New office bike shed etiquette

[marooncat]

We have just moved offices today into a "serviced offices" building which must have 20 plus companies in it.

There is a bike shed there and I took a wander past it today (well I checked it out when looking at the offices for suitability of course). Anyhow this was about 4.45pm today and most of the spaces were taken up and those that weren't had locks left on them.

Any suggestion about what I do the first day I cycle in, I do not want to fall out with anyone and take what they regard as "their" space but I also want to be able to secure my bike properly. I asked when I first looked at the office and as far as the owners of the building are concerned the bike shed is there for everyone and no allocated spaces etc.

As it is lots of different companies it is not going to be possible to find out who the other cyclists are and speak to them about it.

 

[ianrauk]

Simple, you have answered your own question.

I asked when I first looked at the office and as far as the owners of the building are concerned the bike shed is there for everyone and no allocated spaces etc.

 

[marooncat]

Simple, you have answered your own question.

But if everyone leaves their locks on the stands then is that like putting your beach towel on a sun lounger??

 

[Bayerd]

But if everyone leaves their locks on the stands then is that like putting your beach towel on a sun lounger??

F**k 'em...

What are they gonna do once you've locked your bike up there?

 

[ianrauk]

Yes, which is not very sociable or acceptable is it?

But if everyone leaves their locks on the stands then is that like putting your beach towel on a sun lounger??

 

[gaz]

It depends on the situation regarding locks left on the racks.

At my place of work we have 300+ bike racks, And only about 200 spaces are used at any time. I leave my lock on the stand which i use, no one parks near me, so i don't use it to shotgun a rack as there are plenty of others i could put it in, more just connivence, and many others do it as well.

Whats more annoying is people who don't park there bikes properly in the racks or leave them there for months on end.

obviously if there is less spaces then it should be on a first come first choose basis.

 

[BentMikey]

But if everyone leaves their locks on the stands then is that like putting your beach towel on a sun lounger??

No, of course not. If someone's left their lock on a stand, it's almost certainly only because they don't want to ride home and back carrying it, not trying to claim the stand. Go ahead and use the empty stands regardless of locks.

I don't think I've ever heard of any cyclists who think leaving a lock there is "claiming" the stand.

 

[summerdays]

If someone's left their lock on a stand, it's almost certainly only because they don't want to ride home and back carrying it, not trying to claim the stand. Go ahead and use the empty stands regardless of locks.

I agree.

At my son's school I have one favourite place to park the bike - furthest from the gate (prying eyes) and its the one that is most sheltered from the rain. We do see it as our spot - if we see some of the other children cycling to school ahead of us, we have been known to cycle a bit faster to get past them (they are on the path and us the road). If they get there first then we just use another space.

 

[PBancroft]

I leave my lock on the hoops at work. I don't do it because I consider it "my" space, I do it because its heavy and I don't want to carry it home. I reckon a lot of people are the same.

If I come into work and someone is in "my" space, I simply take the lock and put my bike somewhere else.

Simples.

 

[mr_cellophane]

I used to put my lock between spaces, no need to put it on a bike loop. People who do are just selfish, especially those who had large chains which prevented anyone else using that space.

 

[Plax]

I used to put my lock between spaces, no need to put it on a bike loop. People who do are just selfish, especially those who had large chains which prevented anyone else using that space.

+1
I leave a lock at work as do a few other people, but never on a space. Some fair weather cyclist has done that - leaving their lock on a space thus preventing it from being used and has just left it there. So that is one space wasted in an already cramped bike rack (to go with the abondoned bike).

 

[jonny jeez]

No, of course not. If someone's left their lock on a stand, it's almost certainly only because they don't want to ride home and back carrying it, not trying to claim the stand. Go ahead and use the empty stands regardless of locks.

I don't think I've ever heard of any cyclists who think leaving a lock there is "claiming" the stand.

I dont agree, if they want to simply leave the lock, then they would lock it around something else (stairs etc...) leaving it on the stand is a clear attempt to get "germanic" and claim the space.

ignore it...first come first serve

 

[jonny jeez]

I used to put my lock between spaces, no need to put it on a bike loop. People who do are just selfish, especially those who had large chains which prevented anyone else using that space.

there you go....

 

[corshamjim]

I keep a spare lock on the stand as I quite often leave home forgetting to take my normal lock with me!

 

[661-Pete]

A lot depends on the type of stand. If it's a row of Sheffields, then the only way to leave a lock secure, is looped around one of the hoops and surely it doesn't block anyone. Ignore any locks and use the stand, it's down to the owner to retrieve their lock when they need it. Indeed: some of the Sheffields in our town centre have several locks looped around them, evidently belonging to different people, and some have apparently been there for months. I ignore them.

But if the stand is 'butterflies' or other wheel-benders, then, true, looping a lock around it may block others from using it (as if anyone would want to!). Still anti-social, in my view.