Monday, February 2, 2009
City SDOT Bike Racks Replace, Resemble Cars
Posted by Erica C. Barnett on Mon, Feb 2, 2009 at 5:10 PM
I didn't notice it in the photo I posted last week, but the city's new "bike corrals"—each of which hold about eight bikes and take up as much curb parking as one car—are shaped like... ready to have your mind blown?... a CAR. Complete with fake front grille, fake wheels, and fake lights. I applaud the impulse to turn infrastructure into art, but the heavy-handed symbolism (it's a CAR! with BIKES on it! where a CAR would otherwise be!) I could do without.
Photo by Brian Geoghagen.
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5
it doesn't look remotely like a car - it does look like a waste of space - there should be spots for twice as many bikes.
9
I assume the rack in the picture is on 12th in front of Cafe Presse? Ironically, I went there two weeks ago and parked in that very spot. Then went again today and saw... that. Which is all well and good, EXCEPT--
There was a KING 5 film crew stationed by the rack asking leading questions of passers-by trying provoke angry reactions toward the city for installing bike parking in lieu of car parking. Jerks.
There was a KING 5 film crew stationed by the rack asking leading questions of passers-by trying provoke angry reactions toward the city for installing bike parking in lieu of car parking. Jerks.
10
@2, 7 ad nauseam... Not true! I commended SDOT for doing this just the other day. But come on, the racks are as awful as that terrible Sound Transit wire sculpture down by the Paramount Theater.
11
have you ever posted a single piece that didn't come across as snarky, negative or pessimistic? you must really be a joy to hang out with; a real "light up the room" kinda girl.
It's more bike racks! and less parking! you fucking love this! so quit sounding like a snot!
It's more bike racks! and less parking! you fucking love this! so quit sounding like a snot!
12
Ugly, double yuck. The metal frame thing dominates instead of the nice looking bikes.
All you really would need is 8 posts, each with a slender 6" diameter metal ring at the top; that would use only 20% of the metal you see in this picture and would look graceful and elegant.
This will visually dominate a neighborhood's mini downtown. It's a hulking metal frame more suitable for shipping 8 bikes -- or 8 cattle -- inside a cargo container than serving as "street furniture" (unless the urban design esthetic of your street furniture is intended to scream, "warehouse distribution facility").
Fail.
All you really would need is 8 posts, each with a slender 6" diameter metal ring at the top; that would use only 20% of the metal you see in this picture and would look graceful and elegant.
This will visually dominate a neighborhood's mini downtown. It's a hulking metal frame more suitable for shipping 8 bikes -- or 8 cattle -- inside a cargo container than serving as "street furniture" (unless the urban design esthetic of your street furniture is intended to scream, "warehouse distribution facility").
Fail.
13
I applaud SDOT for doing this, but I just wish they would take the cue from Portland and build them like this: http://bikeportland.org/2008/09/16/first…
The Portland corrals offer more capacity and are waaaay better looking. SDOT is off to a good start. Now let's hope it get's better!
The Portland corrals offer more capacity and are waaaay better looking. SDOT is off to a good start. Now let's hope it get's better!
16
they're nowhere near as ugly as the sculptures by the Paramount! And shaping the racks vaguely like a car just might have some practical benefits -- namely the "fenders" on the front and back protect the bike rack from other parking cars on either side.
18
The Portland ones look nicer, but I do like that this one offers some protection from cars rather than having bike wheels right up to the edge of the lane.
Progress is imperfect.
Progress is imperfect.
19
If you all love Portland so much, take your gearless hipster bikes and fuck off there. At least when you get scrapped off an 18 wheeler there all the other hipster dipshits will build a little shrine to you. Up here we just shovel into a bag and order up a closed casket funeral.
23
You know, ECB, my knee jerk reaction is pretty much the same as #2 and #7. I'm sure it's not lost on you that you've earned that sort of cynicism from people.
Then I realized you're absolutely right about this. Glad I figured that out before I typed.
Then I realized you're absolutely right about this. Glad I figured that out before I typed.
27
They should paint the square green, or blue, or something that doesn't mean something in the world of parking spots already, and paint the bike lanes the same color. Or something. Really though, a bike rack that size is a nice thing, regardless.
28
@2, 7, 25 ad nauseam...Why can't someone actually support something and provide constructive criticism at the same time? The fact is that bike corrals are a really good idea, but these incarnations happen to look less-than good.
Ripping on ECB for sport and saying things like, "STFU" is just tiresome. Get over it and go comment on the Seattle Times or PI sites if you want to sound like an ass.
Ripping on ECB for sport and saying things like, "STFU" is just tiresome. Get over it and go comment on the Seattle Times or PI sites if you want to sound like an ass.
