They're right about the bikes. It's mainly tourists that make use of them, and - unlike with in-person rentals - the people renting are given no course on road safety or how to signal. So you get a bunch of drunk people with no knowledge or respect of trafic barreling thru bikelanes way too fast, only to then ditch their bikes on the aforementioned bikelane, because they do not own the bike and they give no fucks about the place they're at and there is no system of accountability. I see this all the time, it sucks and I hate it.
The bike is also way heavier than a normal bike.
A bike rental run by the city is a good thing, but these private "disruptions" are just leeching off of good public infrastructure whilst making it worse for all involved.
Okay, we are simply talking about different things. I'm not advocating for some battery propelled tourist death traps.
Where I've seen it best implemented, the bikes were a single speed with a basket and bell. No one can go dangerously fast, in fact everyone ends up going the same speed regardless of age or fitness.
Due to the high availability of bikes, all the night life spots piled up with bikes and we always had a ride home.
They're right about the bikes. It's mainly tourists that make use of them, and - unlike with in-person rentals - the people renting are given no course on road safety or how to signal. So you get a bunch of drunk people with no knowledge or respect of trafic barreling thru bikelanes way too fast, only to then ditch their bikes on the aforementioned bikelane, because they do not own the bike and they give no fucks about the place they're at and there is no system of accountability. I see this all the time, it sucks and I hate it.
The bike is also way heavier than a normal bike.
A bike rental run by the city is a good thing, but these private "disruptions" are just leeching off of good public infrastructure whilst making it worse for all involved.
Okay, we are simply talking about different things. I'm not advocating for some battery propelled tourist death traps.
Where I've seen it best implemented, the bikes were a single speed with a basket and bell. No one can go dangerously fast, in fact everyone ends up going the same speed regardless of age or fitness.
Due to the high availability of bikes, all the night life spots piled up with bikes and we always had a ride home.
Behold the People's bicycle