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Thread: Boris' Bike Bonanza

  1. #1
    Huge Member Brucelles's Avatar
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    Boris' Bike Bonanza

    So. The London bike scheme has been going for a few weeks, and seems to be a success. The bikes themselves are pretty cool, using some nice technology Link and the principle has been proven in advance by Paris, where we have the wonderful Velib system.

    The main problems noted to date are difficulty in subscribing for early adopters and the helmet conundrum.

    Being a regular on the Paris Velibs (I take one to work and back every day) there are a couple of other issues I expect to see.

    First is vandalism. In Paris they reckon that about half of all Velibs have been vandalised. I myself was involved in a fight when I stopped some arse trying to kick one out of its station. I have seen them in the Seine, I have seen an entire rank of about 20 deliberately destroyed by a white van driver, and I am sure worse happens.

    The other thing is idiocy. I wear a helmet, which I keep in my backpack, but many people don't. Last night on the way home, riding in the cycle path down the Rue de Rivoli I hit two people with a pointed elbow (as a punishment) and ploughed straight into a crowd of about 6 people who just stepped into the bike path. Admittedly it is tourists I usually hit, Parisians being wise to it, but it is indicative of how stupid people can be.

    The thing is that London's streets are mainly narrower than Paris', so it will be difficult to put a safe bike lane on every street, the way we have here. and people will die; particulalrly oportunistic users without a feel for the streets.

    I assume that the death toll will be announced after the scheme has been too widely accepted tofail, but it is going to cost London in lives and money.

    (Thanks Evilmunky)
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  2. #2
    Seething Cauldron of Hatred TheAnimus's Avatar
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    Re: Boris' Bike Bonanza

    Luckily, London is over populated, we have some people to spare. I suggest starting by making the route by the palace of Westminster as deadly as possible.

    I've had a very brief play on one, and they aren't bad, quite heavy, tires not as inflated as I'm accustomed but for hire bikes rather good.

    I hope they maintain them this well and the number of docking stations is drastically increased. As it stands there are just too few.

    It is also quite popular so far, I saw lots of users ever morning this week (about 1/8th of all bikes on my commute were them), but I also saw someone clip a taxi yesterday, and then the taxi driver make him give him some money !
    throw new ArgumentException (String, String, Exception)

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    Not a good person scaryjim's Avatar
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    Re: Boris' Bike Bonanza

    Despite all the technology however the bicycles have one clear flaw. They currently lack Oyster card access which means the ticketing system in place for the rest of Transport for London's network will not function with the bikes. London Assembly Green Party member criticised the Oyster card omission: "A target date should be set for people able to use Oyster cards to pay for the bike hire."
    This, frankly. If I can train down to London, get off at Euston and grab a bike using my Oyster card, bike across London to Elephant and Castle, and slap it back into a docking station, I'd love it! It'd make my monthly trips to London far more palatable. I really don't mind London, but the underground just isn't a nice way to travel.

    So, and I never thought I'd say this... well done Boris!

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    Re: Boris' Bike Bonanza

    I quite like the idea, I don't see why the press announced it with such negative spin. Glad it's dong well anyway

    We've had our own similar system in Blackpool for a little while now, I don't know how well it's doing but I have seen people using them from time to time.


    Quote Originally Posted by Brucelles View Post
    I hit two people with a pointed elbow (as a punishment) and ploughed straight into a crowd of about 6 people who just stepped into...
    Karma. You don't just go round dishing out your own brand of physical punishment as you see fit, it's not really on, is it?

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