Topic: "Wind" knocked bike over

[Bodi]

Well, I parked at a store where almost all customers are from a large asian country. After 10 minutes I come out to a bike lying on its side.
While I'm lifting it, a guy asks "did it blow over from the wind"... 30 years and it hasn't ever blown over in much stronger winds than Friday.
Plus there's a black mark on the rear fender like a car bumper has hit it.
Nope, no wind problem. Someone didn't notice the bike in the parking space and just pushed it over. I must have left the invisibility switched on? Probably the sound of smashing signal lenses woke him/her up. I hope the jerk gets it back ten times over.
Used signals and a new clutch lever: $45.00
Another lesson about humanity: priceless.

[THE DUDE]

bummer sorry to hear that man.  I had a Mustang that was hit n parking lots many times and everytime the the driver left the scene.  One time someone hit it so hard the front bumper was laying on the ground and they left guess they didnt feel the impact

[mrblasty]

Thats bull #$%*.  I always park at the entrance to a parking spot, that way the driver can see my bike immediately and also gets a good look at how much parking space I'm not using.

[Popwood]

What a shame man. Sorry for your bad luck. Really is a poor comment on folks that they won't fess up to problems they cause. Bad bad Karma on them.

[wardenerd]

A fellow security officer hit my bike in the parking lot at work and when the cops went to arrest him he fessed up and paid for the repairs.  Some of my coworkers thought i overreacted . The ones I care about thought it was about time somebody stood up for themselves.

[Damfino]

Thats bull #$%*.  I always park at the entrance to a parking spot, that way the driver can see my bike immediately and also gets a good look at how much parking space I'm not using.

Aren't you worried that some idiot parked on either side of you will think he's got plenty of space (because your bike is not as wide as a car), and swing wide leaving his parking space and strike your bike?

[Gordon]

Thats bull #$%*.  I always park at the entrance to a parking spot, that way the driver can see my bike immediately and also gets a good look at how much parking space I'm not using.

Aren't you worried that some idiot parked on either side of you will think he's got plenty of space (because your bike is not as wide as a car), and swing wide leaving his parking space and strike your bike?

That's how I park, too, when I have to park in a regular spot in a crowded parking lot.  If you park near the back of the spot and there are cars on either side of you, I think there's a much greater chance of someone thinking the space is empty and quickly pulling into it hitting your bike than someone hitting it while pulling out of their space.

[BobbyR]

Thats bull #$%*.  I always park at the entrance to a parking spot, that way the driver can see my bike immediately and also gets a good look at how much parking space I'm not using.

Aren't you worried that some idiot parked on either side of you will think he's got plenty of space (because your bike is not as wide as a car), and swing wide leaving his parking space and strike your bike?

Actually allowing them to see there is a bike in the space is a good thing. Sometimes they just swing into what they think os an empty space.

[Bodi]

Thinking about it I should have parked right at the front with the front wheel against the curb, the bike can't roll forward and off the side stand. Or back in and do the same, that's how I park on the street, at an angle with the back wheel against the curb (bikes get free street parking in Toronto). I see the point of being visible... but the bike is hardly difficult to see! At the back someone thinking the space is empty - vans on either side or something - would see the bike there I think.

[beatnikchicken]

parking with your bike at the back of the spot is the way to go so that cars can see that there's actually something THERE, instead of some moron trying to impress himself by doing a high speed turn into an "empty" parking space and then crashing into your bike.

However, I once had someone MOVE my motorcycle to the front/side of the spot so that they could park their SUV in the spot and completely trap my bike in the space. Yay!

[Damfino]

However, I once had someone MOVE my motorcycle to the front/side of the spot so that they could park their SUV in the spot and completely trap my bike in the space. Yay!

Did they have BALLS the size of beachballs?

[betterthanurs916]

Around here, I have always gotten away with parking on the curb at the storefront or somewhere on the sidewalk...keeps cars away completely.

[Kevin400F]

Bodi, maybe just thought he said it got "knocked over by wind", and he actually said it got "knocked over by Nguyen".  Of course there are probably 500 Nguyens in the neighborhood.

[chippyfive50]

Bodi, maybe just thought he said it got "knocked over by wind", and he actually said it got "knocked over by Nguyen".  Of course there are probably 500 Nguyens in the neighborhood.

That my friend is is downright entertaining.   

[axehole54]

There is a special place in hell and some foul words from me for anyone stupid enough to not see a bike is parked in a spot... also for the people who assume that the rules of the road don't apply in a parking lot when someone's riding a bike.... how many times have you had someone turn right in front of you like you're not even there... Really feel for you on the bike getting "blown over" I have a very nice scratch and a bent lever from that brand of stupidity as well.

[74cb750]

Maybe it was one of those 'micro-bursts' we have been hearing about
in the news lately. 

