Bicycle parking would entice more people to ditch their cars
A lack of secure parking spots keeps many people from choosing bicycles over cars.
Photo: markhillary/Flickr 
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I have to be honest, here in Hotlanta where it gets very hot, it's hilly, and there are torrential downpours (not like Portland rain), bicycling is not a viable option (not to mention because of lack of bicycle lanes also) primarily because most people can't show up at work soaked in rain or sweat or wearing shorts. Waiting for someone to find a solution here....
Here in Seattle it was 105 degees two weeks ago, we had a torrential thunderstorm last week, last winter there were many days in the teens and we certainly have hills. I rode my bike to work through all of it; I only took a break for our week of ice, when I had to put chains on my car to get anywhere.
Having access at work (on site or nearby) to a shower and optionally a locker facility makes a huge difference and would at least help out the Hot part of Hotlanta commuting. It adds to the amount of stuff I have to carry on the bike every day, but so worth it!
Here in Portland, we recently saw the addition of a few "bike boulevards." These are the typical two-lane, one-way streets that seldom reach car capacity except for at peak rush hour and after special events. The right lane is now dedicated for bikes, meaning cars can drive there but must yield to the bike. I can tell you, it's much safer to ride down the middle of an empty car lane than hugging the parked cars and bracing for the eventual door prize in the skinny bike lane. If we want more.... More
By no means should it be required, but my employer allows us to store our bicycles indoors. I keep mine in my cubicle with me. There's so much spare room in many offices it seems silly to buy infrastructure when indoor parking is just far better.
So, for me that's a huge perk and I'd consider it when looking for a job. I'd like to see a culture shift toward accomodating travelers. Presently we have vehicle parking because the city requires you to put it in. I'd rather that we have.... More
I just started commuting to work/class! It's really great, but I totally agree -- trying to find a good spot can be hard sometimes. At my university located in downtown ATL, there is a total overflow of bikes, and aside from the small amount of provided racks, people have resorted to locking up their bikes in the oddest places (as well as in the oddest positions). We need to make a bigger effort to accommodate bike riders. For sure.
Here in Portland, the city has been taking out parking spaces for cars and installing on-street bike corrals that hold between 10 and 20 bikes. And local businesses cannot get their names added to the list of prospective locations fast enough. Not only does getting rid of cars open up their store front visually, but the amount of foot and bike traffic for their businesses has tripled revenue for many independantly owned cafes and shops.
