Condo Dwellers - Want to STOP bike thefts?

[kruzuki]

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Most condo boards would probably laugh you out of the room if you proposed this.

In my building, the keys fobs alone are $90.00 each. I'm the only motorcycle in my building, I pay $80/month for my spot. My bike is kept under lock and cover at all times (except when I'm riding it!). A couple of years now and no issues.

 

[mbroyda]

I don't get why condo buildings don't simply have individual locked garages assigned to each unit.

simple answer is $$

They can paint 2 lines on the ground and sell a 3m x 6m parking space for $30k-$50k, if they were to build individual garages they would not be able to fit a garage unit into a 3m x 6m footprint, for arguments sake it'd have to be 25% larger, so they just went from 400 proposed spaces to 300 for example (approx $4M loss), they have to upgrade their fire alarm system to add individual zones for every unit, as well as their sprinkler system, plus cost of materials to build (thicker slab, more rebar, masonry walls, overhead doors, lighting, electrical, paint etc etc) so lets say on a production scale each garage unit costs them an extra $8k, so the added cost is $2.4M for the extra construction, so add the $4M they lost, so now they have to sell their remaining spots for and extra $22K just to break even, and developers are not in the "breaking even" business so your $30k-$50k parking space now costs closer to $100K

As for the original proposal to "build a few walls"...its not that simple, they cant build without permits (insurance co, and board wont allow, not to mention its illegal) so design costs, permit costs, walls, door, lighting, fire alarm modifications, power modifications, sprinkler system modifications, security system modifications etc etc etc i'd guess they are around $50k+ (on the conservative side) to retrofit a spot.

 

[Flywheel]

I bet if 3 cat ladies said they needed a spot for their cats to exercise they would get a spot.

In all seriousness, the indoor dog park/cat pen would probably be more feasible. How many people care enough about motorcycles? 2% of the population (when they have the money)? Dog and cat owners are legion. You could probably create a whole niche market of pet-friendly condos, if it doesn't exist already. People tear up over mistreated animals and shrug when they hear of a motorcyclist fatality.

Being part on any sort of minority sucks for that reason. Limited numbers = limited resources = limited clout. After all that, you should still push forward with your idea and see what happens. The worst thing that will happen is people will turn you down. On the other hand, it might work and become a model for other riders, which is a net positive.

 

[Joe Bass]

I always thought that if I was in a condo that I would petition the board to let me put one of the small steel shelters in my space. But I will probably never go back into a condo, so yeah.


sent from my Purple LGG4 on the GTAM app

 

[crankcall]

great idea and concept, reality would be gas powered equipment in an enclosed space, now you need fire sprinklers to meet code, venting, initial construction cost which would be about 50k, its a condo so you'll need engineered drawings.

have good insurance coverage.......

 

[GreyGhost]

For an individual that is super concerned about security, my vote is still for a low floor van (eg. transit connect). Bike lives inside. As long as it's plated and not in disrepair, there is little the condo can do to stop you. Theft insurance is still cheaper and better. Sadly some living arrangements are not conducive to keeping nice things.

 

[mike.from.canmore]

People are having a hard enough time understanding that throwing large cardboard boxes down the garbage chute causing blockages and leaving garbage in the chute room stinking up the room/floor (that they live on) at my condo. Maintenance will eventually go up due to the amount of time people are called in to clear the blockage, but they don't care.

Lol! sounds like my condo.

 

[GreyGhost]

great idea and concept, reality would be gas powered equipment in an enclosed space, now you need fire sprinklers to meet code, venting, initial construction cost which would be about 50k, its a condo so you'll need engineered drawings.

have good insurance coverage.......

One building I saw had cage doors (similar to the cages that lock up stores at a mall except roll up instead of sideways), that solved ventilation and potentially sprinklers (one row in aisle spaced so each head covers a stall). One had solid doors, I don't know how they solved ventilation and sprinkler issues as I didn't see inside a stall.

 

[crankcall]

most of the storage area enclosures that come with condos have some version of cage/mesh/chain link, it solves the fire sprinkler issue, venting and I guess makes it harder to hide a dead body.
An enclosed room that puts machines out of sight is a pretty good idea, I just know by the time it got installed it would cost bags of cash.

 

[jc100]

I don't get why condo buildings don't simply have individual locked garages assigned to each unit.

French condos often gave you the option of an enclosed garage ($$$$$$$) or a space in the open lot ($$$). I'm guessing that with the enclosed garage you could more or less do what you wanted inside.

 

[Hack]

Elevators can easily handle the weight of a bike.
Just take your ride up to your suite.
Park in your living room.

 

[inreb]

All this talk about insurance really misses the point but does highlight how debauched, debased and deluded we've become. Theft is wrong full stop. I think we might have a few things to learn from our new immigrant friends. This sad ship needs to be righted and what better way than to saw off a hand here and there as per sharia law.

