Comments on: How Bike-Sharing Changes the City http://www.urbanphoto.net/blog/2009/07/22/how-bike-sharing-changes-the-city/ Exploring urban life through word and photography Wed, 08 Feb 2012 18:47:15 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Christopher Szabla http://www.urbanphoto.net/blog/2009/07/22/how-bike-sharing-changes-the-city/comment-page-1/#comment-310135 Christopher Szabla Sun, 01 Nov 2009 00:05:52 +0000 http://www.urbanphoto.net/blog/?p=4976#comment-310135 Predictably, Velib' has finally been consumed by the tragedy of the commons: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/31/world/europe/31bikes.html Predictably, Velib’ has finally been consumed by the tragedy of the commons:

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/31/world/europe/31bikes.html

]]> By: David Maloney http://www.urbanphoto.net/blog/2009/07/22/how-bike-sharing-changes-the-city/comment-page-1/#comment-298170 David Maloney Wed, 12 Aug 2009 23:48:49 +0000 http://www.urbanphoto.net/blog/?p=4976#comment-298170 While living briefly in the Hochelaga/Montgomery area, I experienced Bixi at its worst. The stations in the extreme east of the catchment area were almost always full when I needed to dock a bike, or broken due to vandalism. It was completely unreliable and utterly frustrating. I'm back in the Plateau and generally love the system once again. I feel like in the past few weeks there has been an increased effort on the part of the management to rotate bicycles more frequently, fix bikes as needed, and repair the damaged stations. I can't understand why there has not been more of an effort to reduce vandalism. I would expect to see a sign warning of fines for vandalizing, but I haven't seen anything like that yet. Seeing so many plastic docking slots busted up is infuriating. While living briefly in the Hochelaga/Montgomery area, I experienced Bixi at its worst. The stations in the extreme east of the catchment area were almost always full when I needed to dock a bike, or broken due to vandalism. It was completely unreliable and utterly frustrating.

I’m back in the Plateau and generally love the system once again. I feel like in the past few weeks there has been an increased effort on the part of the management to rotate bicycles more frequently, fix bikes as needed, and repair the damaged stations.

I can’t understand why there has not been more of an effort to reduce vandalism. I would expect to see a sign warning of fines for vandalizing, but I haven’t seen anything like that yet. Seeing so many plastic docking slots busted up is infuriating.

]]> By: Sam Imberman http://www.urbanphoto.net/blog/2009/07/22/how-bike-sharing-changes-the-city/comment-page-1/#comment-296190 Sam Imberman Tue, 04 Aug 2009 20:33:02 +0000 http://www.urbanphoto.net/blog/?p=4976#comment-296190 I only hope that Bixi isn't just cannibalizing public transit users. My fear is that a decline in bus ridership will lead to even lower bus frequencies - and compared to many cities, we already seem to not run very many buses. I only hope that Bixi isn’t just cannibalizing public transit users.

My fear is that a decline in bus ridership will lead to even lower bus frequencies – and compared to many cities, we already seem to not run very many buses.

]]> By: Zvi http://www.urbanphoto.net/blog/2009/07/22/how-bike-sharing-changes-the-city/comment-page-1/#comment-294741 Zvi Tue, 28 Jul 2009 00:36:37 +0000 http://www.urbanphoto.net/blog/?p=4976#comment-294741 I was initially skeptical (I own two bikes already and felt that the pricing structure was too high), but I am a proselytizing convert now. Bixi has completely revolutionized the way that people get around the city. My range of options is just so much larger when I consider bixing versus walking. Want a coffee - hop on a bixi. Forgot some cheese - another bixi. The only problem is that sadly the system has become almost completely dysfunctional due to all of the broken stations and missing bikes. I can now spend thirty minutes looking for an available bike, and I might end up having to go back almost to the starting point of my trip to find a functioning docking station to return it! Not good. In fact, after using bixis a few times a day, I am now down to a few times a week, and I am back to walking places. I was initially skeptical (I own two bikes already and felt that the pricing structure was too high), but I am a proselytizing convert now. Bixi has completely revolutionized the way that people get around the city. My range of options is just so much larger when I consider bixing versus walking. Want a coffee – hop on a bixi. Forgot some cheese – another bixi.

The only problem is that sadly the system has become almost completely dysfunctional due to all of the broken stations and missing bikes. I can now spend thirty minutes looking for an available bike, and I might end up having to go back almost to the starting point of my trip to find a functioning docking station to return it! Not good. In fact, after using bixis a few times a day, I am now down to a few times a week, and I am back to walking places.

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