Crispy
The following psytrance is baṉned: All
Cyclists pay taxes too. Car taxes are not ringfenced for roads.
Barclays/TFL cycle hire scheme in London
- Thread starter se5
- Start date
Cyclists pay taxes too. Car taxes are not ringfenced for roads.
nino_savatte
No pasaran!
That's bollocks.
Crispy
The following psytrance is baṉned: All
I have learnt to drive, but I'd much rather cycle 4 miles in London than drive.
kyser_soze
Hawking's Angry Eyebrow
Ah, so what it comes down to is you feel agfgrieved that you're stuck in your car waiting in traffic while cyclists get ahead?
Easy solution to that, get a bike and stop bitching.
Crispy
The following psytrance is baṉned: All
What about on pavements? When there's a single old man shuffling along, should all other pedestrians slow down to his speed in order to show consideration?
Kanda
Diving wanker
All of us cyclists pay income tax, VAT, council tax, all of which contribute to general taxation which pays for roads. We may not pay vehicle excise duty (if we dont own cars: I persoanlly do as I'm a car owner as well as cyclist) but this does not mean we dont pay for roads.
Kanda
Diving wanker
So that'll be why a Tory Mayor is bringing this program in...
citydreams
on the road again
kyser_soze
Hawking's Angry Eyebrow
You're getting really, really desparate now aren't you, resorting to standard tory flim flam about freedom vs the state...when in fact a bike gives you more freedom than any other form of transport since you aren't reliant on oil, govt to provide infrastructure to drive on and a legal framework to control the use of vehicles...so even this argument is made of fail...
nino_savatte
No pasaran!
I feel most independent and free when I'm on my bicycle though (and i am quite obsessive about following road rules and tend not to filter). I can travel door to door, don't need to pay anything, look for parking spaces, worry about timetables or wait for the next bus/tube to come along.
Exactly - if anything cycling empowers the individual so that they dont have to rely on the state to provide for their transport needs - a rightwing idea if ever I saw one, and remember Norman Tebbit speaking urging people to "get on their bikes" and of course our glorious Tory Mayor is best known for being a cyclist.
citydreams
on the road again
back to the OP
I have the full feasibility study for the Cycle hire Scheme..
This bit irks me the most:
"There is a significant market from after rail commuters. However, sufficient space to cater for the full demand is unlikely to be available. Hence, it is not recommended to cater for this market initially."
..or ever.
I have the full feasibility study for the Cycle hire Scheme..
This bit irks me the most:
"There is a significant market from after rail commuters. However, sufficient space to cater for the full demand is unlikely to be available. Hence, it is not recommended to cater for this market initially."
..or ever.
"Unlikely to be available" - says who?
They've just shot themselves in the foot big style.
citydreams
on the road again
Well, there is space, but it's being used by taxis or, er, cycle parking
In the end I think it comes down to 'profit', sorry, 'value for money'. Commuter (as in rail station) demand would likely mean that the bikes are only used two or three times a day (am journey into work, pm journey home, and maybe an evening trip).
For any kind of return on investment the hire scheme is looking at 7 trips per bike a day. Apparently Barcelona gets 15 trips/day for its 6000 bikes, for which there are 200,000 registered users.
In the end I think it comes down to 'profit', sorry, 'value for money'. Commuter (as in rail station) demand would likely mean that the bikes are only used two or three times a day (am journey into work, pm journey home, and maybe an evening trip).
For any kind of return on investment the hire scheme is looking at 7 trips per bike a day. Apparently Barcelona gets 15 trips/day for its 6000 bikes, for which there are 200,000 registered users.
I lived in Paris and experienced the velib first hand. I suspect it won't work in London because:
* They are not putting enough bikes in. It has to be SWAMPED. Paris works because you don't have to know where the bikes or docking stations are - they are everywhere.
* Paris is cheap beyond chips. 29 euros for a year's (sic, year) pass. Ie 20 quid. Every journey (under 30 mins) then free.
* Paris is compact and dense.
* Paris (inside peripherique) has no crime, graffiti or feral hoodies.
* Paris has no HGV or large delivery lorries.
None of these logistical details, which make the difference between winning and losing, I suspect Boris will put his mind to.
* They are not putting enough bikes in. It has to be SWAMPED. Paris works because you don't have to know where the bikes or docking stations are - they are everywhere.
* Paris is cheap beyond chips. 29 euros for a year's (sic, year) pass. Ie 20 quid. Every journey (under 30 mins) then free.
* Paris is compact and dense.
* Paris (inside peripherique) has no crime, graffiti or feral hoodies.
* Paris has no HGV or large delivery lorries.
None of these logistical details, which make the difference between winning and losing, I suspect Boris will put his mind to.
Crispy
The following psytrance is baṉned: All
I hadn't noticed this but now I think about it you're right. must be a law, right?
Yes there is a law (but, ahem, don't ask me the details
). You don't see HGV at any time of day or night. Deliveries seem to be done by transit-size van early in the morning.BTW - another good thing about Paris is there are no overhead flights at all. Ever. You don't notice an omission immediately, but that is a real godsend.
Crispy
The following psytrance is baṉned: All
A few snippets of new info: http://londonreconnections.blogspot.com/2009/03/mayors-questions-0209-on-yer-bike.html
The hire bikes will not have locks, so you have to return them to a docking point when you finish your journey. This is because most of the thefts in the Paris scheme were made when the bikes were locked up away from Docks. However, this seems crazy - you can't pop into a shop and leave the bike locked up outside. It reduces convenience massively.
The hire bikes will not have locks, so you have to return them to a docking point when you finish your journey. This is because most of the thefts in the Paris scheme were made when the bikes were locked up away from Docks. However, this seems crazy - you can't pop into a shop and leave the bike locked up outside. It reduces convenience massively.
teuchter
je suis teuchter
Looks like this may be in place in about a year's time...
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/8019383.stm
Which is good news.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/8019383.stm
Which is good news.
George & Bill
semiotically superfluous
Instead of arguing with these remarks, I will simply say:
HAAHAAHAAHAAHAAA
Your ideas have not even been acknowledged by any public body, whereas the idea you oppose looks set to become reality in the near future.
SHAME
Incorrect. The velib bikes have little wire locks on them you can loop through fences, gates, lighting stands and what not.
George & Bill
semiotically superfluous
teuchter
je suis teuchter
Will there be a charge for using these or will they be covered by a travelcard?
It would seem to make sense that they should be included on a travelcard, if the idea is to reduce the strain on tubes and buses etc.
If I've already got a travelcard, the likelihood of my using the bikes is very much reduced if I have to pay extra.
It would seem to make sense that they should be included on a travelcard, if the idea is to reduce the strain on tubes and buses etc.
If I've already got a travelcard, the likelihood of my using the bikes is very much reduced if I have to pay extra.
Yes, hence the thefts in the Paris scheme, and hence the bikes in the London scheme will not have such locks
Ah, I see. Nothing stopping you using your own lock though...
George & Bill
semiotically superfluous
Map with all the proposed initial locations at http://www.guardian.co.uk/news/datablog/2009/apr/27/cycling-transport
