It's not a cycling event. It's a human-powered social event. Ciclavia is a great idea.
It's not a cycling event. It's a human-powered social event. Ciclavia is a great idea.
The rental bike thing (in the works) is not for road recreational bikers. It's the same co. that rents bikes in DC. I looked into that on a trip I did to East coast 5 months ago. The bikes are utilitarian (at best) and the cost gets exorbitant if you rent for more than 3-4 hours at a shot. The pricing is meant to DISCOURAGE longer term rentals ie a few days or even overnight. There is a monthly plan too. This is mostly only good for locals on the monthly plan to pick up a big at one subway stop and ride it to another one and drop it off. Its not the sort of bike or pricing where anyone would want to rent a bike for a day or two and ride 50 miles recreationally.
For the Ciclavia and city planners reading this thread, I suggest it is outrageous there was no free water available on the route (excepting one fountain connected to 1 fire hydrant i found.) For the $350K cost of the ride expensed from public funds maybe you can give away some tap water by setting up some water fountains. I would be surprised if there weren't internal discussions and memos considering this but rejecting it for some reason this time around. If any of these events are held in the summer months then it is more critical. Part of planning for city events should include free water and also rest rooms . (There were some porta potties around that i saw.)
Last edited by GaryinLA; 04-16-12 at 10:15 PM.
Wow, that is terrible. Last time I did Le Tour de Tucson, they were running short on water. That is just inexcusable for the $100 ride fee I paid to do the ride.Originally Posted by GaryinLA
mrbeanzandhisbikerides.blogspot.com
mrbeanz63 on youtube
Bike Nation's site outlines the cost to use bikes. First, riders have to opt into one of five membership subscriptions ranging from 24 hours ($6) to one year ($75). Once you're a member, every 30-minute trip is free, and a one-hour jaunt starts at $1.50.
6 dollars for 24 hours doesn't seem too exorbitant to me, but then again, if you think paying 1 dollar for a bottle of water is unfair, I could see how you feel this way-I got upset when the price of coffee went over 15 cents a cup.
I thought is event was no charge, free. Otherwise you sound entitled. Props to LA city for this event.
All the info I read on the company was saying that they only have 1 other project and its in Anaheim and not completed yet. Are you sure its the same company that does it in DC?
It is not a "ride". It is an open streets event. If you are driving down the street do you expect water fountains too? After all, the city paid a lot more then 350k for all the streets.
Gary bring ur own water or 99 pennies to buy a bottle and quit complaining. They dont do the event in summer so its not an issue then either. Sunday was one of the great days in the bike history of the city. Next time stick to ur trainer, thats def in ur price range.
So you choose to ride your bicycle from home to a free event (I'll admit to being lazy and driving all the way from Anaheim to the Norwalk Green Line station, and taking Metro to the event), and want to have free water too? Sounds like poor planning by Entitled You.
I arrived early and was glad of it! I enjoyed myself, got to see things I likely wouldn't have seen from a car, learned about a Watts bike tour I plan on doing soon, and enjoyed photographing the architecture and the Challenger Memorial in Little Tokyo.
Is it October yet? There are several items on Militant Angeleno's CicLAvia tour list I didn't get to see.
That which does not kill me has made a massive tactical blunder.
Too often I would hear men boast of the miles covered that day, rarely of what they had seen. Louis L'Amour
'07 Giant Cypress WSD "Radagast the Beige-and-Black" * '97 (?) Bianchi Premio "Orion" * '09 Trek Allant "The Black Pearl"
The October event had plenty of water provided by DWP portable courtesy fountains hooked up to the potable supply via firehydrant.
I am not sure if it is the same co as DC rental bike but I am assuming it is the same co, since the info I read seemed the same. Even if they say it isnt the same co it may be the people with a local corporation here in CA, I dont know The DC rate structure if you dont have an annual membership is approx $50 a day. Thats what i consider exorbitant (especially for that sort of bike.) If anyone is interested you can look at the DC rate structure and see what I am referring to. I am assuming the LA rate structure will be similar. I could be wrong.
