[discussion] Bike/pedestrian-unfriendly retail & shopping centers
[discussion] Bike/pedestrian-unfriendly retail & shopping centers
I was surprised that even here in Portland, OR…not far from downtown…I was on my bicycle and pulled into a small shopping center. I guess you could call it a strip mall, but it was pretty small and completely surrounded by small residential streets.
So imagine my surprise when (a) I couldn't find any bike parking in front of the main grocery store. I had to walk entirely across the parking lot and over to the side of a dentist's office. Then (b) I went back to the grocery store and discovered it had no indoor seating. There was plenty of room from what I could tell—they had an entire wall dedicated to greeting cards and another entire wall dedicated to flowers. But nope, nobody can sit here—even though they have a significant large deli! They did offer a very bland outdoor seating area over on the side of the building, but given it's been windy and a bit drizzly I decided against it. (Also it was deserted for obvious reasons.)
Folks, I am so weary of bike/pedestrian-unfriendly retail. The accommodations car drivers get that we don't continues to astound me—even in areas which are presumably "progressive". 🤨
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First off, indoor seating? I can think of 2-3 chains that offer that in my reigon of 2 million, none of them close of course. And even within it's own chain, that's nonstandard. They're not there to casually stroll about and linger around like a mall. They exist to sell items. Outdoor seating is way, way more common.
Second, don't you guys lock a bike to anything bolted down? For example a "very bland outdoor seating area over on the side of the building" or the traditional lamppost. If it's not used, have at.
Anyways, besides those insurmountable hurdles, ask the shop for a bike rack. If there is demand, they want customers. It's like 8 bolts in cement; trivial to install.
Maybe it's a PNW thing? Except for a few "big box" chains, virtually every market I can think of with a local flair offers indoor seating here.
Can't speak for other folks, but I always look for a proper bike rack. Seems like good etiquette.
Can’t speak for other folks, but I always look for a proper bike rack. Seems like good etiquette.
Sure, but when one doesn't exist, I'd prefer to park my bike "improperly" than park at another businesses. Personally I think it's bad etiquette to park at a business I am not going to patronize.
The plaza provided plenty of opportunity for cars but almost nothing for the cyclists. I wouldn't consider it wrong to use the only bike rack in the plaza even if its for another business. Maybe if that rack gets filled up someone will finally build more bike parking.
Perhaps. Your weather may demand more indoor accomodations. Just pointing out it's not a grocery store issue. I'd say the landlord of the mall probably has the most incentive to support public infrastructure demand, but leases these days push all that on shops anyways. Who knows.
We had so many unused bike racks we started replacing the boring loops with sculpture/art bike racks. They're kinda nice. And tend to take up less space. Would try suggesting those.
Second, don't you guys lock a bike to anything bolted down? For example a "very bland outdoor seating area over on the side of the building" or the traditional lamppost. If it's not used, have at.
I use an e-bike to move around, if I don't lock it, or locked it to a "lamppost" or anything not a bike rack and got stolen the insurance is void. So yes, Im picky about where I lock my bike and don't do business where I can't lock it properly.