No bikes at MLK Memorial

Photo by M.V. Jantzen

There was nowhere to park bikes at the MLK Memorial, so this guy was walking his. Park Police reportedly waved him down and told him he had to leave. There's some irony there right?

Comments

[ontarioroader]

Odd, that wasn't my experience. I rode down yesterday afternoon and there were at least 30 bikes locked to the the half-mile+ of control/steel barricade fences lining both sides of Independence Ave adjacent to the memorial. True there's no dedicated bike parking yet, but a large area of the memorial grounds are still under construction.

[Meg]

I rode a CaBi down there last night, and an officer said it was fine to walk it through the memorial.

[freewheel]

Hmmm... maybe he was singled out? The NPS policy is that you can walk your bikes through the open memorials (e.g., FDR, WWII).

[SamuelMoore]

You can't walk through the Vietnam War memorial with a bike, can you?

[ontarioroader]

As much as everyone seems to enjoy bashing NPS/US Park Police, I've always found the enforcement regarding this to be common sense. If it's crowded then no, you can't walk w/bike or ride through a memorial area, if it's deserted and/or very early or late, then they have no problem with it. Not sure what the actual laws are regarding this, but I've never had a problem.

[Blue-eyed Devil]

@ontarioroader, why shouldn't we be allowed to walk a bike anywhere people are allowed to walk? It really isn't any bulkier than a double-wide stroller.

[ontarioroader]

@Blue-eyed Devil
Well, yes, we all know that, but the reality is that 99.999% of society views precious-little-snowflakes in double-wide strollers as untouchable and protected, whereas cyclists are scum. Double wide strollers shouldn't be allowed in crowded memorial areas either, but if Park PD tried to enact/enforce anything like that you would probably find M.V. Jantzen squealing about trampling of freedoms with that too.

[M.V. Jantzen]

"Squealing"?

[Cephas]

They don't like colored folk at the MLK Memorial.

[Foo]

@SamuelMoore Yes, you can absolutely walk through the Vietnam Memorial with a bike. You just can't ride one.

[Blue-eyed Devil]

@ontarioroader, to clarify, I was asking you why YOU felt that we shouldn't be allowed to walk a bike where strollers are permitted, not why the NPS/Park Police feel that way. You said YOU found their policy on this topic to be "common sense," which I take to mean you agree with them. Then, in your response to my comment, you contradict yourself on that point (never mind your saying "we all know" one thing juxtaposed with an opposing view you say is held by "99.999% of society." I don't think the math works there). Just sayin...

[Annoyed Tohavenotgotten in]

I just got kicked out for walking my bike. It wasn't even crowded. The park polic even told me they allow it at the FDR, just steps away. This is bullshit. At a minimum they should advertise this stupid rule so that people will know to bring a lock