 

[Face]

Condo parking spots are privately owned. They are occasionally sold as a package with the unit, but more often sold separately. Theoretically, if the condo docs allow, a person may consider converting their space or spaces, but there may then be restrictions on that person's ability to rent out the use of that space. The other option is to see if there are unsold spaces, that the developer may wish to sell for the purpose, or convert to a common element that the condo board would manage.

Chain link or other types of cages could deal with sprinkler and venting issues. Solid walls most likely would not work.

Zoning would need to be checked. If the project was constructed with the bare minimum of car parking spaces, this would effectively remove one or more parking spots and may put the building in non-compliance with the zoning. A minor variance could be sought, but may be more trouble than its worth.

 

[Ethereal]

In the end they could at least provide a more secure lot. As of now they are targets and not providing their tenants the security they should be. The higher the theft is in the condos area the lower the prices for sales. Keeping it to a minimum would be in their interests. We should have a condo hit list for what condos get hit the most... Even none riders do not want thieves near there cars and may even view the crime as an act performed by the same ones that would take their car.

 

[48Connor]

uhm you did not read what I posted on how to arrange the bikes

I did, but I just assumed that's what you meant because your math doesn't make sense.

I wonder if you get a letter from the police and insurance company agreeing that this is a good solution to alleviate crime and therefore encourage the buildings to implement.
Now if building says no...can they be on the hook for being unreasonable/negligent care??? They will pay your deductible or entire bike. Someone would have to check with a lawyer.

lol good luck with that

 

[GreyGhost]

It seems like an easier solution would be to require you to use the fob to get out too. It's not that hard to follow someone in at night, but do you think thieves want to wait in the garage until someone leaves to get out again? It may require another rfid reader and it could be disabled by a timer so that at busy times, the door opens on a sensor as it is now.

Ethereal-a condo hit list? the only idiots that would report on that would be renters. I understand where you are coming from, but that's the opposite of how things work. Most of the turd condos don't want to let that info out as the current owners want to protect their investments. I know of condos with fundamental construction issues (eg failed roof and paving within a few years of construction due to building well below OBC) where the condo corp decided not to take legal action against the builder as all potential purchasers must be notified of the pending action. It would have frozen sales for years. By not disclosing thefts or any other problems, prices stay high.

 

[GreyGhost]

I wonder if you get a letter from the police and insurance company agreeing that this is a good solution to alleviate crime and therefore encourage the buildings to implement.
Now if building says no...can they be on the hook for being unreasonable/negligent care??? They will pay your deductible or entire bike. Someone would have to check with a lawyer.

Your bike is already behind a controlled access door. Do you really think the building (which is the condo owners ultimately) would be liable for your ahole neighbours (the same people you are trying to hold liable) letting people follow them in?

I know of at least 1 building with a car elevator, street door opens, 1 car drives in, street door closes, car gets off at their floor and repeat. It can handle 1 car every few minutes, see how well that goes in a garage with 500 cars. You have decent security, but useless function.

 

[backmarkerducati]

I had my bicycle stolen from such a room when I lived DT in a condo...

They would be better off if you could pay a couple hundred to have something like this bolted into your parking spot (plus you buy it, they just install) or just rent out areas too small for parking spots odd corners with one already installed:

http://www.core77.com/posts/27858/Motorcycle-Storage-Designs-from-Around-the-World-Part-1-Shelters

Thinking the one on the top right.

In your parking space means no car and bike in the same spot (which I bet is not technically allowed). In odd corners of the garage first come first served, rented.

 

[GreyGhost]

They would be better off if you could pay a couple hundred to have something like this bolted into your parking spot (plus you buy it, they just install) or just rent out areas too small for parking spots odd corners with one already installed:

http://www.core77.com/posts/27858/Motorcycle-Storage-Designs-from-Around-the-World-Part-1-Shelters

Thinking the one on the top right.

In your parking space means no car and bike in the same spot (which I bet is not technically allowed). In odd corners of the garage first come first served, rented.

That is a much more realistic proposition, but still sadly never going to happen. You still have the sprinkler problem but the biggest obstacle is the work to get this approved by the condo for the couple people that care. At $6000 for the box, again insurance is cheaper and nobody will buy one (or pay the rent required if somehow the condo board was convinced to buy one).

 

[Hack]

It seems like an easier solution would be to require you to use the fob to get out too..

My guess is that would be illegal. Fire egress and all that pesky safety stuff y'know...

All you can hope for is to mitigate the chance your bike/car could be stolen. I'm so glad I don't live in a condo.
I don't think I could handle living in such close proximity to so many other humans having to scrounge and scrap for living/storage/working space.

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