Photos 20 Jul 2008 08:33 am
PhotoSunday – Hitching Posts
- Back in the wild, wild west, they used to have hitching posts so cowboys could tie their horses outside the local tavern to keep them from running wild. If there was no hitching post, cowboys in movies used the stanchions in front of the saloon or store.
We don’t have horses in the big city, but we do have bicycles. Hitching these with chains and locks and anything to try to prevent theft has
________(Click any image to enlarge.)_____________been a primary difficulty for
_______________________________________-_____messengers and other bike riders.
My studio has two entrances (or exits depending on how you view the situation.) At both, there are wrought iron fences which sort of act as bannisters going up/down the steps. Leaving work the other day, I noticed that the back entrance was used as a “hitching post” for a couple of bike riders. Presumably they were working out in the gym just next door.
Good thing we rarely use this exit.
This made me start looking at other hitching posts I could find on my way home, and I took some snaps.
Sign posts and trees seem to be likely candidates.
Sometimes both come in handy.
Though, any pole will do.
The upside-down “U” seems to be designed for smaller businesses
that want something curbside.
For one or multiple bikes.
There’s also the “M” shape for a couple of bikes.
I’m not sure if these are supplied by the City or the storeowner.
There’s a uniformity around town that makes me wonder.
In places there are a number of these for the high bike traffic.
Sometimes this isn’t enough and a subway entrance serves as a backup.
Even though many “M”s have been placed in the same area.
I did like noting this one unit outside a “Circuit City” store that offered
an overhead to protect the bikes outdoors.
on 21 Jul 2008 at 2:13 am 1.Michael J. Ruocco said …
These bike hitches remind me of a funny story that happened last year…
Last fall while walking through the city, I passed one of those 2-bike hitches with a shiny new bike hitched onto it. I noticed that it was only hitched to the back tire with a old, flimsy lookin’ chain.
When I headed back later on that day, I passed by the same hitch & all that was left was the back tire (really banged up with some spokes bent/twanged off) & the flimsy chain holdin’ it down. I couldn’t believe what I saw, especially since it was broad daylight & in the middle of the city!
It was stupid of him/her to only wrap the chain around the tire & not through the rest of the bike. Still, I felt pretty bad for the poor sap who lost their ride home.
on 21 Oct 2014 at 3:50 am 2.computer mouses said …
Hi, An interesting discussion is worth comment. I do believe that you should write read more about this topic, may possibly not become a taboo subject but generally everyone is too little to communicate in on such topics. Yet another. Cheers