Parking: an issue for bikes, too

Clearly one of the reasons bike sharing has taken off in so many cities is that it solves one of the major quandaries to riding a bike: where do I park it, and will it be there when I get back? The new bike sharing systems are so sophisticated that that worry virtually disappears. But for those that are biking and not using bike sharing, parking is still an issue in most places. Good bike racks are not easy to locate and security is always a concern. I know of one entrepreneur working on a system that could help with that, but it's still a primary obstacle for a lot of people. Sarah Goodyear writes about a big issue in New York City: "dead" bikes:

Despite the installation of hundreds of new bike racks around the city over the past few years, New York’s boom in bicycling has meant that it’s increasingly difficult to find a safe place to lock up. It’s illegal to lock to trees, and the fine for doing so is $1,000. The rules on street signs are vague, and your bike could theoretically get removed by the cops. Scaffolding is tempting, but if you lock to the wrong part, you might find the bar unbolted and your bike gone when you return. Lots of property owners don’t want you locking to fences and railings, and you always run the risk of being clipped if you do so.