31
It's obvious by its sparse outlines that it's actually a ghost car! You know, the kind that ran over Casper.
32
Yow! Fug! they probably made highly reinforced racks like that for when hysterical Seattle drivers repeatedly ram the sides of them out of pent up road rage/anger at not finding parking on CH. Or maybe just to protect against the drunks.
34
@28 ... I'm sorry, could you point out the constructive criticism in ECB's post?
I'm afraid I'm missing it. It must be hiding behind the parenthetical all-caps sneering.
I'm afraid I'm missing it. It must be hiding behind the parenthetical all-caps sneering.
36
Looks like a good rack, though. Enough space between the bikes that they don't get tangled up, lots of places to run a lock through the rack and the bike frame.
37
that's burly as hell, meaning bikes will be well protected from bus assaults, etc. how anyone at all, outside of maybe the business owner, can complain about a burly-assed bike rack carved out of auto parking is beyond belief.
38
I still heart Erica. She's right -- bike racks and public art are cool. Bike rack that looks like big ugly car -- not so cool.
39
It's missing a crucial element that distinguishes it even symbolically from a car: a door that opens up suddenly into the bike lane (and a Venti carrying soccer mom talking on a cell phone). I guess it's kind of hard to render that sort of detail in galvanized tubular steel though.
40
Wow. I do like that the transpo dipahtment is trying this out - for Seeahttle this is truly radical.And I do like the protection metal barrier provides from cahrs - lawd knows Seeahttle drivers are more agressive and careless than Poatland motorists. But yes, that there is one ugly bike rack. Too bad the transpo dipahtment has never understood the power of citizen involvement. They probably could have gotten an award winning ahrt design that also functions well as a bike rack and which has protection from the motorists for no more cost than what they spent for what they have - because, you know, the public could
42
have gotten ahrt grants for the design and fabrication processes. Still we should count ah-wer blessings that this was done at all . . .though prob'bly the dipahment didn't trouble themselves to consult with the community on the location, which means its bike rack services may not bused much since it may not be where the bicyclistas most want to go and pahrk their bikes.
43
When will the City of Seattle wake up and determine these fine new bike parking racks are a revenue stream and mandate a parking charge for bikes parked in the city's racks?
When will the City of Seattle wake up and determine these fine new bike parking racks are a revenue stream and mandate a parking charge for bikes parked in the city's racks?
44
@40
Mark Twain? I think you sound more like Katharine Hepburn. I detect an imposter...
Your point is well taken though.
Mark Twain? I think you sound more like Katharine Hepburn. I detect an imposter...
Your point is well taken though.
45
Waste of space. If they installed one sidewalk bike rack for every three parking meters they removed for those damned kiosks, bikers would be well served without having to compete with cars.
47
Perhaps the design intent was to illustrate that bikes are space-efficient and several can be parked in the same space as a single car. It makes me think, if all 8 of those bikers drove cars, there'd be 7 more parking spaces taken.
48
@47,
It makes me think that if SDOT had a fragment of a clue they could get at least 4 more bikes into the space occupied by this absurd structure (a structure which, unlike a car that is parked for a fixed time and then can be readily moved, is a permanent impediment to pedestrians and street sweepers, assuming the City even bothered to do the latter basic civic task).
It makes me think that if SDOT had a fragment of a clue they could get at least 4 more bikes into the space occupied by this absurd structure (a structure which, unlike a car that is parked for a fixed time and then can be readily moved, is a permanent impediment to pedestrians and street sweepers, assuming the City even bothered to do the latter basic civic task).
49
What happened to the bike racks of old? The were everywhere and you could usually lock your bike within a block of where you were going. I've had to ride 3-4 blocks to find a spot downtown to lock my bike! Parking meters! Was there an outcry when we lost them to the very slow, inconvenient vending machines we have now? These bike ideas (like the accident scene type bicycle pictures) make me think the people doing this don't ride bikes or like people who do.
53
Oh, you people leave Erica alone. If she's so terrible, go start you're own blog. negativekvetching.com is still available.
I can't get too worked up over the bike rack either way, although I will say it is just a tad too whimsical for my tastes - but most public art is.
I think it's practical in that it protects the bikes, and it's certainly high profile.
As for "citizen involvement" in the design, give me a break: That would add three years to the process while a series of "public meetings" were held, attended only by crackpots, where nothing would be accomplished except for the airing of grievances that in all likelihood have nothing to do with bike racks (or even reality), with perhaps a bit of awful poetry thrown in. (yes, that's negative kvetching. But you haven't really lived in Seattle until you've sat through one of those things. Once you do, you really want to move)
Just order the damn bike racks, put them in, and park bikes at them. Life is short. Enjoy it.
