Penrose Square Giant in Arlington Blocks Bike Parking in its parking garage

[annoyedindc]

I’ve seen the problem too a number of times. Also quite concerning about the racks is that a number are very lose.
It seems they weren’t bolted in very well.

[Starduster]

Giant Food’s responsibility? Or Penrose Square management’s? Or both?

[Tim Kelley]

Link to the picture doesn’t work?

[gothedistance]

Sorry for my extremely tardy response. Thank you for pointing out that the link to the photo didn’t work. I guess the original file size was too large and it was rejected by the system. I have uploaded a scaled down version of the photo. It appears that the system accepts this image.

Jerry Cowden

[eminva]

Had the same problem with Giant in Vienna; their carts and empty bakery racks blocked the U racks that FABB donated. I repeatedly brought the manager out to show him until he finally got tired of me and solved the problem for good. Although now there is a bench right next to the bike racks where the employees on break sit to smoke. Oh well.

Liz

[huskerdont]

@gothedistance 137382 wrote:

The attached photo shows how the Penrose Square Giant Food grocery store in Arlington (2501 9th Rd. S.) has blocked all but one of the 10 U-shaped bike racks on the upper level of its parking garage. By the way, I’m not sure of the correct term used to designate this kind of bike rack so if someone knows it please tell me.

Note that the first 4 U-shaped racks in the foreground of the photo have been made inaccessible by the installation of a “shopping cart corral” right next to the racks. The next 5 racks are barely visible because they have been used as places to park some oversize grocery carts. I don’t know whether it is Giant or its customers that have parked the shopping carts between the racks, but if it is Giant they need to stop doing that. I haven’t said anything to store management yet about this but I’m guessing they’ll just shrug their shoulders.

Any suggestions on how to ensure a real response from Giant about this?

[ATTACH=CONFIG]11819[/ATTACH]

Great pic. The barricade demonstrates a complete failure to understand the method of use for an inverted U rack.

[dasgeh]

@eminva 140250 wrote:

… Although now there is a bench right next to the bike racks where the employees on break sit to smoke. Oh well.

This is the problem with the Safeway in Cherrydale. Makes it really hard to want to shop there when I have my kids in tow. (but it’s SO CLOSE)

[Steve O]

@gothedistance 137382 wrote:

Any suggestions on how to ensure a real response from Giant about this?

Before you assume that the management will shrug their shoulders, approach the manager in a friendly way–not a confrontational way. Ask her or him to come and look at the racks. You can even ask for help: “I wanted to lock my bike up here, but I couldn’t figure out how with all these carts in the way” or “I had to move these carts out of the way to make myself room; what do you recommend for people who come to the store on their bikes?”
Then rather than placing responsibility at his or her feet ask if they think there is something Giant corporate can do to help people like you–this friendly stranger–who ride bikes. Essentially it’s you and the manager together on the same team trying to get the big, corporate monster to come to your aid.

[KLizotte]

Whole Foods (!) can also be thrown into the grocery store bucket as providing poor bike parking (specifically, Clarendon, Alexandria, and Pimmit Hills). There are racks around the Foggy Bottom, Vienna and Takoma Park locations however. Fingers crossed they do better at the Pentagon City location which is expected to open this weekend. Please install covered parking!!!

FYI: I just discovered covered parking right across the street from Foggy Bottom Whole Foods at Beefsteak restaurant. Lots of inverted U racks under an overhang in front of one of their windows. Very nice.

[Tim Kelley]

Maybe this needs to be updated?

http://www.bikearlington.com/pages/biking-in-arlington/bike-parking/bike-parking-at-arlington-grocery-stores/

[GovernorSilver]

@KLizotte 140281 wrote:

Whole Foods (!) can also be thrown into the grocery store bucket as providing poor bike parking (specifically, Clarendon, Alexandria, and Pimmit Hills). There are racks around the Foggy Bottom, Vienna and Takoma Park locations however. Fingers crossed they do better at the Pentagon City location which is expected to open this weekend. Please install covered parking!!!

FYI: I just discovered covered parking right across the street from Foggy Bottom Whole Foods at Beefsteak restaurant. Lots of inverted U racks under an overhang in front of one of their windows. Very nice.

I’ve always been able to park my bike at a rack at the Alexandria Whole Foods – well, the one on Duke St. but then again I guess I’ve been lucky, as there are only 3 racks. Most riders seem to be well-behaved though about doubling up on racks, when needed – haven’t had anybody U-lock his/her bike to mine or anything like that.. yet….

[KLizotte]

@GovernorSilver 140284 wrote:

I’ve always been able to park my bike at a rack at the Alexandria Whole Foods – well, the one on Duke St. but then again I guess I’ve been lucky, as there are only 3 racks. Most riders seem to be well-behaved though about doubling up on racks, when needed – haven’t had anybody U-lock his/her bike to mine or anything like that.. yet….

If you go at rush hour (right after work or during a Saturday morning) those racks fill up; it would be nice if there were more but I suspect that is Alexandria City’s property. There is a wave rack in the parking garage but they bolted it so close to the wall that you can only use it by parking your bike horizontally to the rack meaning only one cyclist can use it as a time (assuming it hasn’t been blocked by carts). I just discovered that last week and didn’t have time to track down the manager. On my to do list.

[scoot]

The U racks along 9th Street S in front of Giant should be very reliable and just as convenient as the garage location. I walk through 9th and Barton frequently and often see one or two parked bikes but I don’t ever recall seeing those racks full. They’re not sheltered like the ones in the garage though.

I’ve also seen people lock up to the railings a few feet below while the U racks at street level sit empty. Not sure why anyone would choose the railing over a U-rack.

[eminva]

@KLizotte 140281 wrote:

Whole Foods (!) can also be thrown into the grocery store bucket as providing poor bike parking (specifically, Clarendon, Alexandria, and Pimmit Hills). There are racks around the Foggy Bottom, Vienna and Takoma Park locations however.

While there are racks at the Vienna location, they relocated them after they opened their “beer garden” or whatever it is a couple of years ago. They placed them right in the middle of the newly planted landscaping on the traffic islands. They are VERY difficult to get in and out of and impossible with the cargo bike. I just open the gate to the beer garden and lock it up to the railing in there.

The landscaping is long gone as you can imagine, so the bike parking is a mud pit, usually.

Liz

[GovernorSilver]

@KLizotte 140285 wrote:

If you go at rush hour (right after work or during a Saturday morning) those racks fill up; it would be nice if there were more but I suspect that is Alexandria City’s property. There is a wave rack in the parking garage but they bolted it so close to the wall that you can only use it by parking your bike horizontally to the rack meaning only one cyclist can use it as a time (assuming it hasn’t been blocked by carts). I just discovered that last week and didn’t have time to track down the manager. On my to do list.

I guess that’s one advantage of working in DC and living in Alexandria. By the time I reach that Whole Foods on my evening commute ride, it’s already past 6:30 pm.

I do admit being lucky on Saturday mornings – a couple of times there were only 1-2 spots left, but I’ve never gone there by bike before 10AM. Worst case scenario, I guess I can lock my bike to a parking meter a block or two away.

[Author]

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