Homeless in Vancouver: Bicycle lanes aren’t motorcycle parking spots!

It was as a spectator that I saw the motorcycle parked in the bicycle lane on the southwest corner of the intersection of 8th Avenue and Yukon Street a few days ago.

Had I been using that bicycle lane, I know I would have been sorely tempted to kick the motorcycle over as I was forced to veer left into traffic to get around it.

I’m only saying I would’ve been tempted. Hopefully I would never do such a mean thing. I certainly wouldn’t like it if I owned a motorcycle and someone booted it off its kickstand just because I was an idiot.

How does a motorcyclist know where to park their bike?

The City of Vancouver’s Motorcycle and scooter parking web page says there are over 200 designated motorcycle parking spaces, including more than 100 metered spaces, that can be used only by motorcycle and scooters—and they have a map to prove it.

The city explains these spaces are indicated by green-topped parking metres, motorcycle parking signs, and white painted zones.

We’ll have to take their word. I can’t show you what the marked motorcycle parking spaces might look like because I’ve never seen one and the city is disinclined to include any photos of said green-topped meters, or one of those motorcycle parking signs.

So just maybe I can understand how someone could mistake a bicycle lane for a motorcycle parking spot.

Nope. Sorry, I still can’t.