Need help with Motorcycle parking rules/laws in San Diego.?

Question

Just got a bike and I'm trying to figure out the parking rules for motorcycles in San Diego. Can you park on the sidewalk to chain it to a bike rack or something else? I've heard there is free parking for bikes downtown? How does this work? Can I park anywhere during the day and just keep the bike in between the white painted lines of regular parking spots so I don't have to feed the meter? Any and all experience parking a bike in San Diego would be great.

Answer 1

Who ties your shoes and drives you to work every morning?

Answer 2

I don't live in San Diego, but I gather that parking rules in California are similar, although enforcement may vary by location.

Parking on the sidewalk may be tolerated but it is not legal for several reasons, one of which is that it can be a real problem for  blind or disabled people. In my town, the ticket for parking on the sidewalk is $25. Bicyclists will appreciate it if you do not take up their bike racks with your motorcycle. They might even contact the cops if you are blocking it. They really need that space.

You should park in automobile spots. If you are in a parallel spot on the street, you should park in the middle of the spot, perpendicular to the curb with your read tire close to the curb. You should also feed the meter.

This can frustrate cars, when they see one motorcycle taking up all that space when they want to put their car in that spot. So, some motorcyclists "share" their spot with cars, but that doesn't guarantee you a free space. As long as the meter is fed, the meter maid won't care, but if the car leaves and you are left there with no fed meter; you get the ticket. If you + the car are there and the meter is out, you can both get a ticket.

I find that in free parking garages, I don't have a problem parking in those triangle spots at the end of a row.

Residential areas are more laxed. If you are looking for more parking in business or downtown areas, I suggest that you make a request of your parking/traffic department. In my town, we went to the city council and demanded more motorcycle parking. Our team suggested areas where we thought parking would be beneficial. We called out areas where there were red-marked spots that were too small for cars, but could easily be converted to motorcycle parking. The city agreed and created several dozen motorcycle spots. Its part of responsible development and will put a feather in your city's green initiatives hat.

Answer 3

Get real man. Ask a cop. They really are friendly. Get the info. from the source.

Answer 4

You bike is a vehicle, you need to park it at a parking space.  There may be certain location where it is for motorcycle only and you may park there.  As for parking on the curb, you must have one wheel touching the curb (either front or rear) most popular would be rear wheel touching the curb.

No you can not park on the side walk, ever see a car on the side walk?  That would be a big invitation for citation, not a very good idea if you are in a very highly populated location.