TXChick

According to the second link posted above, there is no ordinance prohibiting the chaining of a bike to a lamppost in Grand Rapids, MI. In fact, it says this:
I think you should print out the ordinances and carry them with you in case something like that happens again.

alhedges

This would mean that if someone locks their bike to my porch railing, I have to leave it there forever because I'm not allowed to cut the lock. That is not how things work anywhere that I know of.

There are some limits, of course - I'm allowed to do what I need to do to restore my free enjoyment of my property, but I can't go beyond that. I.e., I can cut the lock and remove your bike, but I'm not allowed to cut the lock, lay your bike in my driveway, and repeatedly run over it.

patc

[QUOTE=alhedges;6811380]This would mean that if someone locks their bike to my porch railing, I have to leave it there forever because I'm not allowed to cut the lock. That is not how things work anywhere that I know of. /QUOTE]

"Forever" would completely change the scenario, so let's ignore that.

I can tell you that based on the legal advice our condo got from the lawyer paid to do just that, we were strongly warned to neither cut locks nor remove bikes, strollers, and other things left around. In short we must follow the same procedure we do for illegally parked cars - signed notices that they will be removed, plus reasonable attempts to contact the owner. When BOTH are done we have some legal standing to remove the bikes (or cars etc.), and even then must show we made the minimum property damage possible.

What to actually do with the bikes/whatever was something our lawyer didn't have an answer for. If we keep 'em, its theft, but there is apparently no precedent for what is a "reasonable" way to have a bike removed, as you do when you have a car towed away.

The above is for Ontario law, as best I remember from the AGM last winter.

cudak888 

Curiously, what if the U-locks in question could be opened a-la BIC pen with no damage involved to the lock?

-Kurt

crhilton

Most places around here (not where the OP lives) light posts are the only place to lock your bike. The other option is truly obnoxious: Cart holders and hand rails along walkways. The light posts are in islands in the parking lot, unless there happens to be another utility cyclist going to the same store you can't possibly put anyone out.

I suppose these aren't street lights. But, if you're visiting your friends house... Or maybe someone you don't know terribly well, a street light is another good place to lock up with minimal offense.

There's a complete lack of a system of where to park your bike. It really sucks.

alhedges

I don't disagree with the opinion, but note that the lawyer's primary concern is *notice* to the offending parkers (which I mentioned in my first post and which seemed not to be an issue in Whole Foods situation, since they provided specific notice that locking bikes to trees was prohibited - having done so, they are well within their rights to do whatever is necessary to remove the bikes).

What a business can't do, of course, is decide that it won't permit bike parking on some part of its property and, without letting anyone know about this decision, start removing bikes. (This is different from my porch, where I am happy to assume that people know they are not permitted to park).

There are usually specific laws that you need to follow concerning abandoned automobiles.

Sledbikes

if theres a rack lock it there around here they put their own lock and make you pay 20 to get it off. it doesnt bother me since i rarely lock my bikes on racks

patc

Good questions! I'm not a lawyer, but I would guess that would remove any property damage issues... still have the theft issue, though.

patc

Notice PLUS attempt to contact the owner - must be both. There is also a world of difference between "parked/locked where it should not be" and "abandoned".