Living Car Free - bikes in paris

not sure if this has been posted already

http://current.com/items/87766351_paris_on_2_wheels_a_day

These bike sharing plans are popping up all over Europe, and I think they exist in some Canadian cities, too. I hope the idea will catch on in other parts of the world because it gets more people into using the bicycle for commuting. I wonder if any U.S. cities are on board.

I've started using the rental bikes here in Seville. When I want to go downtown now, I tend to use one of the bikes that are parked just a block from my house instead of getting out my own. It's fast and easy, and I don't have to worry about my bike being stolen. The service is also great for going out at night because you don't have to drag your bike around with you wherever you go.

These bike sharing plans are popping up all over Europe, and I think they exist in some Canadian cities, too. I hope the idea will catch on in other parts of the world because it gets more people into using the bicycle for commuting. I wonder if any U.S. cities are on board.

I've started using the rental bikes here in Seville. When I want to go downtown now, I tend to use one of the bikes that are parked just a block from my house instead of getting out my own. It's fast and easy, and I don't have to worry about my bike being stolen. The service is also great for going out at night because you don't have to drag your bike around with you wherever you go.

Right. That would last till the first time someone fell off of one without a helmet, or got killed by some idiot motorist... then the lawsuits would put whatever company was dumb enough to sponsor them out of business.

Gotta love the good ol' USA. I'm almost positive that we have at least twice as many lawyers per capita as any other country in the world.

Right. That would last till the first time someone fell off of one without a helmet, or got killed by some idiot motorist... then the lawsuits would put whatever company was dumb enough to sponsor them out of business.

Gotta love the good ol' USA. I'm almost positive that we have at least twice as many lawyers per capita as any other country in the world.

I realise that lawyers are unpopular in the United States, but I certainly would want to have a good one representing me if the State were to accuse me of a crime. With regard to the impossibility of one of these schemes working in the U.S., you could be right, but I suspect you might be exaggerating.

There have been many bike sharing plans in the US over the last 30 years or so. Theft and vandalism, not liability concerns, were what did them in. This is just as big a problem in Europe, so I imagine they're planning on losing bikes as an operating expense.

I was thinking that it was smart for the French government to implement this bike program BEFORE they tried to bust the transit workers union. The bikes were probably fully utilized during the strike.

There have been many bike sharing plans in the US over the last 30 years or so. Theft and vandalism, not liability concerns, were what did them in. This is just as big a problem in Europe, so I imagine they're planning on losing bikes as an operating expense.

You have to use a credit card to check out a bike... so I'm sure that they'd just charge it to whoever had the bike checked out.

The thing is that it is one euro a day, but only for 30min blocks. Each extra 30 min block you have the bike is an extra euro. So these bikes are not really sitting around to get stolen. That also insures that there are bikes in the stations. I know when we took the velib we were pedaling like hell so that we could get where we were going in less than 30 min.
If you take a bike and keep it for 24 hours you will pay 49 euros.

The thing is that it is one euro a day, but only for 30min blocks. Each extra 30 min block you have the bike is an extra euro. So these bikes are not really sitting around to get stolen. That also insures that there are bikes in the stations. I know when we took the velib we were pedaling like hell so that we could get where we were going in less than 30 min.
If you take a bike and keep it for 24 hours you will pay 49 euros.

You never need to pay anything more than the fifteen euro yearly charge because if you want to ride more than thirty minutes you just return the bike to a station and then check it out again. There are a lot of bikes 'sitting around', but it would not be at all easy to steal one from a station as they are really locked up well.

You must wait at least 10 min before checking the bike out again. As i said, you can only pay a euro a day, or for a year pass the 29 euros, but if you leave it out you pay through the nose.
Most places you would want to go are within a 30min bike ride anyway....

Right. That would last till the first time someone fell off of one without a helmet, or got killed by some idiot motorist... then the lawsuits would put whatever company was dumb enough to sponsor them out of business.

Gotta love the good ol' USA. I'm almost positive that we have at least twice as many lawyers per capita as any other country in the world.

Why is that in the US when a good idea comes along we always find a reason why it wouldn't work here??
I think when you take a bike you are assuming the risk involved.
Drop the negativity and try to find reasons why it would be an excellent idea here!

You must wait at least 10 min before checking the bike out again.

That may be true in Paris, but I can assure you there is no such waiting period here in Seville.

So if you were going into a store, say, you'd return the bike to a stand while you were shopping, then get another one when you get out. This would discourage theft, as the stands are secure parking.

Of course, if it works in Paris it will probably also work in a lot of places.

So if you were going into a store, say, you'd return the bike to a stand while you were shopping, then get another one when you get out. This would discourage theft, as the stands are secure parking.

That's right, although I sometimes just lock it up with the cable lock which is connected to each bike if I'm just going to pop into a shop for a few minutes.