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Old 09-24-13, 01:52 PM
  #126  
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Back in NYC and using the Citibikes again this week. Despite living in Portland OR, I'm actually getting my money's worth out of my Citibikes membership!

Here is a question for those who know the ins and outs of the system. How do they identify a particular bike, for maintenance records etc? Do they have bar codes or ID numbers somewhere that I haven't noticed?
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Old 09-24-13, 05:36 PM
  #127  
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Originally Posted by jyl
How do they identify a particular bike, for maintenance records etc? Do they have bar codes or ID numbers somewhere that I haven't noticed?
There is a pretty large 5-digit number in white printed on the chain guard of each Citibike, like "00375" (which is a bike I have had access to ). I believe that's the id of the particular bike. In fact I keep looking for "00375" whenever I see people riding Citibikes . I'm surprised that you didn't notice it after getting your "money's worth" out of the membership.
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Old 09-24-13, 05:57 PM
  #128  
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No, I missed that. I was thinking it would be interesting to see where a Citibike goes during a month. They have GPS so presumably they can be tracked.

I was also reading that the operators think the naming of the future system on the Upper East Side and Upper West Side could be a separate sponsorship. This made me wonder if you'll eventually see multicolored fleets of Citibikes, BofABikes, NikeBikes, etc all mixed up at the stations.
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Old 09-25-13, 11:39 AM
  #129  
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DSCF0728 by AviationMetalSmith, on Flickr

01027 and 03606. Numbers appear in white, on the chain stays.


DSCF0608 by AviationMetalSmith, on Flickr

02963 , above.

01214 , below:

DSCF0593 by AviationMetalSmith, on Flickr

The numerals are about an inch high.
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Old 09-25-13, 12:59 PM
  #130  
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I've been riding on the Hudson River Greenway lately. Of course, plenty of people there are on citibikes. It's heartening to see a few very overweight people. My guess is that they've very recently decided to give bike commuting a try. It's very admirable.

Yesterday, I saw something new. There was a middle age guy doing his best to get an intense workout on a citibike. Nothing wrong with that; it's just something I never saw before.
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Old 09-28-13, 10:06 PM
  #131  
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Quick question: may I use the same credit card to get two Citi bikes at the same time? If not, what about using two different credit cards (with the same name)? I'm thinking of riding with two visitors tomorrow, so they each would need a Citi bike.
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Old 10-03-13, 06:30 PM
  #132  
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I saw two citibike riders getting summonses about a block apart on Eighth Ave this evening near 19th Street. The officers were on mopeds. This is the 2nd time I've seen this happen on Eighth Ave - seems like they do a ticket blitz every couple of weeks. Tough not to roll a red light when there's a dozen or so pedestrians crossing against the light...
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Old 10-03-13, 07:07 PM
  #133  
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It is not difficult not to go through a red light; any cyclist who gets a ticket for doing that deserves it. (And I say that as someone who is no lover of the police or of the "law-and-order" ideology.) Such people are effectively mounting a public campaign for the removal of our bike infrastructure, confirming to the general public the harmful stereotype of the arrogant bicyclist who thinks he/she is above the law. With a new mayor coming in (likely de Blasio, who just brought anti-bike zealot Norman Steisel on board), we must stop giving our enemies free ammunition.
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Old 10-03-13, 07:11 PM
  #134  
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I'm seeing signs that cyclists are starting to ride in a more orderly way. I didn't think I would see this so soon, but here it is.
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Old 10-03-13, 07:29 PM
  #135  
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Originally Posted by noglider
I'm seeing signs that cyclists are starting to ride in a more orderly way. I didn't think I would see this so soon, but here it is.
I really wish I were seeing that. But every day as I am stopped at red lights during my commute, I see cyclists pass me and blow the light. I see no one waiting alongside me at the lights once cross-traffic clears. I also see wrong-way riding and sidewalk riding. These people are going to bring the whole thing down. I think we're in real trouble.
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Old 10-04-13, 07:53 AM
  #136  
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Ferdinand, it could be a difference of where we are, how we observe, when we're out there, or whatever. Have faith. The signs are faint, but they are there. Helmet use is up. People are using headlights and taillights and reflective vests. A guy came barrelling down the bike lane while my dogs and I were walking in the pedestrian crosswalk and I had the light. I yelled at him, and he sheepishly said, "I'm stopping." He was conscious of what he SHOULD be doing, which is an improvement.

