close spots at stores that the store isn't already using

[written_black]

I have yet to ride mine to a big parking lot. At the Walmart here in my town there is cement pylons around the lot signs up front. A lot of guys squeeze there bikes into there. It would take a Mack truck to touch it then. I also saw a young boy hop up on a bike the other day and pretend like he was riding it. His mother just yelled at him to get off and go into the store. My ass would have been red. Children these days...

[heffay]

Park?  As in... stop riding???   

[smithrelo]

Yes, Heffey- some of us park our bikes - not often, but ocasionally!

Linda

[78_SaltLick]

Okay well since everyone looks at this hoping its about getting drunk in a parking lot ill tell a story about just that:

I use to work for a big grocery chain, in their warehouse loading trucks all night. it was a tough job, i worked from 7pm-7am yes 12 hr graveyard shifts 5 days a week loading 16 wheeler trucks all night by hand. I worked with a sorted crew, who else would take that job? It was a bunch of ex-army guys mixed in with some kick boxers, and basically thieves and thugs. It was not uncommon for a first fight to break out nightly there. There was only one rule....if your gonna fight,  take it outside..... well every thursday morning after work we would all go get drunk in the parking lot, until one day a real mean dude about 6 ft 7 and tough as nails decided to show us how he could ride an electric pallet real fast and close to the docs edge without falling off. He went back inside, and with us watching from the parking lot proceeded to ride an electric pallet jack right off the end of the doc (oh about a good 10 ft drop) onto the hard pavement below cracking his skull open. They finally put an end to our "getting smashed in the parking lot" thursday ritual. I never understood why......

There ya have it!!

[74cb750]

Park far away from the door if possible. 3 years ago I did not follow my own advice and my GSX750 Katana sustained $1865.00 damage, (so i sold it). The people taking a lunch break 25 feet away saw nothing. Huh! The driver of the pickup truck came and found me though, so itall worked out.

[Chris Schneiter]

I used to park up by the door under the overhang, but people kept looking at me funny (except for the people that I would find clustered around my bike asking questions about it), so now, I usually park in the lot, but not too far into the space, so cars can see me. I usually put my helmet in my saddlebag. I've always felt uncomfortable about leaving it out.

[andy750]

I usually park on the centre stand (the step-thru technique is easy for any size bike I find but then I am 6`4  ) and usually away from other cars although occasionally do park in my own parking spot if its convienent. In the UK I could park anywhere (like sidewalks etc) but here in crazy-I-cant-drive-Boston Id get fined for parking on the sidewalk. So now I park in the middle of the very big car spaces meaning no cars can squeeze in and the car drivers really hate this....but hey if you dont provide bike-only parking what can you expect.

Helmet -in the US I generally leave it on the bike when visiting stores or attach it the helmet lock. In the UK, helmet lock always.

BTW my bike (CB750K2) has been knocked over twice while it has been parked in a hospital car park....so it does happen! Beware!

Cheers
Andy in Boston