June 4, 2012 · Derek

Drive-Thru / Bike-Thru?

Here’s a note of potential interest to some of you, particularly if you ride a bicycle or use or operate a drive-thru…

At the May 22nd Study Session, Council Member Campbell asked if our Tacoma Municipal Code should address allowing bicycles in drive thru windows at businesses. City Attorney Elizabeth Pauli reports that our code does not address whether bicycles can or must be allowed access to drive thru windows. If there is an interest in advancing this issue for consideration, it should be put on the Planning Commission agenda, as such a requirement would most likely be added to the zoning code. In general, private businesses have the right to refuse service, or in this case limit where and how service can be obtained, provided that the refusal or limitation is not based on a protected class status and the business has a rational or legitimate interest in the refusal (in this case likely safety considerations).

This isn’t a question that we’ve ever given a whole lot of thought to, but perhaps it’s worth consideration, especially if we’re going to continue to promote Tacoma’s bike-ability. What do you think? Should bicycles be allowed to use drive-thrus? Have you been refused service in a drive-thru when you were on bike?

Filed under: Transportation, Legislation, Biking

10 comments

Mofo from the Hood June 4, 2012

It is not essential to society that government should regulate every dimension of a private citizen’s life. Neither is it essential that a city council should be comprised of individuals who promote a legalistic culture.

What’s next? Punishment by fine and imprisonment for slighting bicyclists?
OkayThen June 4, 2012

If there were enough potential bike customers, don’t you think the drive-thrus would encourage it? Red Hot has decided bikes are their target so they’ve effectively gotten rid of car parking. Can’t businesses go the other way too?

Guess I just don’t realize how many potential bike customer dollars we need to force drive-thrus to take.
fredo June 4, 2012

I can’t really picture a large population of svelte toned bicyclists anxious to get into the drive up window at Jack in the Box for a Jumbo Jack.
Pedsnurse June 4, 2012

I ride my bike all over town, to the farmers market, etc. It never occurred to me to even try to compete with cars in a drive thru. I usually look for a bike rack and go inside – don’t really go to fast food places anyway. And can’t imagine trying to eat one handed while riding around town in traffic!
Marty C. June 5, 2012

Thanks for bringing this for discussion.

It really was more of random discussion question while we were on the topic drive thru’s in the comp plan. I wasn’t sure if the city restricted businesses from allowing the use if they wished to market to riders.

I can’t imagine using a fast food drive thru on a bike or other non-motorized transportation, but what about picking up a prescription, banking or even topping off the water bottle at a coffee hut?

If we are going to invest money in being more accessible to non-motorized transportation then what else do we need to be thinking about?
Mofo from the Hood June 5, 2012

Let’s define our terms. 1.) Bicyclists: Victims of society who require empathy by force of law. 2.) Everybody Else: Candidates for mandatory anti-discrimination training, regulatory planning and tax schemes.
fredo June 5, 2012

I have a whole garage full of unusual vehicles. I have unicycles, mopeds, razor scooters, pony carts, wheelchairs, tricycles, golf carts, skateboards, jet skiis, catamarans, and shoes with springs on the bottom.

I would like the city attorney to look into making it illegal for any business in town to discriminate against my use of these unusal vehicles on their premises.
Matt June 5, 2012

I have biked-thru the drive-thru lane at my local bank branch and donut shop. Both businesses treated me as if I were in a car. However, I find it’s rarely faster/easier/more convenient to use drive-thru lanes, in a car or (especially) on a bike.
rainlover June 5, 2012

I run almost all my local errands on bike, it never occurred to me to go through the drive thru, but then I don’t generally use it when in the car either. I agree with Matt it doesn’t seem faster or easier. On a related note I make a point of thanking the store manager for having a bike rack.
Mofo from the Hood June 5, 2012

The pro-bike City of Tacoma already has the trucks and related equipment to paint bike lanes and stencil bike silhouettes wherever. Any building can be retrofitted with a dedicated service window for bicycles. So yeah, it’s possible, with the aid of lawyers and judges, to remake Tacoma into a bicycle-centric non-discriminatory culture. But who would want to live in a city populated with people who can’t discriminate between good and bad ideas?