I used to bike all the time when I lived in Houston.  People just couldn't understand why I would choose to be outside, out of the air-conditioning.  Several almost accidents from drivers who refused to acknowledge my existence.  And most of the time not a bike rack in sight.

Now, I live in Vancouver, BC.  Although things can be better for cyclists, it is worlds ahead of Houston.  Many public events now have (volunteer) bike valets and there are requirements at all public buildings for bike racks.  Good stuff.

Andrew Eisenberg
The gateway project is wrong---http://www.liveableregion.ca/

In LA on the Metro the cops randomly bother people who are not contributing to the gridlock that is Los Angeles freeways.

There are laws if you're in your car that cops can't bother you unless you're doing something wrong, but if you're on public transport, it's open season.

I love how rent-a-cops are always very knowledgeable of the rules, but never can tell you basic information like, where the entrance is, particulars about the neighborhood that they work in, pretty much anything useful they don't know.

They also have a good habit of never being around when someone is getting beaten to death by hooligans. Not that it's common to get beaten to death in a dark parking lot, but I guarantee you if it ever happened to you, the rent-a-cop would be on their smoke break.

In bounciness, Lo Fleming

"I hate cops."

"I hate cops too."

"What are you gonna do?"

"I'm gonna burn my uniform!"

"Yeah, me too, I'm gonna turn in my badge."

It looks like outsourcing police jobs to contractors produces even worse results.

Of course you know this verse of "The Hobo Lullabye" Lo.

"I know the police give you trouble.

They cause trouble everywhere.

When you die and go to heaven.

You'll find no policemen there."

This is not much of a consolence to todays modern athiest hobos though, as bio-d described in a recent article.

http://amazngdrx.blogharbor.com/blog

Stories like this turn me off completely to the possibility of biking anywhere. If it's going to be this much of a hassle to bike, I'll just take my scooter or my car or walk.

You need to take up smoking.

Solar John

Solar John,  thanks for the laugh.  I hadn't thought of that one!

Bernard, I'm afraid that the bikerack is one of those things that looks like a paperclip twisted to form an "m" and sunk into concrete--I seriously doubt they're up for moving that one.  My goal is to try to get the local bike club to work with me to get the county to put another one (capable of serving a lot more bikes) in under the eaves.

Icelander, I fear that your reaction is exactly the one shared by many, which is why I got so ticked by what would otherwise be a minor annoyance that I would shrug off.  I've been wet before and it's not fatal--but stuff like this is definitely harmful to the county's own efforts to try and deal with traffic and parking by encouraging bikes and transit.

jabailo, I enjoy my rich life very much, thank you for your concern.  Have you considered professional help for dealing with your anger?  Just asking ...

"An optimist is someone who thinks this is the best of all possible worlds. A pessimist is someone who is afraid that the optimist is right."

Another possibility to consider is to begin lobbying for your local county to adopt LEED standards.

There is a retrofit specification for existing buildings and one of the compliance areas is providing bicycle storage to encourage the use of bikes, rather than the multiple discouragements you received.

Common sense is an oxymoron...

I recently biked out to see Jimmy Carter speak.  I had never been to the arena before, so I just followed the line of cars into the parking lot, where a rent-a-cop was barking row numbers.  When it was my turn, the bejowled man just stared at me for a few seconds.  Then he said, "Uhh...Yeah."  Not hesitantly, but in a tone intended to imply competency, with a little head nod at the end.  Yeah? Seriously?  So I said, "Are there any bike racks?" and believe it or not, he said, "You could just lock it to that tree right there," gesturing to a tiny sapling in an island in the parking lot.  I said, "I'm pretty sure that's illegal," which it is (here anyway).  "Um, just wherever."  Awesome.  Eventually I found a fifteen-slot bike rack amid the vast sea of cars.  

The biggest applause line in the whole speech was about foreign oil.  Then everyone took off in their cars (on what was quite possibly the nicest day of the year).  They didn't get it in 1979 and they don't get it now.  

Ah, but you can probably SIT on your bike and smoke out of the rain, but not leave the bike there when you're done.

@Engineer: LEED gives you a credit for having a bike rack, but not necessarily a covered one. D'oh!

In rainy climates, shelters over bike parking should be a matter of courtesy -- just as shady shelters over at-grade car parking is common in many sunny places (at least it seems common in the southwest, including a few park & rides under solar panels). However, many bike racks are placed with the assumption that people only bike on nice days, anyhow.

If they have an indoor parking garage, you might try seeing if they'll let you lock up inside.

SS Credit 3.2 Alternative Transportation: Bicycle Storage & Changing Rooms
1 Point
Intent
Reduce pollution and land development impacts from automobile use.
Requirements
For commercial or institutional buildings, provide secure bicycle storage with convenient changing/shower facilities (within 200 yards of the building) for regular building occupants. Maintain bike storage and shower capacity that is sufficient for the greater of 1% of the building occupants or 125% of peak demand for these facilities.
For residential buildings, provide covered storage facilities for securing bicycles for 15% or more of building occupants in lieu of changing/shower facilities.

It's been a while since I read it...I remembered covered, but you're right, not 'required' for commercial.  Doesn't mean the public couldn't lobby for it, but depends on how close they are to reelection and how much backing they think the bicyclists have.

Common sense is an oxymoron...

In this day of terrorism,possibly unattended bikes could be loaded with explosives.It has been done many times before.
 Quit your whinning.If you were fine riding in the rain to whatever site you were going to than you are probably protected i.e. rainsuit,poncho,etc..
 Everybody knows that smoking is bad for you,including smokers,but we are crapped on by everybody for an addiction that is devastating.Every time there is money needed there is an increase in the Sin tax,cigarettes and alcohol.I believe that we still have rights as smokers in this country but I don'
t hear anybody listening or caring.So quit your whinning.Oh by the way I am a biker myself.

Why not ask why!?