I-Like-To-Bike

Does that mean the Citi Bikes are not presently equipped with GPS units, but will/might get them at some time in the future?

ratdog

I-Like-To-Bike,

I believe the FAQ was put together before the bikes came out so they had to say "will have". I believe with crime the way it is in NYC that if they didn't put in GPS, these bikes would end up in people's homes on a permanent basis.

I haven't personally looked at the bikes to know for sure, but if I was designing these & had to put a dynamo powered light on it to meet NYC laws, I would just install a hidden GPS that also feeds off the dynamo. It would only make sense. I also thought they found the bike a bit quicker than they would normally find a stolen bike in NYC, hence why I searched to see if a GPS was involved.

cafzali

I'd wager to say the number of incidents that come from bike share users will not actually eclipse those involving traditional cyclists, given the high numbers that flock to the GWB and into the city on the weekends. Even for experienced cyclists, Central Park is a madhouse on the weekends, with all the "weekend warriors" getting their stress from the week out. I would imagine the most popular kiosks will be those by traditional tourist destinations, which are traditionally near parks.

Essex

I tend to agree. It'll be interesting to see the data over a three-month span. I'm going to try to get to a Citibike kiosk this weekend and have a look at usage. So far, have not seen anyone on one of these bikes.

I-Like-To-Bike

Where are you located? Presumably nowhere near a Citibike kiosk, so why would you see anyone on a Citi Bike?

vol

Do Citibikers only ride around the kiosk?

I-Like-To-Bike

Probably not far from one in Midtown or Lower Manhattan and the portions of Brooklyn where they are available to be rented and returned.

Not so far that it requires the effort of "try[ing] to get to a Citibike kiosk this weekend."

Essex

Stop trying to bait me dude. Gets boring.

buzzman

My current commute is from W. 88th to Brooklyn via the west side path, 10 th street to 2nd ave and over the Manhattan Bridge and then a stretch through Brooklyn and I've averaged seeing roughly a dozen on each ride. 1/2 to a 1/3 of them on the W.S. path and the other 1/2 on the Manhattan Bridge and the rest crossing town or over here in Brooklyn. Today I probably saw twice the usual number- 25 or so.

I'm surprised to see so many late at night as I do. I commute home around 10:30 at night. Also, surprised to see as many with helmets as there are. More during the week than on the weekend but still many of them seem to bring their own helmet.

lostarchitect 

I have seen lots of people on them in Brooklyn and Lower Manhattan. Which makes sense, because that's where the kiosks are. I have one 2 blocks from my apartment (and several more within 5 blocks). Same for my office, except even closer (I'm near Bowling Green).

vol

Let me guess: they all had a smile on their faces?

I-Like-To-Bike

Got it; you have been nowhere near where the bikes might be expected to be used and are shocked, shocked that you haven't seen one yet. Does that explain your "observation" which differs from the other posters?

buzzman

Ha, ha! Oddly enough a fair share of them did look bizarrely glazed over with a gleeful look on their faces. I'll try to snap a photo of one tomorrow because its nothing without photos!

Chris516

I am inclined to agree.

buzzman

The trend continues here in BF's (and elsewhere) to ascribe particular behaviors, usually negative, to a group, which may not, as a group, have all that much in common.

In this case, it's the people who choose to participate in the Citibike program. Already the list of these characteristics that are flying around are:

-They're a bunch of incompetent, inexperienced cyclists.

-They're all clueless tourists awed by Manhattan and lulled into a lemming like calm by bike lanes, paths and hordes of similarly clueless cyclists.

-They're a bunch of red light running, law breaking renegades.

-They're idealistic, yuppie, anti-car environmentalists with an axe to grind and a self serving agenda.

The fact of the matter is they may or may not be any or all of these things. I know that I, a cyclist who rides virtually everywhere I go on a bike and have done so as an adult for 43+ years, used the Barclay bikes while I was in London. I was there for something work related and using them to commute but I suppose I could have been classified as a "tourist" but certainly not, IMO, "inexperienced".

The people I've seen on these bikes seem relatively responsible. They seem to be following traffic laws and riding as well as anyone else on a bike in the city. During the weekdays I've seen lots of the bikes obviously being used by people heading to work. Commuting over the Manhattan Bridge from Brooklyn in business attire and often providing their own helmet.

The program is just over week old in NYC. It might be worthwhile to hold judgements and criticisms until its been in place long enough to see if any of the assumptions being thrown about have even an ounce of legitimacy.

Essex

Stop trying to bait me from your little perch. Gets boring.

vol

New find: I saw one on 86th street and 2nd avenue this evening. The guy was heading east, and the traffic was slow, so he may pay overtime charge to get back to a midtown station.