Sunday, June 15, 2008

Ottawa Is Working On Requesting Motorcycle Parking Also

The great people in Ottawa are also working on a motorcycle/scooter parking petition and could use as much support as possible.

Let's get behind them because there is strength in numbers and if designated motorcycle/scooter parking became in the norm in major cities rather than the exception, it will be much easier on all of us!

You can sign Ottawa's petition here:
http://www.ipopper.net/petition/default.asp


Thursday, June 12, 2008

Moto Liberty -- THANKS!

A big THANK YOU to Audrey & crew at Moto Liberty for getting behind the petition requesting Dallas implement designated motorcycle / scooter parking.

Moto Liberty also included a link to the petition in their recent email blast to customers and we saw a lot of new signatures immediately after the email went out.

Moto Liberty has shops in both Dallas & San Antonio and is voted one of the "Best Of" according to Ride Texas Magazine. Definitely check them out!

You can always sign the petition at this link:
http://www.petitiononline.com/dallasbp/petition.html

Petition Count: 804


Tuesday, June 10, 2008

Parking Story Example - Etienne

This is another example, in my book, about the lack of motorcycle/scooter friendly parking in Dallas.

I had to go to the Dallas Presbyterian Hospital. At the time I was riding a Kymco Peopls S 250 scooter. I roll up to the gate in the pay parking lot. Big sign says no motorcycle parking allowed. So I park near the entrance to the office building where I was going. I go upstairs to the doctor office and ask about the parking near the entrance and they said it was not a good idea. But I said the parking lot as sign saying no motorcycles? In the end I moved it into the parking lot. When I go to leave, I pre-pay by walking up to the gate, and the attendant said “If you pre-pay, how I can let you out past the gate? I said it does not matter as I can ride past the gate!!!!”

Does this mean in the future if I go there I should just park in the parking lot and not take a ticket and hope I do not get towed?

Regards,

If you would like to send your story in, please email it to us.

Petition Count: 779

The Latest From City Hall

Here is the latest from the City Hall side:

Public Works & Transportation Assistant Director John Brunk, appears to be heading up this issue. He wishes to investigate the issue and possibly meet with us. While there is no commitment that this initiative will be recommended to the City, it appears they are taking it seriously enough to conduct some research into the viability.

If it is presented to the Transportation & Environment Committee, then it WILL be an OPEN meeting to the public. At that time, we will need to make our presence known.

The petition is still receiving many signatures daily so PLEASE keep them coming and tell your friends to make their voices heard as well! The petition can be signed at this link: http://www.petitiononline.com/dallasbp/petition.html.

Also, feel free to email us any real-life stories you have about motorcycle/scooter parking issues.

Petition Count: 756

Monday, June 9, 2008

Parking Story Example - Maria

Maria, who signed the petiton requesting motorcycle/scooter parking in Dallas, sent us this email about a challenge she ran into trying to park at Preston Center.

If you have a story you would like to share as an example to the city, please email it to us!


As the owner of a Mercedes ML Diesel, a Ducati S2R 800 Monster, and an Aprilia Scarabeo 50cc scooter, I have options when getting around Dallas.

Yesterday, I exercised the option of using the scooter to get a quick sandwich at Preston Center. As I navigated the heavy lunchtime traffic in the parking garage, I found a sidewalk spot under the garage to put the scooter on the center stand. As I took my helmet off, the security car honked at me and the female security officer told me “you can’t park on the sidewalk.” I then asked her “Where is the motorcycle and scooter parking please?” and she replied “What? There is none.” So I said, “Then you must want me to take an entire car spot with all this traffic looking for a parking place?” and she replied “yes.” So, I did.

What a pain, and the entire time it took for me to get my sandwich “to go” it stressed me out that a car would peel into the space and cream my scooter.

Another story of unfriendly Dallas parking policies for its citizens!

If you have a story you would like to share as an example to the city, please email it to us!

Friday, June 6, 2008

Email Us Your Stories

As the City is begining to take notice of the request to implement designated motorcycles/scooter parking, the ball is in our court to prove our case.

Facts and figures like how many registered bikes there are in the Dallas area, how many designated spaces other cities have allotted, etc., are easy to come by.

While many of you have left comments on the petition when you signed it, it's important for the City to know some of the challenges we are running into regarding the bikes and parking.

If you have a particular story you would like to share to illustrate some of the challenges, please feel free to email those to: dallasmotorcycleparking@gmail.com. We will compile the stories as further illustraion of what tax paying voting motorcycle/scooter owners are going through!

If you've not signed the petition yet, you may do so here: http://www.petitiononline.com/dallasbp/petition.html

Petition Count: 614

Thursday, June 5, 2008

Pegasus News Post & Discussion on Motorocycle Parking Petition

Pegasus News has a lively discussion going on about the merits of the motorcycle only parking.

