#BikeNite A8: I went to the City of #Waterloo #Lumen festival, dragged my bike around from one exhibit to another, then at the last place there was a Free Bike Valet service! If I'd known I'd have stopped there first, parked my bike, and gone to the indoor exhibits too! But even parking it there for only a few minutes let me get a couple of samosas.

The Bike Valet people were so happy to be back, there hasn't been a bike valet in Waterloo since the start of the pandemic.

@ascentale
@bikenite

@Pionir @bikenite In the US at least, in areas with high cycle theft, some folks will not take a cycle to go to an event because they're worried about their cycle being stolen. Or often an event is being held somewhere where there are few or no suitable cycle racks. So cycle advocacy groups and institutions interested in more sustainable transportation will organize Bike Valet parking.

This usually involves volunteer labor staffing a table that takes in the cycles & gives an #BikeNite

@Pionir @bikenite identifying ticket. The valet volunteers then take the cycle into a fenced-off and/or guarded area where it is parked until the owner comes back with the ticket to retrieve it.

This is particularly useful for solo cyclists like me because I don't have a buddy to "just watch my ride" while I go get something. If there's no safe cycle parking, I cannot stop.

It can be successful in getting ppl to ride to an event rather than drive. #BikeNite

https://www.flickr.com/photos/bike/6951131377