There is a new trend growing in the eco community: “bike valet” or “bike valet”. While bike valets vary from area to area in design, staff, equipment, and workmanship, they all share one common element: they create a bike-friendly destination.
Bicycles are much more energy efficient than cars. You can travel further with less fuel and less pollution on a bicycle than any car. It’s easy to see the big difference when we compare the CO2 / mile for some common modes of transportation.
The following are averages of CO2 pollution / mile per vehicle with a single passenger:
- 1.57 pounds of CO2 / mile in a “sport utility vehicle” – 15 MPG
- 1.10 pounds of CO2 / mile in an “average car” – 21.5 MPG
- 0.59 pounds of CO2 / mile in an “economy car” – 40 MPG
- 0.00 pounds of CO2 / mile on a “bike”
By reviewing the pollution each vehicle produces, it’s easy to see why environmentalists like to promote bike-friendly destinations wherever possible.
What is a “bike valet service”?
A bicycle valet is an organized valet and / or parking service for bicycles; imagine a bicycle wardrobe. Each area has its own execution, but the aim of the service is to encourage visitors to get on their bikes and to offer short-term, large-scale bike parking.
In Santa Monica, California, you can find a variation of valet parking for bikes. The City of Santa Monica offers free bike parking for both the Summer Twilight Dance Series (a free summer concert series) and the Sunday Farmers Market. In this case the city provides staff and similar to a traditional valet, staff provide a ticket and take your vehicle away. You must collect your vehicle before the end of the event, but there is no service fee, the tip is at your discretion.
Further north in San Jose, California, the Silicon Valley Bicycle Coalition offers similarly designed bicycle valet services at many locations, including Stanford’s home football games, the San Jose Blues Festival, Moffett Field Airshows, and numerous Civic Art and Wine Festivals.
San Francisco, California offers free bike parking at various events, including all San Francisco Giants home games, Movie in the Park series, Tour de Fat, and Winterfest. San Francisco is unique from many other cities in that as of January 1, 1999, the city requires bicycle parking for all major outdoor events.
In Fairfax, California, you can find a more grassroots effort. The Marin County Bicycle Coalition lends PVC bike racks to “Green Wednesdays” who in turn use them to provide free and secure bike parking. Green Wednesdays offers bike parking at the Wednesday Farmers Market. While not exactly a bike valet service, “Green Wednesdays” offers temporary secure bike parking on a large scale. This, in turn, makes your local farmers market a bike-friendly destination.
The benefits of bicycle valet
Bicycle valet parking can offer benefits to both event organizers and event venues, while creating a more bike-friendly destination, these are just a few of the benefits:
- Keep driveways and hallways clear. Without a bike valet or any other form of full-scale bike parking, cyclists are forced to lock their bikes to whatever, wherever they find it. A bike valet provides a central location for large-scale bike storage and keeps driveways and sidewalks clear.
- Reduce local traffic congestion. Each person who rides a bicycle is potentially one less car. Bicycle valet parking reduces traffic by reducing the number of people arriving by car.
- Encourage attendance. Many people avoid events due to parking problems. Bikes are quick and easy to check in and with less car parking it is sure to be a breeze.
Riding a bike is not only good for your health, it is also good for the planet. Every mile you bike instead of in your car reduces your carbon footprint. In this ever-changing environment, it’s important for everyone to do their part, which is why I encourage you to find your local bike group or coalition, and if you don’t have a local bike valet in service, then Why not start your own program?