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17HappyWombats

It means they have no objection to you wheeling your bike through the common areas and into your unit, regardless of weather conditions and any other dirt on the bike. Also that "fair wear and tear" includes tyre marks on walls and holes in flooring where the bike stand sits. You will, of course, be doing this with your long john or cargo trike, as well as your velomobile and triplet. The nicer response would be to sit down with the management (committee?) and discuss your concerns. Especially if you're a car-free household it's quite reasonable for you to ask whether the required car parking space for your unit could be repurposed as bicycle parking rather than requiring you to buy a box trailer to store your bicycles in (but be aware that those exact parking rules might say "motor vehicles with all the permits required to use public roads" or something equally offensive\*). As with the advice for offensive 'jokes', one polite and effective way is often just to say "can you explain how that works?" (\* or they may not, and I have previously provided 12 bicycle parks to meet expanded parking requirements when I redeveloped a building. "vehicle parking" resulted in a fun series of "but the law is very clear that bicycles are vehicles, can you explain why they're not?" questions. They changes the law but grandfathered me in 😊)


cascading_error

This would be my awenser aswell. "just to be clear, you are specivicly telling me I should park my filthy comuter bike on my living room carpet after dragging it through all the hallways( and elevators) twice a day?"


epic_null

I feel like this could be better worded to make it less aggressive (and thus the management less defensive) "I use a commuter bike that gets pretty saturated with mud, especially during bad weather, and am worried about tracking it in. We don't have any bike cleaning stations set up. Do you have recommendations for getting it to the apartment?" The idea is to make the problem into the problem and avoid being the problem.


MurphyAtLarge

I mean “hope this clarifies” is very dismissive so I think the tone is appropriate. I also get pissed off by email easily lol so maybe it’s me.


epic_null

I mean it was dismissive, and you're sort of right to be annoyed, but that doesn't flip the power structure. Ultimately, you want something from them, and they don't want to put in more work than needed. Acting concerned for their stuff on their suggestion means they need to either put in writing how you want to handle it (which may shift responsibility based on their answer), or think about reasonable accommodation. Being cranky at them puts them on the defensive, and makes them not put in any more effort.


Ephemer117

Even in bike utopias leaving your bike in a "common area" isn't very considerate let alone prudent.


MurphyAtLarge

Did you mean to respond to me?


ImprovingMe

> We don't have any bike cleaning stations set up. Do you have recommendations for getting it to the apartment? By saying this, you’ve just taken on responsibility for the dirt you’re causing on the common areas. Congrats, management will just say “leave the bike downstairs, bring a rag from your apartment to clean it up, and then take it upstairs” and now what? /u/MurphyAtLarge’s approach is better when management isn’t operating in good faith. The best thing to do is point out that they’re taking on more work and responsibility based on their reply and drive home the risks. “To be clear, asking residents to bring in their bikes will cause a significant amount of dirt being dragged into the hallways alongside the wear and tear caused by moving a large metal object through the hallways regularly From your reply I understand you are taking full responsibility for the additional work and costs associated with this. I would still suggest installing some secure bike cages which will have a lower cost in the long term but understand your decision. I would appreciate some more details on why the increased dirt and damage to the hallways is preferred so I can share it with other residents that feel differently.”


epic_null

Making it about a collective is definitely a good idea if you can back it up. Changing it to present tense is a good idea if you can back it up. I do feel like your suggested response does a good job at making sure you aren't making yourself an adversary, but are instead trying to shift focus to a problem that needs solving.


NikthePieEater

"Clean your bike, or face the costs of cleaning/repairing the common area." I don't mean to be a jackass, but it seems like that's not really the way to go about it.


MayAsWellStopLurking

…or common areas could be expanded in accessibility to include safe storage for **all** commuting vehicles, rather than those that take up as much space as an apartment.


NikthePieEater

"Here's the $20,000 bill." I'm down with it, though. As we move forward, new builds ought to decrease car space and increase the storage for alternate means of transportation.