I can't get too worked up over the bike rack either way, although I will say it is just a tad too whimsical for my tastes - but most public art is.
I think it's practical in that it protects the bikes, and it's certainly high profile.
As for "citizen involvement" in the design, give me a break: That would add three years to the process while a series of "public meetings" were held, attended only by crackpots, where nothing would be accomplished except for the airing of grievances that in all likelihood have nothing to do with bike racks (or even reality), with perhaps a bit of awful poetry thrown in. (yes, that's negative kvetching. But you haven't really lived in Seattle until you've sat through one of those things. Once you do, you really want to move)
Just order the damn bike racks, put them in, and park bikes at them. Life is short. Enjoy it.
55
@53 ... reap/sow, etc.
If ECB wasn't so negative/bitchy/judgmental in so many of her posts, she wouldn't have so many negative/bitchy/judgmental commenters.
SOMEBODY designed that rack, and somebody else spent a lot of time building it, and Erica mocks them in a post it took her all of 45 seconds to write. So, some snarling commenters knock her back in comments it took them 20 seconds to write. Seems fitting.
If ECB wasn't so negative/bitchy/judgmental in so many of her posts, she wouldn't have so many negative/bitchy/judgmental commenters.
SOMEBODY designed that rack, and somebody else spent a lot of time building it, and Erica mocks them in a post it took her all of 45 seconds to write. So, some snarling commenters knock her back in comments it took them 20 seconds to write. Seems fitting.
56
The design serves to protect bikes, as has already been mentioned.
But it also serves to show cars the space is not free but rather by having part of the rack higher (the middle "roofline" portion). Otherwise drivers might think the space was free, only to discover (hopefully!!!) that it was full of bike rack. Such a driver could cause traffic flow problems (minor, probably, but real nonetheless) and the whimsical design serves to deter that possibility. Why all the hate?
But it also serves to show cars the space is not free but rather by having part of the rack higher (the middle "roofline" portion). Otherwise drivers might think the space was free, only to discover (hopefully!!!) that it was full of bike rack. Such a driver could cause traffic flow problems (minor, probably, but real nonetheless) and the whimsical design serves to deter that possibility. Why all the hate?
57
It seems like ECB is trying to imply that the car shape itself perpetuates some sort of tyranny of the car -- as if the object is serving to remind her that cars are gods or whatever.
I think it serves as a reminder of "one less car."
I think it serves as a reminder of "one less car."
58
I can't wait till SLOG reports that someone stole one of the bike racks and sold it for scrap metal.
59
I like it. It shields bikes from traffic, you can strap your bike to the "car" parts if the rack parts are full, and it just maybe shows that in the space of one car you can easily fit a dozen bikes. For free.
Ride your bike people. The weather is outstanding.
Ride your bike people. The weather is outstanding.
60
It's supposed to remind drivers how many bikes can fit in the space that one car would occupy. Simple. It's ugly but the idea is good.
61
I see a lot of good features in that bike rack. And it will hold many more bikes than the official estimate.
64
Erica: thanks for showing us your rack.
Seems most folks would like to see a fuller rack.
Undoubtedly though many agree that seeing bare racks all around town would be a good thing too.
Might lead to arguments over your rack vs other bare racks.
Mass debate errs will of course ensue.
Glad to see your rack's off the sidewalk, away from businesses and out in the street where it belongs.
Seems most folks would like to see a fuller rack.
Undoubtedly though many agree that seeing bare racks all around town would be a good thing too.
Might lead to arguments over your rack vs other bare racks.
Mass debate errs will of course ensue.
Glad to see your rack's off the sidewalk, away from businesses and out in the street where it belongs.
65
Rack seems clearly designed for
A.
thwart stupid people: any other "artistic" shape, and stoopid SUV drivers from the burbs would try and bump it out of the way or squish the bikes
B. Steel is almost 100% recyclable so how much you use is hardly a 'waste'
C. Yes, the heavysymbolism is for thick heads, (but aren't the rest of us smart enough to know this already? It's the thickheads that need the lesson!) - a visual of how much impact cars vs bikes have on street in the invisible-jet, er, cars of these is likely a intended function of the design
D. Design also provides armor against accidents (snow-pocolypse anyone?) and malice from cars
E. Like the city is going to pay for Bike parking AND art. HAHAHA good one! Might as well ask for Freeway Park's cement to be beautiful too, or old city streetlights to be bright!
