While at work I saw a flier stating that there was to be a peaceful protest concerning the newly implemented Port Jeff parking fee. It seems the Town of Brookhaven began requiring bikers who want to park in the waterfront lot to get town stickers if they are residents or...

pay $7 a day if they are not. I must admit I ride through the port every once in a while and I’ve seen the amount of bikes and bikers parking in the lot and spending their money, the percentage the biking community brings to the establishments in and around Port Jeff  has been estimated at 25 - 40 % but this figure is not confirmed. So being the curious sort that I am, I took a putt down to take a look around.

 The idea was to get to Port early Sunday morning and park in every available parking spot, but one bike to a spot. The flier said that it would start at 0600, that’s pretty early for a Sunday, and I didn’t think I was going to have a problem finding a parking spot. While riding to Port Jeff I remembered the flier I read back at the shop was anonymous and didn’t have a contact number. I pulled in about 10:00 and it looked to be about 100 bikes there, at any given time I soon learned that the fliers were left by Justine, a good customer of mine.

 The bikes were lined up on both sides of the road in every legal parking spot. I parked in a spot where another bike had just pulled out of. I talked with some people and took a few pictures; I was surprised to see that the parking area across from the Ferry dock went as far as hiring a security detachment to keep the motorcycles from parking, the funny thing is I have shopped at these stores before with the family while walking around Port. I guess I never went shopping there with my motorcycle, nor will I again. At one point a rider pulled into this fairly empty lot and was immediately confronted by about three tree trunk necked parking lot security guards.

 The parking protest went on without incident but it drew a heavy police presence. The papers and news media arrived, so I figured I would go to the source. I went and talked to the girl that works in the parking booth. She told me that she hated to have to charge the motorcyclists; she then added that she always looks forward to seeing all the bikes come in on the weekend. I guess we’ll wait and see what the final outcome will be. The T-Shirts said it all “RIDE FREE -PARK FREE”.