I watched a neighbor actually push my bike 2 feet with the Front bumper of
his car when I lived in a northern city.
The bike did not fall over but the front fender was bent good.
 When I confronted him, he denied it.
I won't say how, but he did pay for repairs. 
peace,
michel

[Cbowers]

However, I once had someone MOVE my motorcycle to the front/side of the spot so that they could park their SUV in the spot and completely trap my bike in the space. Yay!

I think I would have had to call a tow truck on that one!!

[Kframe]

Parking lots, especially those at places like Target and Cub Foods, are really actually idiot corrals. 

Pretty much always I park up on the concrete apron that's about twenty feet wide and goes all around the building. 
That's right, I park on the sidewalk.  But I try to pick an area that I don't block the cart guy and not in a pedestrian traffic area. 
A good place is like a hundred feet from the entrance, between or behind one of those anti-truck-bomb-decorative-planters. 

I suppose it depends on the city, but I've never been approached by store personnel (cart guys) or mall security.  As long as you're not a d*** about it and pick a place to park out of everyone's way, it shouldn't be a problem.

I consider the painted spaces in a lot as reserved for cars, simply because that's what everyone else assumes and they don't "see" motorcycles.

$.02, -K

[Terry in Australia]

Here in melbourne, it's legal to park a Motorcycle on the footpath, (sidewalk, et al) as long as it doesn't block pedestrians. I only ever park in shopping centre car parks if I'm desperate to buy something there, because I've seen too many drivers (mostly women, but I guess the main demographic in shopping centre car parks are women) attempt to park, hit a car, then just park a few spaces away and carry on with their shopping. If I see that and I've got a pen and paper handy, I write down their registration and other car details and place it under the wiper with my name and phone number if they want to use me as a witness.

My Harley Sportster got knocked over by an old Italian guy once, he hit it and knocked it over, then just got back in his car and drove away, with gas running out of the caps breather, all over a hot engine. luckily a girl in a clothing store saw it and she and her boyfriend stood it back up and washed the gas off it, then she wrote down his details and gave them to me when I got back to the bike, there was no real damage, but I called the cops and got his name and address and after buying her some chocolates, went around and had a chat with him............. 

[beatnikchicken]

Did they have BALLS the size of beachballs?

Pea sized balls, pinhead sized brain, beachball sized ego...

I think I would have had to call a tow truck on that one!!

If it had been there the next day, I definitely would have. If it happened today, I wouldn't even hesitate. I seem to get more fed up with how people treat motorcycles/cyclists every day... I won't even go into the time it got towed from behind my apartment.

Maybe it was one of those 'micro-bursts' we have been hearing about
in the news lately.  

I highly doubt this, but maybe? Mine has been out in a couple of those and came out the other end ok (I was at work). I suppose it was in the garage for the worst one, though...

Here in melbourne, it's legal to park a Motorcycle on the footpath, (sidewalk, et al) as long as it doesn't block pedestrians. I only ever park in shopping centre car parks if I'm desperate to buy something there, because I've seen too many drivers (mostly women, but I guess the main demographic in shopping centre car parks are women) attempt to park, hit a car

My Harley Sportster got knocked over by an old Italian guy once.... he hit it and knocked it over.............

I would like to point out that, so far, the dominating gender pointed out in these stories (including yours) is male... not to make a fuss, but you could have easily left that part out.

[dave500]

sometimes when parking my car and the car next to me looks crookedly parked with the steer wheels on full lock or such i note the colour and rego,then if i get back to a dent with their colour ill know who.

[Retro Rocket]

I would like to point out that, so far, the dominating gender pointed out in these stories (including yours) is male... not to make a fuss, but you could have easily left that part out.

You don't go shopping much then because i have seen the exact thing over and over again and all done by women. I was very surprised to see and "old" lady do exactly that in a large shopping centre car park up north where i used to live, i didn't have any paper so i waited and watched until the owner of the damaged car came back out from shopping and i informed that the person that hit her car was parked about 200 yards away and was inside shopping, she was extremely surprised to see that the lady that hit her car {quite hard} was about 80 years old and denied it until i spoke up. Our shopping center car parks are full of women driving { or attempting to drive} SUV's. I, like Dave also take note of who i park near. My wife was actually in her car when it was run into in a car park and the stupid bloody woman driving got out and giggled and said, "sorry, i didn't look".....you've got to be kidding.....

Mick

[dave500]

sometimes,people will park in loading bays which are only for trucks behind the shops etc,sometimes a car has been parked in front of a skip bin i need to lift so sometimes we have to leave and come back later, after i leave a nice dollop of filthy grease under the door handle.the devil made me do it!

[Cbowers]

sometimes a car has been parked in front of a skip bin i need to lift so sometimes we have to leave and come back later

You couldn't arrange the bin so that the car would be trapped in behind it......That would be funny as hell!......but then again you would probably be fired.

[dave500]

tempting but then the boss would get a call etc,