Yesterday, reader Laurel G. tipped us to some new bike racks being installed in a parking space in front of Rooky Ricardo’s Records. Naturally we interrupted whatever extremely important thing we were doing and scurried on over to peep the scene for ourselves.
Turns out, Laurel was right!
Where once a car could rest its gas-guzzling ugliness now stands a proud corral of six racks, each of which can accommodate two bicycles. That’s a 12-bike corral, if our calculator is to be believed!
Owner Dick Vivian (pictured) tells Haighteration that he started the application process for the racks over a year ago, back when an injunction on the SFMTA’s city-wide Bike Plan (which authorizes the rack installations) was still in place. But that injunction was lifted in August, meaning the Bike Plan could move forward, and folks like Vivian could finally bike-friendlify their businesses.
To be clear, though the corral is situated in front of Rooky Ricardo’s, you don’t have to be a Rooky’s customer to use it. Your destination could be Rooky’s, Nickies, Kate’s Kitchen, someone’s apartment, the bus stop, somewhere else, or nowhere in particular. The corral is for everyone.
So, Rooky’s replaces a parking spot for one person with a parking corral for twelve. To us, this sounds like progress. But if you disagree, let us know below. That’s why we have a comments section!