stevevance/bike_parking_letter_to_aldi.txt

## bike_parking_letter_to_aldi.txt
Hello, I am thrilled that Aldi has reopened here, with a new design, and is more pedestrian-friendly, because one of the entrances is on the sidewalk.

However, the store doesn't have a good place to park a bike. The bike rack model that has been installed hold a very small number of bicycles (2-4 depending on how people use it; it's hard to park here because the metal tubes are so close together), but it is also an insecure model.

The bike rack uses thin, round metal tubing, which can be easily cut with a handheld pipe cutter. The bike rack is installed on the ground with only 2 thin screws, which can be removed with hand tools obtained from any hardware store.

Because of this insecure installation, and the trouble of shuffling my bike into a crowd of other bikes at this rack, I lock my bike to the guard rails at the shopping cart pen.

The store is only going to get busier with bicyclists as more of your previous customers (and all of the new residents who've moved in when the store was gone) see that the store has reopened.

I implore you to consult with a professional bike rack manufacturer, or a designer, to install a new, higher-capacity bike parking area. I can put you in touch with a manufacturer and designer, or you can consult me. I worked for the Chicago Department of Transportation for three years in the bike parking division.

One idea would be to use one of the non-ADA car parking stalls for an "on-street-style bike rack".

-Steven
	Hello, I am thrilled that Aldi has reopened here, with a new design, and is more pedestrian-friendly, because one of the entrances is on the sidewalk.

	However, the store doesn't have a good place to park a bike. The bike rack model that has been installed hold a very small number of bicycles (2-4 depending on how people use it; it's hard to park here because the metal tubes are so close together), but it is also an insecure model.

	The bike rack uses thin, round metal tubing, which can be easily cut with a handheld pipe cutter. The bike rack is installed on the ground with only 2 thin screws, which can be removed with hand tools obtained from any hardware store.

	Because of this insecure installation, and the trouble of shuffling my bike into a crowd of other bikes at this rack, I lock my bike to the guard rails at the shopping cart pen.

	The store is only going to get busier with bicyclists as more of your previous customers (and all of the new residents who've moved in when the store was gone) see that the store has reopened.

	I implore you to consult with a professional bike rack manufacturer, or a designer, to install a new, higher-capacity bike parking area. I can put you in touch with a manufacturer and designer, or you can consult me. I worked for the Chicago Department of Transportation for three years in the bike parking division.

	One idea would be to use one of the non-ADA car parking stalls for an "on-street-style bike rack".

	-Steven