Thank you to John Meyer for posting the info!

You can sign the petition here: http://www.petitiononline.com/dallasbp/petition.html

Wednesday, June 4, 2008

Share the Road

If you are into biking, there is one email list you need to be on: Suds & Butterfly.

These great people are deeply entrenched into the Texas biking scene and if something of relevance is going on, they know about it!


Take the time to visit their info the Share The Road campaign which implements signs around Texas as a friendly observance for drivers to be on the look out for us
bikers!


Tuesday, June 3, 2008

City Hall Is Taking Notice!

Council Member Pauline Medrano (District 2) graciously phoned yesterday to let us know that they are asking the City Attorney and Transportation & Environment Committee to review this request.

We're working to find out if the committee meetings will be open to the public and if not, could supporting documentation be provided for their consideration on this matter.

We will keep you up to date.

Sign the petition: http://www.petitiononline.com/dallasbp/petition.html

Petition Count: 555.

Please keep notifying your friends - we need to let the City understand just how many motorcycles and scooters are out here!

Lots of Lovely Media Attention!

We are so grateful to the media outlets that are picking up the story on our request for designated motorcycle/scooter parking in Dallas. Everything from major news outlets like Yahoo to specific ezines like Brain Bucket to regionals like the New York Sun are covering this story.

Many cities have implemented this type of parking from London to San Francisco to Vancouver.

Hopefully Dallas will be able to be included to this list soon!

Sign the petition! http://www.petitiononline.com/dallasbp/petition.html

Saturday, May 31, 2008

Thanks NBC5 For Covering The Story On The Motorcycle Petition!

We had a great time with NBC5's Omar Villafranca and his cameraman Mike today. They asked to meet some of us in downtown Dallas to shoot a story on the petition.

You can see the video clip by clicking here.


Jeff Floyd
and I represented the bikes; Mark Roberts and Louis Giamalva represented the scooters.

From the comments left on the petition and what we are hearing from fellow riders is that this issue on bike parking is a timely topic. Honestly, we aren't asking for the world - something as simple as 1 metered space in a block could comfortably fit 4-5 bikes; 2 end spaces in a parking lot could hold 6 bikes.


We so appreciate everyone that has signed the petition and sincerely hope that with all
this media attention, the Dallas City Council will take note of this issue and do something to provide a perk to those of us that are already embracing fuel efficiency!

Kudos to the Fairmont Hotel in Dallas for already considering implementing bike friendly parking. We will let you know should the Fairmont move forward with this action.

Please take time to sign the petition by clicking here!

Friday, May 30, 2008

CW 33 - THANK YOU For The Report On The Motorcycle Petition

A big THANK YOU goes out to Jim Grimes of CW 33 for the story he reported on last night regarding the petition asking the Dallas City Council to implement motorcycle only parking.

They did a fantastic job on interviewing people that have signed the petition as well as our fantastic friend, Joe Martin of Martin Bros Bikes.

++++You can watch the report by clicking here!+++++

--->>If you've not signed the petition, please do so here!<<----


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Thursday, May 29, 2008

Dallas Observer Picks Up Story On Petiton

A big THANK YOU to Robert Wilonsky at the Dallas Observer for posting the info on the petition:
http://blogs.dallasobserver.com/unfairpark/2008/05/dallas_motorcycle_riders_makin.php.

If you've not signed it yet, please do so at:
http://www.petitiononline.com/dallasbp/petition.html

Keep The Signatures Coming!

With more than 120 signatures in just the first day, we seem to be off to a great start with the petition requesting that the City of Dallas implement motorcycle only parking!

Please notify all your motorcycle & scooter riding friends to take a moment as their signature is needed!


http://www.petitiononline.com/dallasbp/petition.html

Tuesday, May 27, 2008

Please Sign The Petition

Please click this link to sign the petition: http://www.petitiononline.com/dallasbp/petition.html

For those of us with motorcycles & scooters, we like to make sure they are in safe environments.

Non-bikers don't understand how easy it is to steal a motorcycle or scooter and that bikers will go to extreme lengths to ensure our bikes are highly visible to deter thefts and vandals.


With gasoline
escalating in price almost daily, we are seeing more bikes on the road commuting and running errands. Additionally, by implementing "motorcycle only" parking, it makes the cagers more aware of us -- and it might get some of them out of their SUV's and on to 2 wheels with the rest of us!

Let's band together to make the Dallas City Council aware that whether we are blue collar, white collar, executives or students that we are out there and it's high time we stopped being treated like "biker trash" and that we if compact cars and SUV's can have special designated parking, than so can the bikes & scooters!


Please click this link to sign the petition: http://www.petitiononline.com/dallasbp/petition.html

Please click this link to sign the petition: http://www.petitiononline.com/dallasbp/petition.html


Please click this link to sign the petition: http://www.petitiononline.com/dallasbp/petition.html

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