Parking Garage Gate

scoots0414 · Post by **scoots0414** » Mon Aug 11, 2008 4:07 pm

Hey All,

I recently started parking in a secured parking garage during the day. Now I can finally drive my scoot to work, but I'm having a lot of trouble getting the parking garage gate to recognize my scooter. The manager of the garage says the scooter not big enough (not enough metal) for the sensors in the pavement to recognize and that I should bring a piece of metal with me to hold over the sensor....but it is not very convenient to cruise around carrying a big random piece of metal! Has anyone had this problem? Does anyone have a better solution?

MikieTaps · Post by **MikieTaps** » Mon Aug 11, 2008 4:12 pm

no room to scoot around the gate? Is it highe enough where you can go to the side and walk it under the gate?

scoots0414 · Post by **scoots0414** » Mon Aug 11, 2008 4:16 pm

No, the gate goes almost all the way to the wall and it's too low to push the scooter under.

EP_scoot · Post by **EP_scoot** » Mon Aug 11, 2008 4:21 pm

You can search for that on the archives as it has been discussed before. I know a few people were talking about this gadget you can buy that "supposedly" helps with that on the stop lights.

I take it there is no gate you could go around but just a big door.

You could also get a big enough piece of metal to activate it and leave it behind a bush by the door or somehere and just get off the scoot to grab it, actuate the door and leave it back where it was. That way you would not have to carry it with you. Just a thought.

MikieTaps · Post by **MikieTaps** » Mon Aug 11, 2008 4:21 pm

hmmm... go in the middle of the night and cut 2 feet off of the far end of the gate... they wont even notice the difference

Im kidding.... mostly

Is there a pedestrian enterance on ground level you can roll it through?.

scoots0414 · Post by **scoots0414** » Mon Aug 11, 2008 4:45 pm

Thanks for the replies! I may just have to make a midnight trip and do some sawing

Blackie · Post by **Blackie** » Mon Aug 11, 2008 4:57 pm

Just be careful...there could be a camera pointed at that gate.

olhogrider · Post by **olhogrider** » Mon Aug 11, 2008 5:00 pm

I used to park in a lot with the same problem. One day someone drove through the gate. It snapped off about 2 feet, solving everyone's problem! Know anyone with a pickup or SUV?

MikieTaps · Post by **MikieTaps** » Mon Aug 11, 2008 5:04 pm

olhogrider wrote:I used to park in a lot with the same problem. One day someone drove through the gate. It snapped off about 2 feet, solving everyone's problem! Know anyone with a pickup or SUV?

I used to work at a hotel in security... we had an employee make an illegal turn onto our property and headed down into our parking garage.. and a cop came FLYING in SMASHED through the gate to follow and give the guy a ticket

Totally safe. Of course we didnt say anything about the gate or the wreckless driving on the part of the officer on PRIVATE PROPERTY, because we liked being able to call them when we needed them

Post by **ericalm** » Mon Aug 11, 2008 5:07 pm

Try positioning the scooter directly over the sensor and tapping the center stand on the pavement. This works for many magnetic stoplight sensors.

EP_scoot wrote:You can search for that on the archives as it has been discussed before. I know a few people were talking about this gadget you can buy that "supposedly" helps with that on the stop lights.

So far, no one who's bought one of these has said they work.

Post by **jmazza** » Mon Aug 11, 2008 5:09 pm

EP_scoot wrote:You can search for that on the archives as it has been discussed before. I know a few people were talking about this gadget you can buy that "supposedly" helps with that on the stop lights.

I take it there is no gate you could go around but just a big door.

You could also get a big enough piece of metal to activate it and leave it behind a bush by the door or somehere and just get off the scoot to grab it, actuate the door and leave it back where it was. That way you would not have to carry it with you. Just a thought.

Something like this is what EP_scoot is talking about. It seems that devices like this are very hit and miss (read: ineffective) on stop lights but might help you out. Well worth the $25 if it works.

scoots0414 · Post by **scoots0414** » Mon Aug 11, 2008 5:10 pm

I'll try tapping the center stand right on the sensor...great idea!!

lobsterman · Post by **lobsterman** » Mon Aug 11, 2008 5:53 pm

The parking garages here in Cincinnati won't let motorcycles (and scooters) in because the gates don't handle them well. There are signs at the entrance that say "No motorcycles permitted in garage facility" and show somebody getting bashed in the head by a gate coming down.

I have been told there were lawsuits from people on motorcycles getting hurt by the gates. I don't know if it's true or not.

fiver1971 · Post by **fiver1971** » Mon Aug 11, 2008 6:13 pm

The underground parking garage I use has one of those light sensors, like you'd see on an automatic garage door opener at home, that lets it know when something has crossed in it's path. Once you block the light that's being shown from the transmitting device to the recieving device, the gate starts to open up. Perhaps you could ask the garage about switching to that sort of sensor?

sotied · Post by **sotied** » Mon Aug 11, 2008 6:19 pm

I've taken to towing a civil-war-era cannon behind Scootle for just this reason.

Maybe that's why I can't get over 64 indicated...come to think of it.

*The center stand tap sound brilliant and would probably work.

