Cycling in Brisbane Australia
Mexico City bike share program...
Not sure if anyone has read this, but it came through in my Smart Planet newsletter this morning... seems CityCycle could benefit from some educational tips from the Mexicans (not the Melbourne variety)...
Definitely worth a read
http://www.smartplanet.com/blog/global-observer/with-bike-sharing-p...
Replies to This Discussion
-
Permalink Reply by Raymond on -
Here's an oldie but goodie of one in China:
(Check out the colour of the air!)
via http://www.streetfilms.org/the-biggest-baddest-bike-share-in-the-wo... (with some insightful comments on the page)
-
Permalink Reply by Paul Martin on -
Great film.
-
Permalink Reply by Geoffrey McLeod on -
The Chinese enjoy more freedom than Australians when it comes to cycling. In the nanny-state, they would all be regarded as all criminals. Especially some of those electric hubs over 200w. All outlawed in Australia.
-
Permalink Reply by Paul Martin on
-
Yes, and one big thing that is not mentioned in the article?
Mexico City repealed their bicycle helmet law before the introduction of EcoBici as they knew it wouldn't work. The bike share scheme forced the law to change. Smart Mexicans.
-
Permalink Reply by Paul Martin on
-
Permalink Reply by Joseph Barker on
-
I wonder how NYC will go. http://www.nycitybikeshare.com/
-
Permalink Reply by Elric Erekose on -
The way I'm reading this article from the NY Times (as well as the tone of the language used on the NYC Bike Share site), it would appear that helmet use is encouraged not obligatory. What is particularly strange in this approach is that there is no mention of repealing the mandatory helmet laws (which vary wildly across the different NY state counties if the info I am finding is correct) for anyone else. I think we'll "watch this space".... I can see things getting very interesting somehow....
-
Permalink Reply by Paul Martin on
-
As you know there are no mandatory bicycle helmet laws for the jurisdiction in which the bike share scheme will be used - New York City - and there never will be. I'd bet my savings on it. If they tried there would be protests. If the law were introduced (bearing in mind those in favour of such laws ride the least...) it would be largely ignored, making policing impossible. I can assure you that the many NYC cyclists I'm in personal contact with will not have a bar of it and will fight hard.
DublinBikes 'recommends' helmet usage in their T&C (as do all the other schemes and so would CityCycle & MBS if it wasn't the law) but it is not a law in any of these cities and most riders don't wear them, but they do if they want to. The sensible position.
No serious accidents have occurred to date (and no head injuries) on any bike share bikes that I'm aware of and they've had millions & millions of trips.
The only exception to this rule is Brisbane & Melbourne and soon to be added, Vancouver. If you want to watch any space, that's the one to watch... and perhaps even Brisbane, if Campbell Newman is the next Premier.
-
Permalink Reply by Elric Erekose on
-
Are you sure Paul? I got the impression that NYC submitted to state law on this one which mandates helmets up to the age of 14 (as opposed to some jurisdictions which seen to have implemented their own or possibly to exempt themselves). Now I'm the first to admit that I have trouble making sense of state and district discrepancies/overlaps etc. The linked article also has this snippet:
The city strongly encourages wearing helmets but requires them only for riders under age 14 and professional delivery people.
NB: I imagine that if ADULTS were forced to wear helmets in NYC, then yes you'd hear their nasal whining from even our shores lol
-
Permalink Reply by Paul Martin on
-
Yes, children are required but I'm not terribly interesting in fighting for children to have choice on bicycle helmets (just like they don't have the 'choice' to legally drive, smoke, drink or have sex).
Bike share schemes are all 'adults only' - the cutoff age varies - so the law is irrelevant to bike share (except ours, that is!).
I'm not quite sure of your intent by the phrase 'nasal whining' and 'lol' in reference to New York adults' potential reaction should they be forced to wear bicycle helmets, so I'll not comment.
-
Permalink Reply by Elric Erekose on
-
More in reference in the NY accent... one of my least favourite accents on the planet...
Didn't realise there was a cut-off age on the bike share system. I'm actually open to changes to our own laws which would amend the mandatory helmet laws apply only to those say below the age of 16... have you heard anything as to how well that works over in NY for example? My concern has always been creating a case of "do as I say, not as I do"...
-
Permalink Reply by Paul Martin on
-
Ah, OK. They don't sound *that* bad... much better than some of the southerners! ;)
For bikeshare schemes there is a cutoff age but really it should be a cutoff 'height' as there is a point where the bike will be simply too big to ride. It wouldn't surprise me if the NYC scheme is limited to adults when it is rolled out.
In Melbourne the age limit is 15 years; Brisbane it is 17 years. This is certainly one reason why a trial exemption for bike share would be easier to manage - it's adults only. That at the fact that the bikes are so obvious!
One other ridiculous limit is the operating hours both here in Brisbane and in Melbourne. There is absolutely no logical reason they can't be operational 24/7... makes no sense to me.
They also (in Brisbane) need to allow credit card facilities at stations. Not that this will make a great difference to usage but it is more convenient. I just use my card whenever I'm in Melbourne to borrow the bikes - it's simply the best way to get across town.
The 'do as I say, not as I do' makes little sense when you think about it. What matters is *good parenting*, setting boundaries and enforcing them - that's how I was raised. Parents who rely on laws to help control their children's behaviour really do need to do some serious self-analysing. Pool fencing laws are a great example. What matters is not the fence (or even swimming lessons) as much as *parental supervision* - that's the key.
Most adults drink alcohol in front of children; many smoke in front of them; we drive while they look on; movies & television show guns & sex (or implied).
What is important is that parents *talk* about complex issues to their children, explain *why* adults can do certain things children can't do and they will grow to be balanced, enquiring and intelligent adults. I really dislike it when adults are treated like children though. The problem is that when society treats adults like children they start to behave like them (sometimes worse!).
My personal position is that children should not be subjected to a law which can result in fines & convictions for simply not wearing a bicycle helmet (and the Queensland Council of Civil Liberties recently agreed with this position) while riding a bicycle. Why should a child feel they need to flee from the police simply because they don't have a bicycle helmet? - I see this from time to time (kids on BMX bikes riding home from school).
© 2012 Created by DamianM.
