This sign was posted on a Harvard owned building near a bike rack. In case you can't read it, the sign says: Temporary Bike Rack 2 Hour Limit.
Now here's what I want to know, Harvard:
1. Is there some sort of crazy bike parking going on where bikes are just piling up all over the place and people are leaving them there for days, weeks, months? If this is the case, which I don't think it is, because I've been walking by this for 4 years, and I assure you I would have noticed this rampant abuse of bike parking, but if it is the case, have you considered adding to the 2 small bike lock up bars that are there? Because there's plenty of room here. You could get two more racks in, easy. And-
2. Do you enforce this? Is someone out there with a timer, cutting locks and impounding bikes in violation? Do you leave tickets on the bikes in hopes that some sucker will believe that you know who they are, so they pay the fine? Is there a bike pound somewhere on campus that houses hundreds of them?
The answer is no. Your sign is ridiculous. There's no way to enforce it, and by posting it at all you make a mockery of yourself. Harvard should encourage bike riding, and therefore bike parking, not limit it. Power to the (bike riding) people!
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2 comments:
I work at Harvard, and thus feel honor-bound to defend them. I don't know how new that sign is, but I just got an email today that they're starting up one those free bike stations around campus (on the Swedish model, or whatever it is). I feel like that may, somehow, have something to do with this. We are bike positive!
Also, there is in fact a giant bike graveyard. Every Thursday morning it's open to the public, in the rear of 175 North Harvard St. Also they give away all the used furniture and crap that's being thrown out by the various departments of the university. I went once last summer- it's quite a community event. Really, like everybody knows each other and shit.
They don't do so very often- there's a bike with a flat tire chained to the railing outside
my office for about 8 months- but at some point operations does come through and clean everything out.
That said, I read your blog religously. Thanks for posting.
-Nick
The strict-constructionist in me thought it meant they would come and take away the rack in 2 hours. But two hours from when?
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