Back to the Ciclovia water issue, my concern isnt just me. It is the thousands of other participants who arent being provided access to free water at a city sponsored event. Even the first aid stations had no water available (at least none in plain view.) As we all know, one of the common medical issues that can arise at a biking/walking/running event is dehydration. This would be of more concern in the summer months. I didnt see a lot of corporate sponsors but at various 10K running events i have been at it has been common for corporate sponsors to give out free bottled water so this is another possibility if the city doesnt find it in their budget to make free water available.
As to someone asking if free water is provided on my other rides-- I often ride the bike path by the beach and there are many water fountains along the route wherever there is a rest room. From Malibu to Torrance along the bike path there are probably at least 6 rest rooms and water fountains available. Obviously it was planned out this way.
On the Ballona Creek bike path there is at least 1 water fountain that I can recall somewhere near MDR and also there is a rest room and water fountain at the top of the path at the park in Culver City. This Ciclovia route passed along Echo Park, the park itself around the lake may have a water fountain somewhere, I dont know but if so it wasnt noticeable to me from the street.
Since no one else who did the event is complaining about water, maybe the problem is with your own sense of entitlement? It's free to the participants. There are no major sponsors. It involves mind-boggling amounts of planning and staffing. It's run by volunteers, and likely costs the city quite a bit in blocking streets and controlling traffic. Stop whining. Man up and bring your own water. And a little cash to help the businesses along the route.
Or stay home.
That which does not kill me has made a massive tactical blunder.
Too often I would hear men boast of the miles covered that day, rarely of what they had seen. Louis L'Amour
'07 Giant Cypress WSD "Radagast the Beige-and-Black" * '97 (?) Bianchi Premio "Orion" * '09 Trek Allant "The Black Pearl"
There were sinks and portapotties at Hollenbeck park. I do think it would have been a good idea to have some water stations along the route given the bright sunlight and heat, but the event was free so it's hard to feel entitled to any thing.
Would been nice to have had some free hot dogs, heed, bananas, SAG wagon.... list goes on eh?
France has a similar rental bike system. The bikes are meant for commuting and errands. When I was in Paris, every morning you'd see people riding the bikes to work or the metro station, and in the evening they would ride back home. A truck comes around at night and redistributes the bikes so that each rental station has some available.
When I go to Paris again I will definitely sign up for this service (you can do it online if you're in the U.S.). It's a cheap way to get around town and you don't have to worry about servicing the bikes.
Cheesecake, sushi, fried chicken
Watermelon. Popsicles.
That which does not kill me has made a massive tactical blunder.
Too often I would hear men boast of the miles covered that day, rarely of what they had seen. Louis L'Amour
'07 Giant Cypress WSD "Radagast the Beige-and-Black" * '97 (?) Bianchi Premio "Orion" * '09 Trek Allant "The Black Pearl"
i didnt make it to the Hollenbeck park. I rode from the southern end of the ride (Washington Blvd and Central) to Orange 20 and back. The Hollenbeck park was sport of a spur from that route I took. The reason there was water at the park is because it is a park not because of the planning of the Ciclovia, probably. Issue of entitlement to free water at a free city sponsored event: I dont know where the $350K+ came from to pay for this event but I am assuming it is from city collected tax revenues. If so, I helped pay for the event. I think as a matter of city planning of any public events outdoors involving thousands of people, having access to free water is important from a safety standpoint, especially an event involving physical activity such as a bike ride, walk, jog, or sporting event. Obviously in the summer months it is more of a consideration. Most people reading this dont seem to share my opinion. How that $350K was spent and or whether more should have been spent to provide free water is an issue that I question. One solution could be to find corporate sponsors who may be willing to give away free water or other beverages (for instance I have been at events where Arrowhead gave away free bottled water. Also along the coast bike path many times there have been free sports drinks given away by companies (usually these are when some other events are happening like volleyball tournaments.) If you are planning a city sponsored event and you are budgeting where and how to spend the city money and allocate use of city services, I think the city planners should think of free water as a point to consider. I would be surprised if they didn't do it here but ruled it out for some reason. Obviously money and services were provided such as first aid stations, police officers directing traffic, and someone lined up some entities that set up some tables (for example a bike company showing their products and some entity offering bananas for suggested donation) but nobody handled the water (other than water being somewhat available at 2 parks Echo Park and Hollenbeck, as far as i know. I personal feel it is ludicrous to have first aid stations set up but no free water available offered in plain view (which is the most common medical need at this event I think.)
