# Stable

A Stable is a bike rack, public fixture, or other immovable object that is monitored by a security camera. The term "Stable" refers to the building where horses and other livestock are safely kept. We see bikes, e-bikes, e-scooters, and other micromobility vehicles as the modern equivalent to the horse.

Stables are typically more secure parking spots than Posts because they are monitored by a security camera. If your vehicle is stolen while parked at a Stable, you may be able to get video footage of the theft occurring from the camera's owner, signficantly your chances at getting paid out when filing an insurance claim.

# Public fixture requirement

All Stables must be public or quasi-public property. This means that bike racks, street signs, and other public fixtures qualify.

# Fences

Although many people lock their vehicles to fences, fences usually do not qualify as Stables because they are often private property. Locking your vehicle to someone's private property is risky, and may cause the property owner to have your vehicle removed.

# Trees

Although some consider trees to be reasonable secure objects to lock up to, most theft insurance policies do NOT consider trees to be "immovable objects" and therefore will not reimburse their policyholders if their vehicle was stolen while locked up to a tree. For this reason, trees (or other organic/plant-based objects) do not quality as Stables.

# Traffic Signs

Some cities frown upon locking your vehicle to a traffic sign. Before you chose to map a Post, please consider the accepted norms and laws in your city.

Given the disagreement about whether traffic signs should be used as parking spots, we strongly recommend only mapping them if they clearly qualify as Stables.

# Respect for others

We strongly encourage all riders to be considerate of others when adding Stables. Before adding a Stable, ask yourself: if someone locked their vehicle here, would it inconvenience someone else? If the answer is "Yes", please do not map that Stable.

For example, consider a park bench that's bolted to the ground. Is it possible to loop a chain lock through it? Perhaps. Would locking your vehicle to that bench prevent or inconvenience someone from sitting on that bench? Probably. Be kind and respectful to others, and don't map that park bench as a Stable.

Here are some questions to ask yourself before mapping the Stable:

• Would I block a pedestrian walkway if I parked here?
• Would parking here prevent someone else from using that object for it's intended purpose (for objects that aren't bike racks)?
• Would parking here block the flow of traffic in a bike lane or street?
• Could the object be more easily cut than a decent bike lock?

If the answer to any of these questions is "yes," then we ask that you please don't map that Stable.