F. They ARE however a blank canvas for paint and stickers: why not encourage people to dress them up?!!! That would be a METRICSHITTON better as repetitive art than the PacificPlace nutcrackers, the downtown pigs or any of that other cookie cutter BS the city touts as representing the city's artistic capacity.
G. I'm cautiously optimistic that old 2-bike racks will get recycled and sidewalks might start opening up again to 'full size'- Ex:the west side of Broadway is a joke with bike racks, paperboxes, bus signposts, and -especially- sandwich boards. Boost bike popularity AND boost ped traffic - All win!
10: disagree: the wire things aren't nearly as useful and are less likely to be hit by busses, which is the big shame.
12: wtf is municipal street furniture? lol
25: so, are you her ex, or just projecting that you wish you were that cool?
43: No doubt it's in the works, Mr. McDuck
48: peds in the street, in the parking lane? you might need an urban Seattle walking lesson.
58: the catalytic converter appears to already be missing.
ECB: totally appreciate the newspost about the take over of parking spots. Curiosity slaked, even if I disagree with your small shape complaint.
More...
A.
thwart stupid people: any other "artistic" shape, and stoopid SUV drivers from the burbs would try and bump it out of the way or squish the bikes
B. Steel is almost 100% recyclable so how much you use is hardly a 'waste'
C. Yes, the heavysymbolism is for thick heads, (but aren't the rest of us smart enough to know this already? It's the thickheads that need the lesson!) - a visual of how much impact cars vs bikes have on street in the invisible-jet, er, cars of these is likely a intended function of the design
D. Design also provides armor against accidents (snow-pocolypse anyone?) and malice from cars
E. Like the city is going to pay for Bike parking AND art. HAHAHA good one! Might as well ask for Freeway Park's cement to be beautiful too, or old city streetlights to be bright!
F. They ARE however a blank canvas for paint and stickers: why not encourage people to dress them up?!!! That would be a METRICSHITTON better as repetitive art than the PacificPlace nutcrackers, the downtown pigs or any of that other cookie cutter BS the city touts as representing the city's artistic capacity.
G. I'm cautiously optimistic that old 2-bike racks will get recycled and sidewalks might start opening up again to 'full size'- Ex:the west side of Broadway is a joke with bike racks, paperboxes, bus signposts, and -especially- sandwich boards. Boost bike popularity AND boost ped traffic - All win!
10: disagree: the wire things aren't nearly as useful and are less likely to be hit by busses, which is the big shame.
12: wtf is municipal street furniture? lol
25: so, are you her ex, or just projecting that you wish you were that cool?
43: No doubt it's in the works, Mr. McDuck
48: peds in the street, in the parking lane? you might need an urban Seattle walking lesson.
58: the catalytic converter appears to already be missing.
ECB: totally appreciate the newspost about the take over of parking spots. Curiosity slaked, even if I disagree with your small shape complaint.
66
Anyone who uses a bike rack on a regular basis can appreciate that less than 60cm spacing between rails just leads to a tangled mess of handlebars. Kudos to the designer for putting the appropriate number of rails on the rack. Other commenters may not have noticed that twice as many bikes as rails can be parked by placing them back to front so that handlebars do not overlap.
67
Now, instead of chaining my bike to a fence where it can get pissed on by dogs, I can chain it up on the road where it can get hit by shitty drivers. Perfect.
68
how can a bike that is enclosed in a steel structure get hurt by cars? i think you're as dumb as a rock joe. as a rock.
69
+1 to Derrickito: Joe is dumb as a rock.
+1 to the commenters who are tiring of ECB's tiring schtick.
+1 to the person who astutely pointed out that it's a great trade to replace 1 parking spot with 20. That'll bring way more business to the stores around this rack, and it'll make it easier for employees to park cheaply too.
-1 to you people who just can't stand change. this is great for seattle.
+1 to the commenters who are tiring of ECB's tiring schtick.
+1 to the person who astutely pointed out that it's a great trade to replace 1 parking spot with 20. That'll bring way more business to the stores around this rack, and it'll make it easier for employees to park cheaply too.
-1 to you people who just can't stand change. this is great for seattle.
70
It's a bad decision to replace on street parking with bike racks. Bikes can be locked to anything, cars have no place to park but the street.
http://www.seattlerepresent.com/opinion/…
http://www.seattlerepresent.com/opinion/…
71
The car allusion is painfully obvious, yes. However, I think this is a really good thing. Without it, I don't think that many people would actually look at it and say "Hey, that's exactly the size of a car parking spot, and they have 8 bikes parked in it!" Anything that makes more people say that is a good thing, in my book.
72
a car with bike on it? i can say it is simply unique but still, can't imagine that stuff to be a real {jeep parts} car.
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