Yesterday, the Washington City Paper's own Darrow Montgomery asked an important question in the comments section of a post focusing on the flood of RSVPs (as of now, over 1,300) the Washington Area Bicycle Association has received for its Inaug-Day bicycle-parking service: "What happens to bikes locked up outside these areas?"

Seeking an answer, City Desk contacted Kevin Griffis, spokesman for the Presidential Inaugural Committee. "As long as [a parked/locked bike isn't] obstructing traffic, it should be fine," Griffis said, but suggested we contact MPD to be sure.

D.C. police spokeswoman Traci Hughes had this to say about the subject via email: "If your readers want to park and lock outside the parade perimeter as they would on a normal day that is fine." Hughes then added that bikers should, "Keep in mind there may be theft issues considering the number of people."

An email from First District Commander David Kamperin was similar in nature, except the officer had his own keep-in-mind. "Keep in mind [bikers] are prohibited from securing to official signs, posts, etc."

James R. Sebastian, the District Department of Transportation's bike program manager, also offered up some advice on inaugural bike parking:

There are no special bike parking spots besides the valet stations, but bicyclists can park where they normally are allowed to park: bike racks and other ‘stanchions’ in public space (like parking meters, streets signs, etc) EXCEPT for fire hydrants, poles in bus stop areas, within 25 feet of an intersection, and trees under 10 feet in diameter.

Sebastian said he doesn't know what Commander Kamperin meant by cyclists being "prohibited from securing to official signs, posts, etc."

photo by modomatic

Taxi and Pedestrian, 1994

Woman on Subway, 1992

Truckers Lounge, 1997

Department Store, 1992

Potomac River, 1989

Man on Phone, 1989

Trinidad, 1998