Introduction
If you are a biker that has ever pedaled to a new location in another part of the town, you would have experienced the situation where you wonder where you could park your bike.
Although you may have lots of options to park and lock your bike, maybe to a sign or a tree, you are not sure whether it is legal or not to do so.
In this post, we will discuss whether you can lock your bike to a handicap sign and how to lock your bike when parking it.
Can You Lock Your Bike to A Handicap Sign?
Locking your bike to a handicap sign is dependent on the city that you are living. Some cities have strict laws regarding locking bikes to signs, while others don’t have strict rules but discourage this. You should check with a competent legal professional in the area.
Most handicap sign posts are usually aligned to the front part of a handicap spot, and you can lock your bike to it if your bike is not crowding the sidewalk or the sidewalk ramp.
However, you should note that street signs are not usually sturdy, and your bike can get stolen. Another thing is that on rare occasions, the city may forcibly remove your bike for security reasons, even if you are parking your bike for just a short while.
Where to Lock Your Bike
Some of the places where you can lock your bike are stated below. Note that these are general guidelines, and there may be exceptions in your locality.
- Bike racks or bike corrals on the sidewalk or street
- Parking signs designating handicapped parking locations, provided your bike does not block an accessible ramp
- Public street poles or parking meters, but make sure that your bike is not blocking a store, parked vehicles’ doors or the width of the pavement
Some of the places that you are usually prohibited from locking your bike are stated below.
- Objects on private property, such as railings or fences on private property, chain link fences, little fences around trees, etc.
- Trees- This is illegal in some jurisdictions as it can lead to damage to trees. Bike thieves may try to cut or knock down the tree to steal your bike.
- Bike parking racks on private property.
- Other places where the city has erected “No Bike Parking” signs.
How To Lock Your Bike Up
This video shows where and how you could lock your bike in public (courtesy of The Daily Texan):
When locking the bike up, it is best to ensure that the lock goes through the frame’s triangle instead of places where it can be slipped off conveniently. Many people do not know how to lock their bikes, and you will find several bikes with wheels locked on securely to bike racks while the remainder of the bike is nowhere to be seen.
When locking your bike, take a quick tug on your bike after locking it to ensure you locked the bike through the frame and onto the post.
You should also consider the bike’s parts that are not secured by your lock. If the wheels and seat are removable, you can try to run the lock through the frame while taking along the removable parts.
You can also use locking systems like Pinhead to secure your bike’s small, removable components while you carry a cable lock to secure the wheels.
Summary
Whether you can lock your bike to a handicap sign depends mainly on local regulations. When in doubt, check with a qualified legal professional. In addition, make sure to follow good practices when locking your bike up – ensure that your bike does not obstruct pedestrians, vehicles and residents or businesses; and check that all removable parts are secured to prevent theft.
Useful Reading
https://bicyclecoalition.org/resources/locking-and-theft/
https://momentummag.com/bike-curious-the-right-and-wrong-ways-to-lock-your-bike/