Just saw these guys installing six (6) brand new bike racks on Valencia right in front of Boogaloos at 22nd Street. Now the hungover masses who mob the popular brunch spot every weekend will have ample room for their fixies. Combine this with the 3-spot Parklet debuting this Friday in front of Revolution Cafe, stoner-fave Escape from New York Pizza, and Lolo’s; and it looks like 22nd street is slowly becoming the new cyclo-hipster hub of the Mission. Take that Divisadero!
Silly Side Story: As I was taking this photo, some burner-type zoomed past me on his bike yelling, “Welcome to San Francisco! What are you, from Kentucky or something? Go home tourist!” Confused, I mounted my bike (which I had leaned against the stop light), caught up to him at around 21st street, and asked him what the problem seemed to be. He tentatively replied, “Well, you were taking pictures . . . of the city.” Good one buddy.
UPDATE!!! It looks like they’re putting these up all over Valencia in the spots where the Muni-26 bus stops used to be (good riddance). I spotted another one by Herbivore, as well as this one in front of Freewheel:
Previously:
Boogaloos: New Menus Means New Prices
Update: They Ruining the Boogaloo Building
The Maned Wolf: Gnarly! (from Kentucky!)
Freshly Painted Green Bike Lanes on Market Apparently Not Quite Enough
 brand new bike racks on Valencia right in front of Boogaloos at 22nd Street. Now the hungover masses who mob the popular brunch spot every weekend will have ample room for their fixies. Combine this with the 3-spot Parklet debuting this Friday in front of Revolution Cafe, stoner-fave […]</p>
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What a dick. As a native, I hate it when people harass tourists and people from elsewhere, especially since everyone who does it is ALSO from elsewhere.
So if that happens to you, tourists and SF newbies, you tell them that I said to fuck off (unless they’re walking slow).
Yeah, when I was a kid, my dad would tell me what a world-class city we lived in. I rolled my eyes, but then I moved away for college and such and realized that, yes, people like to come here for a reason. I even came back after living in other cool places. (OK that was because I ran out of money and immigration papers, but WHATEVS.)
I’m always totally stoked to help out tourists, and know how to avoid the areas where they congregate if I’m not up to dealing with them. They are representatives of our NUMBER ONE INDUSTRY after all. If you’re not from here, and complain about people that aren’t from here, well that’s just silly, now isn’t it? Especially if they’re just someone taking pictures of what’s essentially a construction project. And what’s with ragging on Kentucky? Or any place in particular? Or tourists? (See above re: NUMBER ONE INDUSTRY.)
Thanks, random douchebag, for making all of us other cyclists who use that street every day look like arseholes in the eyes of everyone else.
I love knowing someone local, you always have the best tips! xoxox
One thing I always notice about NYC is the locals are more than happy to help out a tourist and very rarely bitch. I’ve never figured out why people here are so anti-tourist. I mean, being stuck behind slow walking gawkers is annoying sure, but jeez, be proud that you live in a city that people are in awe of.
(I’m sure now at least ten people will post about some horrible NYC experience)
Wow, I’m all for this, but… five bike racks? In Portland, where they have dozens of these, they would have fit like 8 racks in that space. Look how far apart they’re spaced!
sorry, but the 3 ft between racks is not a huge amount if there is a bike on each side. in the corrals in pdx you end up squeezing to get in and out and knocking bikes all over the place. and 10 total new spaces in that area is so great! quit your bitchin.
Yeah, but the ones in Portland get fucking full. I’d rather have a cramped place to park my bike than no place at all. I guess it remains to be seen if that will be a problem here.
Actually, the rack spacing is 32″ apart center-to-center, which is the recommended guidelines from APBP. That gives enough room for bikes with panniers, cargo bikes, or other non-standard bikes– plus, it allows room for people parking bikes.
And if they get full and we need to add more, the SFBC will work to make that happen; in the meantime, an additional 40 bike parking spaces on Valencia, without adding to sidewalk clutter is a great thing!
A dickhead cyclist? No! Say it ain’t so!
Ah yes, see now this SimonSays guy thinks all cyclists are assholes because of this one dude. I’m sure he’ll come around and realize that it’s just the dude and not everyone else. Seems totally reasonable to assume that.
No, I don’t think so. I have however run into my fair share of them.
To be fair, its usually the other way around in this city where vehicles are demonized and drivers are all dickheads.
Just sayin’
as a city resident who actually is from kentucky, i take umbrage to this guy choosing my fair state to pick on. if he put a little thought into it, he would realize the low population of the state makes it statistically unlikely that a visitor would actually be from kentucky. also, when kentuckians do go on vacation, it’s rarely to places like californy. too many homos thereabouts.