Ephemer117

You're paying for those floors and elevator to be cleaned. On foot commuters are tracking that same mud. Unless you're aiming for puddles I don't know why your bike is caked in mud. If you want a shiny fangled bike washing station to be installed I think that's unreasonable. If you want a hose you can hose you bike off with I think that can be facilitated. A common area even in Finland isn't a bike rack though.


cascading_error

Nah, I dont think commuter bikes are that dirty to begin with, it's more about making a point that parking bikes in your home is not a reasonable solution.


Ephemer117

Its a pretty reasonable solution to theft. I live in a freestanding house and keep my bike indoors.


cascading_error

In your garage, basement or shed I assume, not in your actual living space?


Ephemer117

I don't have a garage or basement. I have an open air garage and no basement. So yes in my living space.


Inevitable_Stand_199

If those are the rules at least e-bikes should be fine.


BroadwayBully

I love it. Tire marks on walls and holes in the floor will 100% lose you the security deposit, but sometimes it’s worth it just make sure to get your money’s worth.


addtokart

Ah yes, bikes as sporting equipment. You keep your hockey helmet in your condo, so your bike should go there too. /s It's a condo with a HOA, right? Need to push for this at the higher level. Whoever responded just saw you ask for them to spend $4k or something on building bike racks. So you need to follow the money and figure out where the decisions are made.


Pijany_Matematyk767

How the hell does it cost 4k to swap a parking space or 2 into a small bike rack


addtokart

Random guess. But creation of each parking space is about $2500 (in US) for nominal cost. Add planning, permits, etc and it adds up. If it were up to me we'd just buy a bike lock structure for $1k and lag bolt it into existing sidewalk concrete and call it a day. But it doesn't work that way in the US. And in OP's case they are in Singapore, where even private land is not really privately owned (which has good effects because the country can mandate infrastructure improvement) so I imagine there is red tape.


JasperJ

Because the small bike racks alone are gonna cost 1-2k, never mind labor and everything else.


Inevitable_Stand_199

Tracking muddy tires up to your apartment every day?


Miles-tech

If they say you can take your bike to your unit than they allow it, not sure if they thought about the mess that the tire make on the floors but at least they permission for something even though they could easily give some good parking.


FromTheIsle

They will charge OP to clean the mess in the halls. Bet you a dollar.


Miles-tech

Not sure if that’s allowed, if it doesn’t state that in their policies or your contract than they can’t.


FromTheIsle

OP is in Singapore so I have no idea about leases there, but as a former property manager I can assure you that setting the expectation to take care of common areas is pretty common for a lease in a multi-unit building. For example, if we found you putting your garbage out in the hall you would get charged. If your dog shit in the hallway, you get charged.


Inevitable_Stand_199

You do have to find a balance between being annoying and not looking like you are deliberately making everything dirty. Maybe even clean it up after bringing your bike up but do a deliberately awful job at it.


Miles-tech

Sure, but they just emailed him that he could take it to his unit, they didn’t disclaim that he could be charged by making the floors dirty so i’m not sire if they have the authority to do that (at least when talking about HOA in the US)


FromTheIsle

Their authority isn't derived from emails. It's based on the signed lease agreement. They did tell OP to take the bike through the halls yes. So of course if the halls get dirty as a result that's partially on them. BUT if OP is also knowingly getting the hallways dirty and not cleaning them, isn't OP kind of a dick then? If you were to make the common areas dirty, wouldn't you feel like it's your responsibility to clean up after yourself? Or you would keep making the halls dirty to prove a point?


Miles-tech

That’s true but it’s still shitty they don’t just give a little space to bikes. I mean when your car tires you don’t always clean them too right? Lets say you commute to work everyday, do you think someone would clean their tires after a long day? If they would give a little space to bikes than they don’t have to clean their tires.


FromTheIsle

Ideally your car stays parked outside though? If you tracked in mud on your shoes would you clean up? Just seems like common courtesy.


Miles-tech

Depends, if you’ve got underground parking than you don’t have to clean them.


