As Hartford prepares to do the unthinkable — launch a pilot bike share program in a matter of weeks, something many other cities have already done — a few panicked articles have been circulating about how the dockless model leads to clutter on sidewalks.

Well.

If people treat these rental bicycles the way some already handle their cars, then maybe we should worry. Over the past five years I have collected pictures of especially ridiculous attempts at parking in the city and published them as part of the Learning Curb series. Here’s the highlight reel, with more than a few pics taken within the past two weeks:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

To recap, drivers have left vehicles impeding crosswalks and sidewalks, blocking fire hydrants, straddling two spaces, and obstructing driveways. They’ve parked on private lawns, on lawns converted to blacktop, on grass in public parks, and several feet away from the curb. Cars have been parked in spots where parking is unambiguously not allowed, as indicated by clear road markings and signs. Cars have been ditched in wooded areas along the river, and though not pictured here, also in rivers and ponds. If more evidence is needed, check out the Not A Parking Spot Twitter account that shows school buses parking on a bike lane, a car interfering with a major bus stop, and a vehicle facing the wrong way in a one-way driveway.

To fix bad bicycle parking, you can drag the bike a couple feet or alert the bike share people via app that someone messed up. To fix bad car parking, you get a tow truck.