Bike share may be delayed

whynot_31

For better or worse, the docks are being used for a variety of purposes:

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/07/08/nyregion/bike-sharing-docks-also-serve-as-gyms-or-trash-cans.html?partner=rss&emc=rss&_r=0

whynot_31

steveo said:

London and D.C. have found that the bike share crash rate is lower than the overall bike crash rate.

http://www.streetsblog.org/2011/06/16/from-london-to-d-c-bike-sharing-is-safer-than-riding-your-own-bike/

Contrary to my fears, New York citibike riders are remaining relatively injury free: http://www.streetsblog.org/2013/07/03/the-citi-bike-story-no-ones-talking-about-only-three-injuries-in-500000-rides/

whynot_31

This guy has the hang of it:

pragmaticguy

Pretty good acrobatics considering that the bike weighs 45 pounds. Heard this morning on CBS radio that NYC has already made $10,000,000 in revenue off bike share since it's started. They're looking to expand the program in Brooklyn and to Queens but no time frame was given. Was walking around the lower part of Manhattan last Saturday and there were very few bikes in the racks. Must be one of the most successful things the city has done.

whynot_31

Yes, they are already talking about Phase III.

Although somewhat dated, this document shows the plans to make the program self sufficient and allow Franchise opportunities.

http://www.nyc.gov/html/dcp/pdf/transportation/bike_share_part7.pdf

The goal is that eventually people won't be able to "blame" citibank for imposing these bikes on their neighborhoods.

Instead, it will be "locally owned and operated".

Some very smart minds are behind this project....

whynot_31

The inevitable lawsuits begin:

http://dnain.fo/15KQgKx

whynot_31

5 Months in, and there has not been a fatality yet.

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/11/05/nyregion/no-riders-killed-in-first-5-months-of-new-york-city-bike-share-program.html?_r=0

pragmaticguy

Occasionally New York City gets something right. This appears to be one of those times.

whynot_31

Privately owned cars are no longer the exclusive constituency that must be bowed to.

The ungovernable, untameable city is being forced to do the once unthinkable: adapt to slow tourists on bikes.

I'd like to get Ed Koch's take on it....

pragmaticguy

Just read a great article on Bloomberg.com that stated that two of the biggest problems so far are

1. No bikes available at times at a given station

2. No available spaces to dock the bike at a given station because it's filled.

One guy claimed he couldn't get an open spot for 40 minutes and missed his meeting. Waaah. Oh, the first world problems people have to put up with.