Bike Forums - How those red public bicycles are changing D.C.

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How those red public bicycles are changing D.C.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinio...zgJ_story.html

After Tuesday’s earthquake, roads were jammed and Metro slowed, but one mode of transportation sparkled: bicycling. People who had biked to work had little trouble getting home, and the Capital Bikeshare system recorded 1,236 rides between 2 and 4 p.m., more than three times the number for the same period the previous day.

That’s a particularly impressive statistic, given that there are only 1,100 bikes in the system and that the vans that redistribute bikes got stuck in traffic.

Disasters, though, aren’t really what Capital Bikeshare is about. It’s about giving people another option to get around every day. In that, it’s been a rousing success.

Not everyone expected that when the program was launched in 2008. Don’t most people have their own bikes? Bikes aren’t that pricey. Who needs a public one a few blocks away when you could have one of your own at home?

But Capital Bikeshare became one of the region’s biggest recent success stories. It’s obvious that more people, of all shapes and colors, are biking around Washington and Arlington. Many say that drivers, bicyclists and pedestrians are even respecting each other more.

Good to see people were at the least shown that biking is a true option for commuting...

Workmates were jealous that I had ridden to work that day - Metro slowed to 15 mph. I recommended Bikeshare to several people to get home, though none took me up on it.

Saw four teenagers riding them through Arlington yesterday seeming to have a good time.

Bikeshare also makes for happy visitors!

It sure has been a success. I always ride my own bike, but some days that I ride downtown or around the Mall it seems like 1/4 to 1/3 of the bikes I see are CBS or Bike-and-Roll rentals.

Quote:

Originally Posted by 1nterceptor (Post 13156449)

…After Tuesday’s earthquake, roads were jammed and Metro slowed, but one mode of transportation sparkled: bicycling...Disasters, though, aren’t really what Capital Bikeshare is about. It’s about giving people another option to get around every day. In that, it’s been a rousing success...

Boston recently started a similar system called "Hubways," that just today I touted to a fellow cyclist from London planning to move to Boston; not necessarily as a drawing card itself, but to counter criticism of Boston cycling:

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jim from Boston (Post 13159512)

…One of the big changes in the Boston cycling scene over the past couple years has been the interest that Mayor Menino has taken in bicycling, and he has appointed a bike czar, introduced several cycling lanes in those above-mentioned areas in the heart of the city, and instituted [about one month ago] a bicycle sharing system, called “Hubways,” particularly centered in the downtown and surrounding neighborhoods. (Boston is known, besides Beantown, as the Hub [of the Universe] :thumb:)