Ugh, bike hangars (NIMBY alert)..

Scam

Scam

Scam

Soldato
Joined
20 Oct 2002
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19,068
Location
London
So, during COVID (before we actually moved here) someone on our street apparently enquired to the council about getting one of these monstrosities installed;

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Fast forward 3 years, the council is going mad for them as part of some green initiative to get everyone cycling. Yeah right. There was a letter that came through about 3 weeks ago saying that our street was selected to have not just one, but two (!) installed and where they would go - one about 4 doors up from us :rolleyes: They invited us to have our say and we objected. As did quite a few people. We've just had the official response saying that they will go ahead regardless..

Before anyone gets on my back, bear in mind that our street is 90% terraced houses, with tiny front gardens and small back gardens with a secure gated rear access alleyway. Back gardens are small (due to the curve on the street ours is one of the smallest at about 4.5m deep), yet perfectly fine for a small shed which most people have. So I really don't understand where the need for these is coming from. We're in zone 3 London, they're blatantly going to cause a noise disturbance at night.. youths are going to muck around with them, graffiti them etc. they'll get covered in bird **** and they just look plain ugly and ruin what is a very lovely Victorian terraced street.

Anyone had experience of the council pushing these and what you can do about it? Short of gluing myself to the road when they come to install it? :(
 
They do look a bit cack. Good idea, poorly executed. I'd never leave my bike in one. Wonder how much the council get robbed blind installing those? Then few years down the line, as you say vandalised, more money to remove them.
 
Scam said:
We've just had the official response saying that they will go ahead regardless..
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Been a lot of that kind of stuff around here - like 80% rejection at "consultations", still goes ahead - only way people have actually had their say is literally a group of them obstructing access when the workers turned up - but even then that council only backed down temporarily and tried to go at it another way.
 
I'm not sure I see the point, are they literally just a covered bike rack and therefore everything is just as likely to get nicked but at least the scrotes can stay dry while they steal?
 
tom_e said:
I'm not sure I see the point, are they literally just a covered bike rack and therefore everything is just as likely to get nicked but at least the scrotes can stay dry while they steal?
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Pretty sure local residents get a code?
 
Scam said:
So I really don't understand where the need for these is coming from. We're in zone 3 London, they're blatantly going to cause a noise disturbance at night.. youths are going to muck around with them, graffiti them etc. they'll get covered in bird **** and they just look plain ugly and ruin what is a very lovely Victorian terraced street.
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More of a noise disturbance than someone driving a car in an urban area?

Seems very unlikely to me.

Mind you, the really need to have some pillars or something to protect them from bad drivers parkers.
 
We've got one on our street, similarly a Victorian terraced street in Bristol. Fortunately it's at the end of the road, and it's also old. Maybe installed 6/7 years ago.

Similarly to you, I cycle every day, and have two bikes, yet I would NEVER use one of these. I just don't see the point. Unless you live right in front or to the side of it, it's way more hassle than keeping it inside your house (which I do) or in the back garden.

Some of our residents recently floated the idea of turning a now-defunct car sharing spot into another one I very quickly objected and suggested we apply for a public/lamppost EV charger instead.
 
Look at as free parking if you drive a Beetle or Audi TT as they look kinda similar in shape.

Or perhaps it's the council's low-ball attempt at providing shelter for the homeless.
 
Russinating said:
Some of our residents recently floated the idea of turning a now-defunct car sharing spot into another one I very quickly objected and suggested we apply for a public/lamppost EV charger instead.
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Probably a lot of the motivation for these is the council being seen to be doing something environmentally friendly, etc. an EV charger is probably a more costly endeavour :s
 
tom_e said:
I'm not sure I see the point, are they literally just a covered bike rack and therefore everything is just as likely to get nicked but at least the scrotes can stay dry while they steal?
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When you rent a 'space' you get the key.
KompuKare said:
More of a noise disturbance than someone driving a car in an urban area?
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Yes, I'd say the possibility of someone clanging that shut at midnight when coming home from a shift (for example) or whilst leaving at 6am on a Sunday for their morning ride (cyclists are weird ;)) would be far more jarring than a car.
Trifid said:
You're right, that 20 year old Ford Focus is a much better sight and really improves the appearance of the Victorian street.
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Ha, that's not my street! Mine is actually full of Mercedes because there's a small garage at the end of the street that only seems to service cars if they're blacked-out Mercedes :p
theone8181 said:
I've not seen then before, bit that looks tiny. Is it for a child's bike :p . Does the top just lift up then?
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There's only 6 'spaces' in them. That's the ridiculous thing. For practically the size of a car you get only 6 spaces. It's nuts. So there's one family on our street that admitted to having enquired about it a long time ago. They now have a smaller metal thing in their front garden. But it's like.. if they decided to use it, they'd use up 4 of the 6 spaces :confused: So the whole street has to put up with this eyesore because one family doesn't want to keep their bikes in their garden? :confused: It's nuts.

EDIT: I also forgot to mention that our street is extremely narrow. There's parking either side but only just room for single lane traffic even though it's obviously a two way street. So the thing would look even bigger than the one pictured in comparison :(
 
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Scam said:
Yes, I'd say the possibility of someone clanging that shut at midnight when coming home from a shift (for example) or whilst leaving at 6am on a Sunday for their morning ride (cyclists are weird ;)) would be far more jarring than a car.
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Im a cyclist that goes out riding as soon as the sun is up and its because the roads are quiet and Im less likely to be holding anyone up or get knocked off
 
Are they going to be free to anyone who wants to use it or will they have to pay rent on each 'space'?

If it's the latter who would actually bother as if you live on that street like you say you'd be best off getting something in your own back yard which has no ongoing cost.
 
Bear said:
Im a cyclist that goes out riding as soon as the sun is up and its because the roads are quiet and Im less likely to be holding anyone up or get knocked off
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Exactly my point. I know cyclists are early risers :p I have a bike myself btw, funnily enough even though I don’t have a shed yet- it’s in my back garden under a cover and I have zero interest in using one of these hangers.
sovietspybob said:
Are they going to be free to anyone who wants to use it or will they have to pay rent on each 'space'?

If it's the latter who would actually bother as if you live on that street like you say you'd be best off getting something in your own back yard which has no ongoing cost.
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They’re subsidised so £8.40/yr. (Yay, my council tax pays for it too :rolleyes: )

Under the consultation our street is actually getting two! :mad: :confused: In the list of roads there loads that are bigger, busier, with more flats and blocks. The mind boggles why they’ve chosen our street :confused:
 
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Scam said:
Exactly my point. I know cyclists are early risers :p I have a bike myself btw, funnily enough even though I don’t have a shed yet- it’s in my back garden under a cover and I have zero interest in using one of these hangers.

They’re subsidised so £8.40/yr. (Yay, my council tax pays for it too :rolleyes: )

Under the consultation our street is actually getting two! :mad: :confused: In the list of roads there loads that are bigger, busier, with more flats and blocks. The mind boggles why they’ve chosen our street :confused:
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Wow you must have a lot of cyclists :p . So is parking already bad down there, as losing 2 spaces isn't going to make it better.
 
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