Eds0123

I am working at this job, 16.5 miles away, not very bicycle friendly and rude unruly drivers on the road, no public transportation either, I am way out in the suburbs of a big 10 million peope Midwestern metropolice, so where do you guys park and get on the bike from there to work? Grocery store parking lot? A park parking lot? Need your experience and helpful hints and or tips please, thanks,

bigbenaugust 

The few times I had to do this back in the Bay Area, I parked at the old Sears in Mountain View (or the nearby Safeway) to ride or take the train the last few miles into Stanford. (Since then, the Sears has been demo'ed and the Safeway moved.) I think I used the Park & Ride over on Pioneer and Evelyn a couple of times, too. Eventually, a) I sold my car, and b) Stanford joined the ZipCar craze and it became much easier to just ride all the way to work and then get a car for appointments if necessary.

jimbalaya

I park at a few city parks that are 3 and 6 miles away from where I work. Virginia Beach, VA Parks & Recreation allows you to park there from Dawn til Dusk w/o issue. I've even left my car there overnight once when I had an accident that required an emergency room visit on my way back to my car. If there are any city parks nearby - give your parks dept. a call to get their policy.

the sci guy 

I did this when I lived in Knoxville. I couldn't make the full 13 miles with all the hills and also having to be at school (teacher) by 7am, so I drove about almost exactly half way, and parked in a church parking lot. Before I started I stopped at the church one afternoon on the way home and talked with their staff and security and they said it was no prob, bob!

Leisesturm

I don't know of a single grocery chain that does not tow cars that are parked longer than 45min to 1hour or have been left unattended by non-shoppers (they watch). A mall complex with many stores sharing a large public lot may have less supervision. Myself I would find a nice quiet residential street and park there. Do not change into or out of cycling clothing inside a parked car, however.

H

Gresp15C

You park on my street.

I live on one of the main bike corridors in my town, and also near a bus stop. Lots of people park and ride, either by bus or by bike.

old's'cool

I had that 50/50 multi-modal gig for a while. It was actually pretty sweet. 11 mi on the rail trail from my house to the logical switch point, where the trail veered off in the wrong direction. Which happend to be at a small suburban plaza with a bar & grille, small shops including LBS, and a 7-11. The 7-11 made it perfect, since they were open 24 hrs. I parked my car near the main road, but not in a prime position that would annoy regular customers. Never any issues. I actually stepped into the LBS and notified the manager of my habits, in case anyone wondered about the car parked overnight on weeknights.

nkfrench 

My partial commute was to drive from the house, then park and ride the bike.

I did the 50:50 then the 25:75 for a while. I never needed overnight parking, and I was only a parttime bike commuter.
The 50:50 was a sweet setup. My route just happened to take me a few blocks away from the recreation association affiliated with my employer. Free parking, and you must display ID to get past the guardgate so it was highly secure.
The 25:75 was ok, I parked at a large suburban hospital that always had lots of empty parking spaces in the open lot. There was a security guy patrolling the parking lot in his golf cart. I parked in a visitor space that was next to other cars but as far from the building as I could. I didn't have explicit permission so I timed my start to be after the golf cart was leaving that section of the parking lot rather than have a confrontation.

This was the only way I could have started bike commuting. My first "dry run" full-distance commute was a 17-mile route each way and I abandoned a little more than halfway, utterly exhausted, and still had to ride home.

scroca

I use public parks, fishing access or the one non-public area is a truck stop where I park as far away from the building as I can. I know of a group of car poolers who use a church parking lot. Then there's street parking.

scroca

I have done it a million times. Never an issue.

Hangtownmatt

For the past 25 years I've commuted by bicycle and lived in the country and worked in the city. Door step to doorstep would be dangerous and too lengthy. Therefore I've always used a combination of car and bicycle. For a number of years I parked at the CA Dept of Fish and Game Hatchery along the American River Bike Trail. Sometimes, during those dark winter months, my 1985 Toyota 4wd pickup would be the only car in the lot. You would think a classic like that would be a target but I never had a problem. Not one! Unfortunately, work moved closer to my house and I was forced to start further up the hill to keep the same mileage. I started parking at a big box store. I only had a problem once. I was capitalizing on a remote shady spot and got my registration tags stolen. Since than I've moved out to the main parking lot and haven't had a problem in years. For a while I parked in a newly developed prestigious shopping center (Whole Foods etc.) with covered parking and the wanta-be-cops eventually persuaded me to move back to the big box stores. They really didn't have a problem with me parking there they just didn't want me using the covered parking. I went back to the big box stores.

If I have any advice it would be to park at large public places in full view. Keep in mind that you will be in a pattern and routinely see the same people. Once your pattern has been established you are susceptible to ... whatever. It may be a good idea to mix things up.

Matt

Hangtownmatt

For the past 25 years I've commuted by bicycle and lived in the country and worked in the city. Door step to doorstep would be dangerous and too lengthy. Therefore I've always used a combination of car and bicycle. For a number of years I parked at the CA Dept of Fish and Game Hatchery along the American River Bike Trail. Sometimes, during those dark winter months, my 1985 Toyota 4wd pickup would be the only car in the lot. You would think a classic like that would be a target but I never had a problem. Not one! Unfortunately, work moved closer to my house and I was forced to start further up the hill to keep the same mileage. I started parking at a big box store. I only had a problem once. I was capitalizing on a remote shady spot and got my registration tags stolen. Since than I've moved out to the main parking lot and haven't had a problem in years. For a while I parked in a newly developed prestigious shopping center (Whole Foods etc.) with covered parking and the wanta-be-cops eventually persuaded me to move back to the big box stores. They really didn't have a problem with me parking there they just didn't want me using the covered parking. I went back to the big box stores.

If I have any advice it would be to park at large public places in full view. Keep in mind that you will be in a pattern and routinely see the same people. Once your pattern has been established you are susceptible to ... whatever. It may be a good idea to mix things up.

Matt