Bixi is here!
- Thread starter Brill
- Start date
Great that it's here but doomed to failure because the stations and bikes are too few. Need 10,000 bikes and stations from St clair to Queens Quay and Dufferin to Broadview, maybe laid out in an inverted T or +.
Had a great time with Bixi in Montreal though, best way to get around.
Had a great time with Bixi in Montreal though, best way to get around.
What is it? A slaughter waiting to happen, I fear.
Toronto city centre traffic is much heavier than Montreal. We have poorly defined bike lanes as compared to Montreal, and we have cars turning right on red lights. We also have trolley tracks just waiting to trap bike riders' wheels and throw them off their bikes, often into the path of the cars that share the road.
It's hard enough for experienced bicyclists to get around Toronto's downtown safely. I assume many, if not most, of the Bixi bike renters will be somewhat inexperienced and susceptible to accidents.
I wonder if they'll have helmet rental stations as well?
Toronto city centre traffic is much heavier than Montreal. We have poorly defined bike lanes as compared to Montreal, and we have cars turning right on red lights. We also have trolley tracks just waiting to trap bike riders' wheels and throw them off their bikes, often into the path of the cars that share the road.
It's hard enough for experienced bicyclists to get around Toronto's downtown safely. I assume many, if not most, of the Bixi bike renters will be somewhat inexperienced and susceptible to accidents.
I wonder if they'll have helmet rental stations as well?
Unlikely, I'm pretty sure helmets are only required by law for riders under 18 years of age.
Dude, get you head out of your ass, Hippies are great people and this city could use a bit of peace and love.
$95 a year with a 30 minute cap per use is a terrible business plan IMHO. I was really excited about this until I started learning the particulars.
Interesting site measuring Bixis, currently 100 of them or 22% are being used.
http://oobrien.com/vis/bikes/?city=toronto
I hope it expands a lot more, it's only the downtown core so it isn't a good commuting option for me. I think the price is realistic.
http://oobrien.com/vis/bikes/?city=toronto
I hope it expands a lot more, it's only the downtown core so it isn't a good commuting option for me. I think the price is realistic.
I have my own bike for exercise and pleasure, I do not use a bike for commuting. If you allow unlimited use, people would just never return them. Not many people commute more than 30 minutes. In Montreal there are 5000 Bixis that cover most of the city. I wonder if you can take the Bixi for 30 minutes, then check in at a stand and take another one for 30 minutes. What is the penalty for extented use?
I cannot imagine why a grown man would rent a bicycle to get around. How incredibly undignified, to say the least.
Many activities are undignified if you think about it, the idea of licking an ice cream cone in public could be ridiculous to some people.
Some actions used to be seen as odd but changed with the times - a guy older than 12 wearing shorts, a forty year old person going for a run, recycling, tai chi in the park, wind surfing, roller blading, picking up dog shit, getting a massage...
Some actions used to be seen as odd but changed with the times - a guy older than 12 wearing shorts, a forty year old person going for a run, recycling, tai chi in the park, wind surfing, roller blading, picking up dog shit, getting a massage...
$95/year isn't bad, that works out to about $8/month which is nothing. For short trips it's fine. Free for the first 30min, $1.50 if you take it for an hour, $5.50 if you take it for an hour and a half. But then it starts to get pricey--$8 per 30min after that? Really??? That adds up fast.
I was hoping it would be a service where I could rent out a bike for an afternoon and get some exercise, maybe cycle along the waterfront with a friend, then return the bikes later in the day, but that winds up being $32/hour for two bikes for most of the afternoon. At those rates it's pretty quickly a better idea just to buy your own bicycle, or make a better rental deal with a bike shop.
It does seem to be cost effective if you just want to get from A to B and there's a Bixi station near both ends. Maybe in the summer that's worthwhile.. I'm still kind of interested, but wish that the rate got LOWER the longer you took out a bike, not higher.
The other downside is having to carry a bike helmet around. No way in hell am I riding on the roads in Toronto without a helmet, even if it is legal. It's stupid. So you have to carry the helmet around with you all day which kind of defeats some of the convenience.
Not sure I'm sold but it has the makings of a good idea.
True, but imo you're not very smart if you're riding w/o one, especially in traffic.
This is a great idea. Hopefully, it will get a few cars off the streets and make the city a bit more liveable.
I share concern that with inexperienced bikers in downtown streets, with few bike lanes and street car tracks, there will be some accidents. I hope no one is seriously hurt. Maybe with more bikers, there will be more bike lanes. hmmmm...oh yea, then there is Ford.
I share concern that with inexperienced bikers in downtown streets, with few bike lanes and street car tracks, there will be some accidents. I hope no one is seriously hurt. Maybe with more bikers, there will be more bike lanes. hmmmm...oh yea, then there is Ford.
I went on a long ride today down the Don Trail and saw a number of these bikes being used, probably 15 of them just today alone. I hope it works well for them!
I've seen lots of people ride these Bixi over the weekend. I've had to say this program is a hit.
