You bike to your favorite coffee shop a few times a week, and the last few times you’ve been there, a bike frame has been locked up. It doesn’t have wheels. It doesn’t have a seat. It’s just taking up space where you could lock your bike.

What do you do to get rid of it so people can park there again?

In the City of Los Angeles, the Bureau of Street Services is in charge of maintaining bicycle parking. There is an online form you can use to request service.

To report an abandoned bicycle that needs to be removed:

1) Go to http://bss.lacity.org/request.htm

2) Input your name, address, phone number, and email address.

3) Scroll down to “Others” and click the circle button to its left.

4) In the “Enter Problem Description” box below “Others”, write that there is an abandoned bicycle you would like removed.

5) Below that in the next box, write the location of the rack or pole the abandoned bike is on. Be as specific as possible.

6) Enter any additional comments you have below that, and press the “Submit” button

7) You should receive a confirmation email from the Bureau of Street Services letting you know they have received your request.

It’s as easy as that. Removing abandoned bikes increases the supply of bicycle parking available to all of us. If you see one, take a moment to report it. You can also used the same procedure to report bikeways that need to be cleaned.