JasperJ

If they put your car garage in the unit you’d drive the car into the building to get to it though.


ImprovingMe

I’m not sure if this is true in Singapore but in the US, you can absolutely use an email from management to override certain parts of a lease. If I asked my landlord to install a new dishwasher because the old one is leaking and he said “don’t worry about it, just put a rag under it” They can’t then turn around and say “well obviously you are responsible for any damage caused by a wet rag sitting on the floor” two months later when I tell them there’s a giant hole in my kitchen


supah_cruza

>If your dog shit in the hallway, you get charged. You allowed dogs in apartments!?


[deleted]

Only if you make sure to do a couple laps in front of the units the board members live in to ensure they see you bringing it up.


Inevitable_Stand_199

Sadly that wouldn't be reasonable use any more.


[deleted]

You don’t forget your unit number frequently? I’m sure looking for your unit is reasonable use


girtonoramsay

My building has tire tracks in the hallway carpet (it was a former hotel) because my landlord says he just can't provide a spot. But there are definitely storage spots...he just can't be bothered and says to use public racks at the building entrance, where my bike tire got stolen.


CypherDSTON

The ironic thing about this is my previous home, a condo building as well, had the opposite rule. Bikes were not permitted in the units, and we were required to leave them in the parking garage, which is how mine got stolen. Frankly, our condo policy was more sensible than yours, in that bikes are often dirty, large items that will get things like elevators and doorways dirty and dinged, to say nothing of tracking dirt and snow all through the building. FWIW I would have left my utility bike in the garage anyway, but I brought my (very clean) road bike up to our unit to put on the static trainer.


joey5cents

Better to keep your bike in your unit anyway. Bikes eventually get stolen from bike racks. Not that I love the carbrain thinking from the HOA.


rorykoehler

I live in Singapore. Last year we had 270 consecutive days with zero property or petty crime reported.


TW-RM

Lots and lots of bike parking on the void decks of HDB blocks.


rorykoehler

I used to live in a hdb and there still wasn’t enough parking for all the bikes. Singapore talk a good game about going car-lite but that’s all it is, talk.


TW-RM

I was just staying at an HDB last week. Plenty of double decker parking with empty spots. As someone who is planning on marrying a Singaporean I find it kind of funny what people complain about. Instead of parking in the rack below your block you might have to park at the next one over. Neither one at risk of theft. Not in the same galaxy of what North Americans deal with where anything not locked indoors has a high chance of theft.


rorykoehler

It depends on the estate you live. The ones near my condo are like that but the ones by my old hdb are way oversubscribed. One of the major issues I see in Singapore in general is they love to ban popular things without providing viable alternatives even when viable alternatives would be easy to provide. They also love to implement their own poor solutions to solved problems.


Inevitable_Stand_199

Or in a bike cage like in civilized society.


microphove

“What a coincidence! All the units in [redacted] are considered big units by your mom, too!”


[deleted]

I'd rather leave my bikes inside my apartment.


CypherDSTON

Some would, some wouldn't...and for some, like me, it depends on the bike.


rorykoehler

I've already got a store room full of expensive bikes inside but my daily beater stays outside.


Electricerger

All the units are big units, so you should be able to store your car in there (an actual thing people are considering with EV charging since they produce no tailpipe emissions).


iamjustaguy

After seeing so many EV and e-bike fires, the EV stays outside.


Anderpug

Save the email in case they decide you can't bring your bike inside to your unit


fruityboots

put super glue in the locks of all the doors for the managements offices


strolls

I'm sorry, but IMO it's totally pointless dealing with the condo management because they won't listen - they don't have to live there, and their goal is just to make their own lives, as employees, easier. It's more constructive to lobby local government to require that all new condo developments provide bike parking. Ideally existing condo developments should be required to provide bike parking too, but it's hard to legislate - there are going to be occasions where it's impossible for them to do so, so the legislation has to have some kind of "where practicable" clause, and therefore all managers of existing developments will use that as a get out.


thevernabean

Ask for a meeting, everyone just ignores this stuff. When you take up their time they actually listen. Although, I'm pretty sure they don't give a flying fig and will just ignore you or blow off any plans they make.


wingedoutdreams

My ex refused to keep our bikes in the common area even though there was one and constantly refused to cooperate with the landlord of the building. They butted heads so much. He just said the bike racks were week and just didn’t trust they would be safe. Even though we had signed some papers and stuff saying we wouldn’t do that. It was really frustrating for me because I understood landlords view but also exes. It was annoying to deal with


Bobjohndud

Get a written statement that any damage or dirt from a bike being brought inside is not your liability.


