Parallel parking?

[erkishhorde]

I forget, what's the answer on whether or not it's legal for you to share a parking spot w/ a car or even another bike on parallel parking that is metered? I know it's an easy way to get you bike knocked over but is it legal? I can't remember.

[Privateer]

cities set metered parking laws, so hard to say.

If I had to guess, I'd say not legal to share with a car.

[NoisyDante]

I thought it was vague too, so I asked a cop.  Essentially he said:  In Santa Monica you can't share a spot with a car.  Even if you're parked on the line in between two cars, I'll still write a ticket.  I realize bikers might think they're being considerate by pulling up the front of the spot to make room for a car if need be, but it's better to take the whole thing.

I imagine that this would be to insure that you've paid and aren't freeloading in a paid for space. 

[lawbreaker]

You cant share in Huntington Beach....

I tried to share a space with MY WIFES TAHOE while at the beach. I was told i had to move it to an open marked parking space. So i did.... several walking cornholes tried moving my bike so they could park ( I advised the beach Nazi's this would happen and thats why i parked my bike behind wifeys Tahoe- BIG f'n DUCATI sticker on the back btw)... Near beatings ensued with said 'holes who touched my beloved Red Beauty.

ended up with the Beach Nazi's patroling my parking stall for about 3 hours to make sure nothing happened...

[erkishhorde]

That's about what I was thinking. From an insurance perspective it's also better not to share. If you're right in the middle of your own space and someone knocks over you bike it's obvious that they're at fault. But when you're in between two cars it's impossible to prove who was there first and had the "right of way."

[uglyducky]

You cant share in Huntington Beach....

I tried to share a space with MY WIFES TAHOE while at the beach. I was told i had to move it to an open marked parking space. So i did.... several walking cornholes tried moving my bike so they could park ( I advised the beach Nazi's this would happen and thats why i parked my bike behind wifeys Tahoe- BIG f'n DUCATI sticker on the back btw)... Near beatings ensued with said 'holes who touched my beloved Red Beauty.

ended up with the Beach Nazi's patroling my parking stall for about 3 hours to make sure nothing happened...

hahahahahahaha.  "Near beatings ensued with said 'holes who touched my beloved Red Beauty."  i watched some moron knock this guy's ride over in santa monica trying to parallel park.  she parked behind the fallen bike and walked away like nothing happened.  sooooooo, i may or may not have followed her into the restaurant she was eating at screaming and demanding to see her license and insurance which i wrote down and left for the guy.  unreal.

[slowpoke13]

Why would they ticket the bike only? What is to say the bike wasn't there first, stuck it in the front/back of a space (as you have from line to line to put your vehicle), paid the meter, and some car decides he can fit as well?

Wouldn't you be able to fight it? Unless they're marking tires, catching it on camera, etc.

[hbliam]

You cant share in Huntington Beach....

I tried to share a space with MY WIFES TAHOE while at the beach. I was told i had to move it to an open marked parking space. So i did.... several walking cornholes tried moving my bike so they could park ( I advised the beach Nazi's this would happen and thats why i parked my bike behind wifeys Tahoe- BIG f'n DUCATI sticker on the back btw)... Near beatings ensued with said 'holes who touched my beloved Red Beauty.

ended up with the Beach Nazi's patroling my parking stall for about 3 hours to make sure nothing happened...

Next time call me first. You can park the bike in my garage while you are at the beach. I live about 5 minutes away.

[sbrguy]

from what i hear, in almost every state you can't share a parking spot that is marked with a car, maybe maybe you can share with other motorcycles but each motorcycle has to pay for the spot if its a multimeter spot.

the only thing that you might be able to argue is when there are the multimeter spots that have no space markings but instead you have to put a ticket on your dash for time paid that way you aren't technically "sharing" a spot with anyone as there are no predetermined spots at all as there are no lines on teh ground for spots.

good luck.

[monster monkey]

I've had friends "share" spots with strangers cars with no problem, even next to designated parking for bikes. If the city is friendly enough, i guess it's possible.

Me? not a big fan of tickets so...

[Wang]

Not Ducs, but one of my buddies related a story about some HD riders (he's a strange one - rides two HDs and a 'Busa) who used to share metered parking outside their favorite watering hole.  One of these gentlemen was ticketed multiple times while parking next to his friends' choppers.  After not getting any sympathy from the local courts/LEOs he eventually organized hundreds of HD riders to descend on the city one day and take all the metered parking.  It somehow got his point across and the city changed its laws.  There is now an annual "biker rally" or whatever you want to call it where they descend on the city and take up all the metered parking.  Supposedly this is on the east coast, somewhere in Maryland.

Back on topic, it seems to depend on the city.  I've had pretty good luck so far sharing parking with OTHER BIKES around LA and Long Beach: people I'm riding with, strangers whose spaces I have come upon and fed the meter after I parked, and people who have come and parked next to my bike.  I have yet to experiment with a car.  If I recall correctly, I saw someone park a BMW GS-something-or-other right behind a Smart Fortwo (maybe a Mini -- it was something small) on 2nd Street in Belmont Shore a couple months ago.