I can think of 12 people off the top of my head who live here now, but are from Kentucky. You are not alone Tim!
Wait, i thought the new bike racks were multicolored Día de los Muertos themed ones which were supposed to be installed after the sidewalks were done, right?
The On-Street Bike Parking installations are outside of the scope of the Better Valencia project (15-19th Streets), where those racks are slated to be installed. This is in addition to those.
Wait, i thought the Valencia project went down to 24th, it stops at 19th? That’s odd.
@Kiya: The project only goes from 15th to 19th and even getting that last block in was difficult — it is all about money. Anyway, the 4 blocks is a nice test area. People can see what they like and don’t like about it and maybe over time a few more blocks will be added.
Didn’t realize it stopped at 19th street, then why did they get rid of the center late all the way down Valencia to Army?
I always try to help tourists, because they spend lots of money here in SF, and because people have helped me when I’ve traveled abroad.
I like them a lot better when they are on foot though, then when they are driving….
Yes yes and more yes. Drivers unfamiliar with their route/surroundings/rules of the road are very difficult for cyclists, peds and other drivers. And themselves.
so are local cyclists who don’t stop at stop signs or slow down when taking a tight turn around a corner.
@kiya:
http://www.sfbike.org/?goodroads#13
Kentucky RULES: http://missionmission.wordpress.com/2008/08/17/the-maned-wolf-gnarly/
Is it just me or do those things look like they’re going to get nailed by unsuspecting drivers pretty easily? Especially at night!
Somebody break out the neon fun fur.
I was thinking the same thing. When I had a motorcycle I was always terrified to park in the end spaces, but at least it would just get knocked over. Seems like if someone parking backs up too far you’ll end up with a nicely compacted bicycle. Maybe some hard posts on either end would help?
now it’s going to be REALLY impossible to get through the crowd there on Sunday mornings
Just BYOP (bring your own plywood) and presto! Instant table.
@M.A.C Yup, any user of the road is pretty difficult when they don’t follow the rules. I just hope I’m never guilty of assuming all of one sector of our transportation melting pot behaves the same. When I see an arsehole driver move, I say to myself “Geez, that drive is an arsehole” and not “All drivers suck”. Same goes for other users. Seems like there’s something in here to be learned about not assuming things, exploiting prejudices and stereotypes, co-existence, all that.
what makes you think I’m targeting a whole sector? I just said “bikers who don’t stop at stop at stop signs or slow down around corners”. How is that any different than you pointing out drivers who don’t necessarily know where they’re going? Sensitive much?
Oops, didn’t mean to imply that as you targeting anyone! Just wanted to remind myself that I should treat individual behaviors as individual. No harm meant toward you! And happy BTWD!
This is a great. If we can’t have wider sidewalks between 19th and 23rd or so… at least we can get more use out of them by not having to walk around parked bikes.
I drive all over the place in the city (hate on me!) and, frankly, am frightened of the idea of riding a bike on city streets, BUT I think this is awesome and amazing and I’m so glad that the city didn’t just make more car parking in the old bus stops. Well done, SF!!!
Biking is pretty safe in San Francisco, particularly in neighborhoods where drivers are used to bikes. I find the Mission pretty good, SOMA less so. Your mileage may vary.
Great use of that space.
On a street with so many bike riders and pedestrians, this makes a lot of sense. Who knew this city was still capable of making sensible decisions?!
zeitgeist has some outside also… i recommend locking there as opposed on the duboce side of the building. While construction is going on in the backyard there are NO bikes allowed…sucks.
When I biked into work this morning (HAPPY BIKE TO WORK DAY, EVERYONE!) I saw three places with racks installed. SWEET!
Of course the always-awesome Streetsblog brings it with pics and info:
http://sf.streetsblog.org/2010/05/12/on-street-bicycle-parking-on-valencia-street-is-now-a-reality/
Should have murdered the guy. For kicks.
[...] While we here at MM may not have the most professional photography equipment in the blogoshpere, we nonetheless must be constantly prepared to take advantage of whatever visual gold this captivating neighborhood throws our way. To that end, it helps to have instant access to whichever device we feel would most appropriately capture the moment. At the same time, it’s not always prudent to carry around an obvious camera bag, not so much because of the possibility of theft (albeit still an issue) but more so to not be all, “Oh hey, camera guy over here, smile, no don’t stop what you’re doing, wait come back!” Worse yet, you might be mistaken for . . . a tourist! [...]