Fighting back against Philly fines for parking bikes, scooters on sidewalks

 

Some motorcycle riders have made their voices heard.  After they objected to stepped-up enforcement by the Philadelphia Parking Authority — and its issuing $76 tickets for scooters and motorcycles parked on sidewalks — the PPA has agreed to relax enforcement in residential areas while it comes up with a more comprehensive plan.

With a dozen bikes parked in a row in front of Spare Parts Company in Old City, shop owner Roland Sotello said he was surprised to hear about the PPA’s ticketing effort.

“My shop [is] very small, so in the morning I pull all the bikes out, do work on the bikes, then pull them back in,” he said. “So I’ve been parking them on the sidewalk since Day 1.”

Resting on the seat of one of the bikes is what looks like a foot-long parking ticket.

Graphic designer Devyn Haas created the ticket replicas and is recruiting riders to leave them on their bikes when they use a parking space rather than the sidewalk.

“I felt like people need to know what’s going on. Cars would drive by in anger if they could not park in that space,” Haas said. “Well, by putting that sign on it, it would grab their attention and give a little bit of awareness to what’s going on and why they can’t have that space.”

Haas said a well-parked bikes on the sidewalk in front of his house doesn’t take up anymore space than a flower pot.

City Councilman Mark Squilla said his office was inundated with calls and emails from constituents who were concerned about the ticketing.

A spokesman said the PPA was responding to complaints by enforcing an existing law banning motorized vehicles from the sidewalk in response to complaints.