06-24-2016, 12:30 AM
Actually, they do mention motorcyclists not paying: "Larry Cohen, president of the Middle Atlantic Parking Association, said garage operators have differing philosophies about motorcycles. Some worry about liability issues, and others have concerns about motorcyclists going around gates."
I think that, while it is possible that a bike might not trigger the gate correctly and great a risk to the rider, I feel that the much more likely reason for the ban is that some operators grew tired of motorcyclists thwarting the system. Revenue drives both reasons, though. I imagine that fixing the gates to assure the safety of the rider has a significant cost in some cases as would creating a solution to the "ride-around" problem. My guess is that the garage operators feel that the potential revenue gain is not enough to make it worthwhile to change the status quo. Maybe ABATE will have some luck over time, though.
These things do take time. I am trying to explain to my local city council that there are several places in town where they could take current no-parking areas and re-stripe them to fit 2 or 3 motorcycles. My contacts at the city basically tell me that it's not worth their time to redesign the spaces for the few bikes that come around and they gain no revenue from it. Time, money, and preconceptions are the factors driving these decisions (or lack thereof), but mostly, it's money.
I think that, while it is possible that a bike might not trigger the gate correctly and great a risk to the rider, I feel that the much more likely reason for the ban is that some operators grew tired of motorcyclists thwarting the system. Revenue drives both reasons, though. I imagine that fixing the gates to assure the safety of the rider has a significant cost in some cases as would creating a solution to the "ride-around" problem. My guess is that the garage operators feel that the potential revenue gain is not enough to make it worthwhile to change the status quo. Maybe ABATE will have some luck over time, though.
These things do take time. I am trying to explain to my local city council that there are several places in town where they could take current no-parking areas and re-stripe them to fit 2 or 3 motorcycles. My contacts at the city basically tell me that it's not worth their time to redesign the spaces for the few bikes that come around and they gain no revenue from it. Time, money, and preconceptions are the factors driving these decisions (or lack thereof), but mostly, it's money.