A few weeks ago, I was going up eighth avenue, and I counted EIGHT of us waiting for the light to change.
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Old 10-04-13, 09:27 AM
  #137  
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Originally Posted by Ferdinand NYC
With a new mayor coming in (likely de Blasio, who just brought anti-bike zealot Norman Steisel on board), we must stop giving our enemies free ammunition.
This Norman Steisel?

https://www.nydailynews.com/archives/...ticle-1.779903

Separately I think I saw someone complain about their Trip library being blank. I experienced the same thing. Recently I cleared my browsing history and cache and now my trips appear under my profile on the citibike page.
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Old 10-04-13, 10:36 AM
  #138  
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Originally Posted by noglider
Ferdinand, it could be a difference of where we are, how we observe, when we're out there, or whatever. Have faith. The signs are faint, but they are there. Helmet use is up. People are using headlights and taillights and reflective vests. A guy came barrelling down the bike lane while my dogs and I were walking in the pedestrian crosswalk and I had the light. I yelled at him, and he sheepishly said, "I'm stopping." He was conscious of what he SHOULD be doing, which is an improvement.

A few weeks ago, I was going up eighth avenue, and I counted EIGHT of us waiting for the light to change.
I really hope that I am wrong and you are right. But I can go only by my observations during my commute between Woodhaven and Downtown Manhattan (through Glendale, Ridgewood, Bushwick, Willamsburg, the Lower East Side, and Chinatown), and on my pleasure rides all around Manhattan and elsewere.

However, today I did have a small success. As I was going south on Pearl St., I was stopped at the light at Beekman St. A cyclist was about to pass through the light, and I called out "red light". He stopped, and we began talking.

When I mentioned to him the importance of not aiding our enemies and of not feeding into the negative stereotype, he said "I'm on board with that" -- and then he actually thanked me! I wanted to kiss him (but I somehow restrained myself). So maybe there is some hope.
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Old 10-04-13, 12:18 PM
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Great story. But I don't understand why you didn't kiss him. Anyway, that's good and witty advocacy.
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Old 10-19-13, 10:10 PM
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Just bought a yearly membership for $50. So far it has been pretty good (when I can find a bike). Next year, when it comes time to renew, I will seriously consider getting a folding bike.

I used to ride from my house to the train station. And then I would either walk (25 minutes) or take the subway (14 minutes) from Penn Station to Turtle Bay. So far I have been getting pretty lucky finding bikes at the 31st and 8th ave station (if they are empty, it is usually only a few minute wait until a bike trailer comes along). The racks are usually pretty full near my office (check the 45th and 3rd first, and if full check 47th and Lexington). Usually between the two, there is at least one dock.

On the way home is another matter. If I leave right at 5, I can usually find a bike. Lately I have been leaving the office around 5:30 and I have not had any luck (hop on the subway or walk if I have time). Checking the map for the 3 closest stations all showed zero. I had time to walk, so I went past Pershing Square and 40th/5th ave. All empty, at that point I decided I would rather just walk back to Penn Station.

I am new to riding in the city, so the bike lanes definitely help. Even though the bike feels solid, I am not as confident in maneuverability going around/between cars.

First day I went up 8th and then across on 44th. Took 29 minutes (but I was unaware they were blocking the streets for the parade).
Second day across on 38th. Took 25 minutes (a few tight squeezes which I would have been more confident on my hybrid).
Third day up 8th and across on 40th. Took 12 minutes.