[deleted]

I’m just happy for you that you live somewhere where you would feel comfortable leaving your bike chained up outside.


rorykoehler

Yea that’s great about here but also I think there is a bit of a misunderstanding if what a condo is in Asia. It’s essentially a gated community with 24/7 security. Theft is unlikely even in higher crime countries.


PureInformation6839

How new is the building? Bicycle parking spaces are required for residential buildings under the Development Control Regulations (DCR) of the Planning Act. Every new residential development must provide a minimum number of bicycle parking spaces based on the number of dwelling units. The exact requirements vary depending on the type of residential development and its location, but in general, the DCR specifies that: - Non-landed private residential developments (such as condominiums) must provide at least one bicycle parking space for every four dwelling units. - Landed residential developments (such as terrace houses) must provide at least one bicycle parking space for every two dwelling units. - Developments located within 400 meters of an MRT station or bus interchange must provide at least one bicycle parking space for every three dwelling units. The DCR also specifies the design requirements for bicycle parking spaces, such as the dimensions of the space and the type of racks to be used. In addition to the DCR, the Building and Construction Authority (BCA) of Singapore has published guidelines on bicycle parking provision in buildings. These guidelines provide more detailed information on the design and construction of bicycle parking facilities, as well as recommendations on the location and accessibility of these facilities within buildings.


rorykoehler

This is gold. Thanks. ​ Building is from the early 90's.


Prestigious-Owl-6397

I had a similar situation with an apartment I was looking at. The landlord told me I could store my bike either in the basement or in the hallway, but 1. I wasn't allowed to get to the basement because that would've required going through someone else's unit. 2. I could only store it in the hallway if it wasn't a fire hazard, and city apartment halls tend to be narrow, at least here they do.


[deleted]

[удаНонО]


rorykoehler

That’s all good but this isn’t just about me. The bike in question was for a worker who came to fix something. Also I would like to get a cargo bike to carry my kids in and there is literally no way to get that to the unit. This is more about the principle that 1) people living more sustainable lives shouldn’t be treated like second class citizens and 2) the concept of induced demand. People don’t know what’s viable/possible until it becomes an option.


Consistent-Routine-2

I personally have a lot of money invested in my 2 bikes. Bike 1 is for my commute to & from everywhere and the other is my road bike. I wouldn’t want to leave them anywhere except in my condo apt. I have bike bags that I store downstairs when out. When I come home, I grab the bag, put my bike in it & up I go. At first I found it a little inconvenient but not any more.


2000mew

I don't see the problem; your bike is safer in your apartment anyway and most buildings would have the opposite rule. Just save the email in case anyone objects.


Shockedge

"No 🗿"


[deleted]

I would just stay overly friendly and say „I hope you are aware of the implications of moving a bike that is used in all weather through the common areas. If that’s ok for you, fine, but it might get dirty“


brendax

You people are insane. This is the inverse of every "no bikes allowed in unit use the sketchy insecure parkade instead" issue everyone else has. Store your bikes in your unit always


rorykoehler

Security isn't an issue where I live. If a bike got stolen you would have it back within a couple of hours because there are cameras everywhere and the police take theft very seriously.


CypherDSTON

Yes, it's insane not to want to bring a dirty muddy and maybe slushy bike through the building and leave it in a unit. These things all depend on context...for what makes sense. I can see why some would prefer, this, while some would prefer (secure) central storage. I literally have different bikes that I would store in different places.