cost to park a motorcycle or scooter in the loop

8/17/2007 Dane K. says:

the city of chicago puts out a "reduced cost" parking lot list.  search their web site.  it's right next to the new pamphlet that explains they're assholes and no longer allow parking under 50 cc scooters on the sidewalk.  the reduced rates are usually around $80-100/mo.

i have noticed however a LOT of scooters all across the city still parking on the sidewalk and they don't seem to really be ticking many...  

i've also seen some parked in some pretty oddball spots that perhaps the average lazy city worker wouldn't go out of their way to walk over to... (one guy parks his at the very end of wacker drive past the swissotel?).  i've also seen a few spots on the street where 4 or 5 scooters are parked all in the same lump..

... i am contemplating starting a group/petition/site/whatever to force the city's hand to do something about the parking situation...   how hard would it be for them to designate a spot every 4 or 5 blocks in the loop as scooter parking?   anyone anyone?? :O

me personally i park in my work's garage, and my work pays about $300/mo for me to do so.  which i think is just crazy. not to mention the parking garage people are a-holes about it.. they tried to say only 3 are allowed to park in their garage at a time, and they have one single spot they want everyone to park in.  and they also had adjusted the sensors so they were too sensitive so you had to get a metal desk drawer out and put it on the ground for the gate to come up....   i told them to bug off and i'm parking in there so as long as i'm a paying customer...   they have since readjusted the sensors and it's now very easy to get in.  (i also bought a tiny really strong rare earth magnet at radio shack that i put on the bottom which is supposed to help the sensors pick up that i'm there)..

8/17/2007 J "Occam's Chainsaw" J. says:

Dane K.  - If you do start this group, count me in.  Thanks for the info.

8/17/2007 Dane K. says:

btw, this is the page

http://egov.cityofchic...

...if you've never read it it's worth reading the pamphlet, particularly the part on how you're supposed to use those stupid receipt printout meter things

8/17/2007 D'Elited D. says:

When I had a motorcycle, I just went into garages and said, "Hey - see that empty space over there where it's too small for a car?  I'll give you $100 cash every month if you let me park my motorcycle there."

Worked at both places.

8/17/2007 Colleen S. says:

I went through this search earlier this spring and yeah it's a bitch. I never found a garage that wanted to cut anydeal even though a bike takes up way less room than a car. A lot of garages don't let cycles up the ramsp either so those are out.

Motorcycles have a worse lot than the scooters. The balcolny behind Rivers on Wacker is full of scooters chained to the railing. No one every gets ticketed. Recently,. I've noticed a large contingent of motocycles and scooter parking in front of Rom (71 s wacker) and they dont' seem to get tickets. Although I think there's a rush hour parking stipulation there so read carefully.

8/17/2007 Dane K. says:

if you look at that list, there are at least 2 garages in the loop where it's $65/mo for scooters, $120ish for motorcycles.


..one of the spots i've seen several scootersr/motorcycles at is by wacker/columbus drive.  i'm sure there are more.   it's a metered street but this space wouldn't fit a car and there's no meter there and no parking restriction.  it's technically not a legal spot, so the city could come through any day and throw them onto a flatbed and off they go to the pound (they do this ... last week i saw a flatbed driving down michigan avenue that had at least 10 scooters on it.   and the city is greeding so nothing is stopping them).

8/17/2007 D'Elited D. says:

Also - I used to park at the fire house across the street from my office - it was a very pretty Red Honda CBR900RR - tres cool to the boys - not sure how they'd react to a scooter - but if you have a firehouse nearby - bring a case of beer and ask if you can park next to their bikes.

A case of beer every few weeks is cheaper and you know that no-one will f-ck with your ride.

8/17/2007 Jami K. says:

I've definitely seen scooters getting tickets that are parked on the side walk. I definitely would not recommend going that route.