I have noticed 50/50 about people running/stopping at red lights. One thing I find annoying is the people who feel the need to be in front (usually in the crosswalk) at a red light after they have been passed. Once the light turns I usually end up passing them by the time we are across the street.
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Old 10-20-13, 02:41 AM
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It can be difficult to find a bike near the train stations in the am or in midtown in the pm. More than once I've taken the last bike, and felt lucky that it was actually there. Usually when there are only one or two bikes they have the red light on.
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Old 10-20-13, 04:09 PM
  #142  
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Have they lowered the annual membership price from $95?
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Old 10-20-13, 04:59 PM
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Originally Posted by jyl
Have they lowered the annual membership price from $95?
I was able to get it for $50 through a promotion on Gilt City, which has ended.
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Old 10-30-13, 10:05 AM
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Figured I would post a quick note about rebalancing efforts.

The past week or so I've regularly encountered a guy who apparently has been hired to specifically make sure there are empty docks at 31st and 8th near Penn Station in the evenings. He is on a bike pulling a trailer that can accomodate a couple of citibikes. I guess they figured out that a single person with a bike trailer can be more efficient than trying to get a truck/trailer through midtown traffic.

Not sure where he takes the bikes but I assume it's somewhere close to Penn.
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Old 10-30-13, 09:16 PM
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Originally Posted by flattie
Figured I would post a quick note about rebalancing efforts.

The past week or so I've regularly encountered a guy who apparently has been hired to specifically make sure there are empty docks at 31st and 8th near Penn Station in the evenings. He is on a bike pulling a trailer that can accomodate a couple of citibikes. I guess they figured out that a single person with a bike trailer can be more efficient than trying to get a truck/trailer through midtown traffic.

Not sure where he takes the bikes but I assume it's somewhere close to Penn.
I have seen them in the mornings turning off of 31st onto 8th.
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Old 11-01-13, 07:33 AM
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59th & 11th Station

I went to the 59st & 11th Ave , the northernmost CitiBike station today only to find that it is gone!
That is the closest station to my house so I take it to go to work. You think Citibike, who has my email, could notify its customers? They called me twice because my credit card was about to expire. Even though I updated it they called me again. When I called back they said "nevermind". They web page displayed a prominent message "java.lang.NullPointerException" - still does.
They run their bike program just like their bank. We need some competion for bike sharing
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Old 11-02-13, 08:10 AM
  #147  
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I think they move stations as needed for construction or special events. Any chance this move was NY Marathon-related?
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Old 11-02-13, 01:35 PM
  #148  
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Originally Posted by jyl
I think they move stations as needed for construction or special events. Any chance this move was NY Marathon-related?
I doubt this is marathon related. It doesn't go over to that side of Manhattan.

On a different Citibike subject, I checked the station map yesterday at around 3:30pm and there weren't any bikes anywhere to be had in Manhattan.
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Old 11-05-13, 11:16 PM
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NY Times: No Riders Killed in First 5 Months of New York City Bike-Share Program


Oops, just noticed this: "John C. Liu, the city’s comptroller, called for a helmet requirement,..."
I hope that doesn't happen!

Last edited by vol; 11-05-13 at 11:23 PM.
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Old 11-06-13, 10:35 AM
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Bloomberg has a story about some folks who are crowdsourcing a solution to the rebalancing problem.

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-1...ng-riddle.html


Each morning, New York commuters who use the nation’s largest cycle-sharing system face a question that decides whether the workday begins in disappointment or with a smooth glide: Will any Citi Bikes be available?
A cadre of data vigilantes, including as many as 80 software engineers, analysts and urban planners, work in their free time to make the answer yes. Without help from the city Transportation Department, they crunch numbers at meetings held by the nonprofit Code for America, analyzing patterns of ridership for the cobalt two-wheelers sponsored by Citigroup Inc. Their tables are lined with laptops -- and sometimes beer.
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