All the garages I use (hospital and school) have room on the side to squeeze by. If the center stand doesn't do it, I say hoodie, dark glasses, hacksaw, nightvision goggles, Steven Segal, etc.

MarsR · Post by **MarsR** » Mon Aug 11, 2008 6:31 pm

sotied wrote:I've taken to towing a civil-war-era cannon behind Scootle for just this reason.

Helps cut down on tailgaters, too.

EP_scoot · Post by **EP_scoot** » Mon Aug 11, 2008 6:36 pm

And going downhill you are probably pissing off that guy that just got his bimmer as you pass them by at warp speed. I say a bonus either way !

Scooter Hoot · Post by **Scooter Hoot** » Mon Aug 11, 2008 7:00 pm

I've seen some weight based, some magnetic based. I know my apartment is weight based - if I'm not riding 2 up with my girlfriend then I frequently have issues getting it to open. Apparently the trigger point is somewhere around 500 lbs.

sotied · Post by **sotied** » Mon Aug 11, 2008 7:07 pm

Scooter Hoot wrote:I've seen some weight based, some magnetic based. I know my apartment is weight based - if I'm not riding 2 up with my girlfriend then I frequently have issues getting it to open. Apparently the trigger point is somewhere around 500 lbs.

YIKES. Don't let your girlfriend see this.

MikieTaps · Post by **MikieTaps** » Mon Aug 11, 2008 7:13 pm

sotied wouldnt have a problem with that

Scooter Hoot · Post by **Scooter Hoot** » Mon Aug 11, 2008 7:17 pm

sotied wrote: YIKES. Don't let your girlfriend see this.

Well, 300 lb scoot + 190 (with gear) Hoot ... yes, I'm implying that my girlfriend weighs something more than 10 lbs

sotied · Post by **sotied** » Mon Aug 11, 2008 8:10 pm

MikieTaps wrote:sotied wouldnt have a problem with that

I wouldn't need Scootle to get that gate up.

Which reminds me, we (GF and I) watched Discovery TV last night because we're total losers. And they had on THE HALF TON MAN.

STORY - http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/8357654/

It was about a guy who weighed about 1100lbs. Horrifying and riveting at the same time.

All I could think of was, is that gonna be me in a couple years?

Will they have to saw my house apart to get me out?

Will I totally flow all over Scootle obscuring any hint that I'm sitting on a scooter?

I shrugged and drank another Dr. Pepper to wash down the block of Vermont Cheddar I was eating like a freeze pop...just squeezing it up out of its plastic sleeve.

Mmmm, cheese.

Kaos · Post by **Kaos** » Mon Aug 11, 2008 9:24 pm

Well, look on the bright side Sotied, you'll look like you're hovering across the ground if they can't see your scoot!

sotied · Post by **sotied** » Mon Aug 11, 2008 9:27 pm

Kaos wrote:Well, look on the bright side Sotied, you'll look like you're hovering across the ground if they can't see your scoot!

I'll be like those kid sneakers with the wheels that pop out of the bottom to give you stealth rollerskates.

Quite a visual.

MikieTaps · Post by **MikieTaps** » Mon Aug 11, 2008 9:33 pm

sotied wrote:
Kaos wrote:Well, look on the bright side Sotied, you'll look like you're hovering across the ground if they can't see your scoot!
I'll be like those kid sneakers with the wheels that pop out of the bottom to give you stealth rollerskates.

Quite a visual.

OOOO!!! and now Kaos is in on it! he must be self concsious also.

scoots4me · Post by **scoots4me** » Tue Aug 12, 2008 12:07 am

Hey scoots0414 let us know how it goes. I've been having issues getting out of the garage but getting in works like a dream? It's a cruel, cruel plan to allow me to get TO work but to not allow me to LEAVE. Garage attendants just shrug when I complain and have to scoot up a few levels to make them buzz me out. Maybe my plan should be to bug them enough that they do something. Anyway let us know how you fare.

FWIW I tested out the old urban scoot legend (did i make that up?) regarding bouncing to trigger the sensor. Didn't work worth a crap but was darn hysterical to some cagers around me.

scoots0414 · Post by **scoots0414** » Tue Aug 12, 2008 2:26 pm

Ok, so I tried to tap the center stand but that didn't work. However, I put an old license plate in my bag and dropped my bag directly on the ground on top of the sensors and it worked like a charm. For once I didn't have 10 cars behind me honking because I was taking so long!

Kaos · Post by **Kaos** » Tue Aug 12, 2008 3:14 pm

Ok, so I tried to tap the center stand but that didn't work. However, I put an old license plate in my bag and dropped my bag directly on the ground on top of the sensors and it worked like a charm. For once I didn't have 10 cars behind me honking because I was taking so long! Very Happy

Thats an ingenious idea! I'll have to remember that one. Theres one light I pass through on my way to work that I have a very hard time triggering...

Post by **jmazza** » Tue Aug 12, 2008 3:18 pm

scoots0414 wrote:Ok, so I tried to tap the center stand but that didn't work. However, I put an old license plate in my bag and dropped my bag directly on the ground on top of the sensors and it worked like a charm. For once I didn't have 10 cars behind me honking because I was taking so long!

Wow! Great! Although secretly I think cutting the gate would be SO much more fun.