Wednesday, March 22, 2006

Tour Buses vs. my bike in the Inner Harbor II - Quick's Transportation, Fredericksburg, VA

I was riding home tonight, March 22. I passed through the Inner Harbor around 7:00 pm. There were *SIX* count'em *SIX* tour buses illegally parked in front of the ESPN Zone.



They were all together. They were loading up a couple hundred little kids. But the signs say NO STOPPING, they don't say "Bus Loading Zone". And they prevent me from using the public right of way.

The guy in the gray coat with the eyes of the Devil appeared to be in charge. He confronted my when I started taking pictures. He wanted to know why "I was such an asshole." Well, I'm not the one illegally parking six tour buses in a no stopping zone. I'm the guy prevented from using the only safe and legal way to ride a bike across downtown Baltimore.



Here are a couple drivers. The one who wouldn't let me take her picture said if I didn't put the camera away, she would take it and a bunch of them would beat the crap out of me. I don't hold it against her for not letting me take her picture. I found her quite unattractive.



The guilty organization appears to be Quick's Transportation, Fredericksburg, VA, phone 1-888-373-1357.



Here are what pictures I could get of the registration information on the buses. I only got four of six. When they saw me photographing this info, the hurried up and left.




5 comments:

Allen said...

I have tilted at a windmill of the Baltimore ESPN Zone's making. They re-broadcast ESPN audio on a very leaky FM transmitter I guess for use by patrons inside the place. Whenever I would miss the light in front of the ESPN Zone I would have to listen to their broadcast instead 88.1 WYPR. I called the FCC and they said they did not take consumer device complaints and the aggrieved party (in this case WYPR who has the current license for that frequency) would have to file the complaint. I called WYPR and talked to someone who thought I was a crank call.

Cham said...

I wrote you a wonderful post about a vicious disagreement I had which was very similar regarding the Discovery Duck's, my bike and where they are and aren't allowed to park.

However, blogger wouldn't let me post it I(this was Thursday). In frustration I gave up. I don't feel like reposting, but, to make a long story short, I won. They no longer block the trolley lane, and I doubt they want to take me on a second time. (Would you like a free ride on the Ducks, BTW?, I have tickets)

Anyhoo, talk to someone in Dave Cordish's office. 410 752 5444 It's probably worth the phone call. If you don't get satisfaction, next time take out your cell and call the police if they busses aren't allowed to park there.

Drew Roth said...

Hah. Stupid Ducks. They drive by my house with the radio blasting to the gas station all summer.

I had plans for the Ducks. Next time they were blocking the way, I was going to sit behind the steps up the back and take a picture of every giant fat tourist butt that went up the steps and post it to the blog.

Subject "Baltimore Ducks Fat Ass Gallery" or something like that. But they moved before it came to that.

The police officer I complained to about the Ducks said they did in fact have a permit, and the police were not happy about it because in interfered with their ability to patrol the Inner Harbor.

Cham said...

Yes, the Ducks had(key word: had) permission to park in the trolley lane but they were supposed to stay to one side so that bicyclists could have access, not just leave room near the storm drain so middle-aged women could fall off their bike and hurt themselves, only to receive a verbal mocking from Mr. Ducks Tour Guide. The Fatass Duck riders seemed concerned about my health though as I lay splayed on the grate bleeding, which was somewhat of a comfort. I do like the new bike trail though that skirts the harbor. There are some big plans to carry it through along Key highway. I want to get a little electric scooter for it.

I am holding in my hand, as I write this, a personal letter from C. Ronald Franks, Secretary of the DNR. Apparently I have convinced him to spend $324,00 on fixing the NCR trail. That is the good news, the bad news is it won't happen until 2007.

Repairs near mile marker 2 will be done this year, in 2007 we will get erosion control, bridge safety, railing, culvert replacement, replacing all gates and new parking signs.....Sometimes being a colossal bitch is a good thing.

Squeaky wheels get the grease.

Drew Roth said...

You go grrl.