Gary, please read the FAQ page of ciclavia's site, and look a little bit closer next time.
http://www.ciclavia.org/faq/
Where can I find water along the route?
There will be hydration stations at the six hubs along the route: Hollenbeck Park (SE corner of 4th and Cummings), South Lawn of City Hall (NW corner of 1st and Main), MacArthur Park (North side of 7th, between Alvarado and Lake), on Heliotrope, just north of Melrose at the Bicycle District, El Pueblo (Main, south of Chavez), and the African American Firefighter Museum (14th and Central),
The water stations will be set up as taps (water fountains connected to LADWP fire hydrants), so in the spirit of conservation, CicLAvia asks participants to bring their own water bottle. There will also be CicLAvia water bottles for sale at all rest stops, courtesy of REI.
If you aren't too bitter and decide to go next time, I will personally bring you 4 bottles of water for your personal consumption.
Who's going to pay for your "free" water? Why does the city have to pay for your sense of entitlement?
That which does not kill me has made a massive tactical blunder.
Too often I would hear men boast of the miles covered that day, rarely of what they had seen. Louis L'Amour
'07 Giant Cypress WSD "Radagast the Beige-and-Black" * '97 (?) Bianchi Premio "Orion" * '09 Trek Allant "The Black Pearl"
It was a great event and they need to do more of them! I hope it becomes a monthly or even weekly! event. I hope it happens so often that it is a NON-event, and just a part of the city life!
GaryinLA,
If you disagree with how it's organized, then GET INVOLVED or DON'T ATTEND.
All you achieve by whining here is to hoar attention and cast negativity on yourself.
Great event, great people!
I didnt come across the FAQ re the water stops before the ride. I did look at the website briefly before the ride but didnt see that. I think it is good that there were some water stops and were on the FAQ although I personally didnt find them except for 1 stop. As to people complainging about me "whining" what I am doing is getting involved by posting my thoughts on this on this public forum which is probably read occasionally by some of the organizers of the event. As to public entitlement to free water, again this event (I assume) was paid for by public funds, that most of us reading this in the City of LA contributed to by our tax dollars, so I think there should be some sense of entitlement to free water at such public events. We pay for certain services indirectly such as were provided at this event. There was info exchanged in this discussion (despite people saying negative things about me) whch I think was useful, for example I was educated about the FAQ and water stops on the event and maybe others were educated about the issue of water at public events. Again my concern isnt just me it is the thousands of other riders so someone offering to bring me some free water so i stop complaining is missing my point.
Re the Bike Nation rental program:
I looked at the flier I picked up at Ciclovia--
If you keep the bike for a few hours same day the cost is quite a bit more than $6
First you have to become a member. A 24 hour membership is $6 (one year is $75.)
Then the rental cost runs up in half hour increments. The first 90 minutes is $4.50 but then it is $6 per 30 minute increments.
So
membership fee $6
first 90 minutes: $4.50 1.5 hours
next 3.5 hours: $6 x 3.5= $21
That's $31.50 for 5 hours if you dont pay for a longer membership period.
Every additional hour you keep the bike is another $12.
Basically if you keep the bike a few hours, it gets expensive.
Total rental 5 hours $31.50
Total rental 6 hours: $43.50
Total rental 7 hours: $55.50
Total rental 8 hours: $67.50
Also as to the bike-- it is a solid rubber tire (no tube, no air), so it isnt the sort of bike I would want to ride recreationally.
Last edited by GaryinLA; 04-23-12 at 01:54 AM.
Posting Permissions
Reply With Quote
