Ladner Learns from Lyons
September 30, 2007
From Councillor Peter Ladner’s newsletter:
U-Bike everywhere:
The Lyon/Paris model of thousands of rental bikes placed in electronically-linked racks around the city for registered users has grabbed the imagination of other cities around the world. Cycling trips in Lyon jumped 95% in the two years since it was instituted, all paid for by JCDecaux (an earlier name for CBS Outdoor Media, the same company that does our street furniture and bus shelters) in return for street advertising.
I’m bringing a motion to TransLink to get it going here.
Great idea. I wish we had included it in the original call for proposals.
Brilliant! I’m really liking Ladner – first his municipal wi-fi initiative, now this! Get this guy the NPA nomination and he’ll make a fantastic mayor.
It’s a great idea, renting bikes for minimal or cheap fees. I’m going to predict Translink will move forth with a study after it is brought up for the second time. Then nothing will happen. Just like the smart card project.
It is rather interesting that I found a line in the Surrey Transportation Plan 2021 from 1999, which specifically stated examining the possibility of launching a free bicycle program in the city. Funny how long things take to come to fruition sometimes.
This has been on the City’s radar for a little while now — although that’s no guarantee a program will actually come to fruition here.
The Economist had an interesting article a few weeks back on bikesharing programs offered by JC Decaux and ClearChannel, the two biggest players in the outdoor advertising game. Link below:
http://www.economist.com/displaystory.cfm?story_id=9832847
Not a bad idea at all. If TransLink won’t bite, turn it into a city initiative, where it might may stand a better chance of being implemented. (I promise to keep the quips about the village bike to a reasonable level…)
Do they rent helmets too?
Seriously, the necessity of having to carry around your own helmet could completely undermine this idea for the general public. And, renting helmets would make it even worse.
I think you’d just have large warnings/disclaimers on the bikes to riders that:
- the rider must assess whether they are physically capable of using the bike (i.e. not drunk or liable to have a heart attack from over exertion);
- the rider must comply with all applicable laws (including helmet and traffic laws – no riding on the sidewalk) when using the bike;
- Translink makes no warranties or representations as to the condition of the bike (riders must inspect the bike to satisfy themselves that all working parts (esp. brakes!) are in working order) (i.e. Translink cannot be expected to continually monitor the condition of each bike in the same manner that a bike rental shop owner would be able to do); and
- Translink takes no responsibility for any injury (including death) that the rider or any third party may result from the rider’s use of the bike.
Having registered users would also ensure that the riders will have read and agreed to the foregoing conditions when they register.