Initial program is successful (with some glitches). Riders want price adjustment and more free parking.
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| Newly designated scooter parking goes empty now there is a meter there where the current charge for metered space is the same as that for the SUV in the next space (50% off if one uses pay by phone). |
Vancouver Scooter / Motorcycle Parking advocates will hold their second parking rally in Vancouver on the morning of Saturday May 5, 2012 as a follow up on a similar rally held in May 2010 which helped create parking for motorized two-wheelers on city streets. Supporters will descend on downtown, to park as they’ve been obligated, prior to recently, with one bike per vehicle parking space thereby displacing cars and trucks for approximately 2 hours.
The purpose of the rally is to inform and illustrate to citizens and city council, some of the challenges faced by riders of motorized cycles and to press for more available and free parking. While substantial progress has been achieved since 2010, previous city legislation generally mandated that powered two wheeled commuters occupy single vehicle metered parking spaces if riders wished to park on-street. In the past, riders have been reluctant to occupy entire vehicle parking spaces, considering it expensive, a poor use of space and discourteous to other motorists. Then, the alternative was to poach space, from automobiles, by parking between them. This could result in increased insurance costs for all motorists, due to damage as motorized cycles were knocked over, as well as punitive arbitrary ticketing and towing by Vancouver City.
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| Up to 8 motorized two wheelers will fit in a passenger vehicle space. |
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| Hornby Street bicycle parking is well used....by motorcycles. |
Whereas bicyclists tend to be users of transit, powered cycles divert commuters from automobiles. Therefore, powered cycle use should be encouraged if city officials wish to reduce auto use and promote more efficient movement of traffic in Vancouver. Further, unlike other modes of transit proposed by the city, since motorcycles are capable of speed, they do not slow the movement of traffic and they provide safety for commuters who are capable of maintaining traffic flow and range.”
Simple, right? Not by a long shot...
On October 6th, 2009, and over five years after the BC Coalition of Motorcyclists (BCCOM) requested it, COPE Councilor David Cadman introduced a motion (drafted by me but with the exclusion of the paragraph for free parking) to designate low cost on-street parking for scooters and motorcycles at the far side of intersections (immediately after crosswalks) in space previously unused (and illegal to use at the time). However, the motion was diverted from discussion as the subject was instead referred to City Staff for review and recommendations. However, following the May 1, 2010 rally, motorcycle parking was once again on council’s agenda.
Unbelievably, at the council meeting held May 8, 2010, representatives from VEVA showed up to argue that gas powered motorcycles should be excluded from the motion and that free designated parking should only be granted to zero emission scooters. Stupid on their part, as I explained to council (and VEVA) that future riders of electric scooters and motorcycles would be the riders of today's gas powered vehicles and that first they should worry about the conversion to two wheels from four. We further extended that logic by explaining that as performance and range improved with electric two wheelers, riders would naturally convert as it made sense to do so. How did those zero emission dealers feel about screwing their future customers?
Several councillors refused to endorse the motion. Councillor Raymond Louie feels that it's his obligation to look after pedestrians and cyclists. I guess nobody that voted for him has any use for a car or a motorcycle? Councillor Jang really couldn't articulate what he thought, other than he likes cars and that one day everybody will be zero emission. The two meetings on May 6th, 2010 and May 18, 2010 where motorcycle parking was discussed, were like Monty Python skits and if you are bored, you can watch them on the council video archives. I suggest for a local and concentrated example of everything that is wrong with governments both big and small, that you sit back with a cocktail and watch this crew discuss motorcycle parking in Vancouver on May 18th and listen carefully to who said what before they took a vote. Council Agenda for Thursday May 18, 2010
In an attempt to appease VEVA and satisfy some of their own ideology, council instructed engineering staff to create a complicated two tiered pricing system for motorcycle parking in the space I originally suggested; it was to be free for zero emission, full price metered for all others ( with a 50% discount offered for pay by phone). Bizarre pricing structure; uncompetitive, inconsistent, discriminatory, unfair, illogical, complicated, erroneous, difficult to enforce... blah blah blah.
Several councillors refused to endorse the motion. Councillor Raymond Louie feels that it's his obligation to look after pedestrians and cyclists. I guess nobody that voted for him has any use for a car or a motorcycle? Councillor Jang really couldn't articulate what he thought, other than he likes cars and that one day everybody will be zero emission. The two meetings on May 6th, 2010 and May 18, 2010 where motorcycle parking was discussed, were like Monty Python skits and if you are bored, you can watch them on the council video archives. I suggest for a local and concentrated example of everything that is wrong with governments both big and small, that you sit back with a cocktail and watch this crew discuss motorcycle parking in Vancouver on May 18th and listen carefully to who said what before they took a vote. Council Agenda for Thursday May 18, 2010
In an attempt to appease VEVA and satisfy some of their own ideology, council instructed engineering staff to create a complicated two tiered pricing system for motorcycle parking in the space I originally suggested; it was to be free for zero emission, full price metered for all others ( with a 50% discount offered for pay by phone). Bizarre pricing structure; uncompetitive, inconsistent, discriminatory, unfair, illogical, complicated, erroneous, difficult to enforce... blah blah blah.
However to give them credit, they considered it and they did something...which was considerably more than any previous council had done. For that, riders and commuters must be eternally grateful.
On May 19th, 2010 I wrote to council to thank them for passing the motion while passing on to them the following comment that I had posted to motorcycle parking supporters:
On May 19th, 2010 I wrote to council to thank them for passing the motion while passing on to them the following comment that I had posted to motorcycle parking supporters:
“The good news is we have parking and Council has committed to a pricing review in a year. We will hold them to it. If nobody is utilizing their idea, or if single bikes are utilizing their metered stalls (utilizing the 50% discount thus losing the City revenue), perhaps they (Council) will be forced to behave like business people and adjust their pricing to align with reality.”
At the time of writing, Vancouver has designated approximately 200 spaces around the city that can each accommodate four to eight motorcycles. In discussions with engineering staff, there is agreement that the program is a success while pricing has not worked.
MCPARKING is suggesting more parking spaces to be allocated to encourage two wheeled transportation and that the spaces be designated free wherever possible on the basis that the space being designated does not now and never has produced revenue, and that progressive cities around the world promoting two wheeled transport offer free parking. In cases where free parking is not possible and demand regulation is necessary, then the city should offer pro-rated pricing. For example, if a vehicle space costing $4 per hour can accommodate up to eight motorcycles, then the parking should be metered at $.50 cents per hour. Further, we request that no other vehicles be displaced to accommodate motorcycles; in addition to the far side of intersections, that ample parking exist at the near side of intersections which can now be designated for motorcycle parking.
Summary:
Two wheeled transportation consumes less fuel, produces less carbon and reduces congestion and is therefore to be encouraged.
More parking is needed and to be accomplished while not displacing automobiles.
Motorcycle parking should be competitive and fairly priced.
We will hold a rally on May 5th 2012 beginning at 7:45 am at the east parking lot of the Vancouver Aquatic Center to garner support for our cause. We would like to present our concerns to City Council shortly afterward.
Twitter: @MCPARKING
