The Dublin Bike rip-off?

markpb wrote: »

He said DB, not JCD. Since DB own DublinBikes, presumably any income would go to them.

When the bikes first started, there were free apps using the data. jcd stopped the apps from using the data and got them kicked out of the apple app store.
The corpo's response was that it was in the deal with jcd.

later jcd brought out a terrible app.
later again jcd brought out an alright app.

markpb wrote: »

It's still a piss poor system. There's no need to actually charge the euro to the card, a pre-auth or credit check would do the trick. I've changed my card several times but I never use the bikes for more than half an hour so the credit is useless to me.

by rights, under data protection and foi law, this should be changed for free.

markpb wrote: »

I've changed my card several times but I never use the bikes for more than half an hour so the credit is useless to me.

The credit is held over until your renewal. The same happened me last year, I changed card details mid year, and it charged me €1. I was a bit miffed until I realised it was credited to my account, and when my renewal rolled around a bit later, I was charged €9 instead of €10. I do agree that one should be able to change CC details without having to take any money from the card, but it's not the end of the world that they took a euro a few months too early!

Even at €20/year, it is good value. If they doubled it again...well, I wouldn't be happy about it, but for now I'm not too bothered about the increased fee (esp that they've installed two new stations within 100m of my office (one of them literally across the road )

anthomoran wrote: »

I have seen on a regular basis the bike stations on north side of dublin are empty zero bikes. I have sent an email to dublin bikes and this is the reply i got look below.
The reply showed me that dublinbikes has little interest in distributing bikes and need to employ more bike staff to distribute bikes on the northside of dublin in the mornings.

**************************************************************************************************
Thank you for your email.

As previously advised we appreciate your observations with regard to the dublinbikes regulation.

While we do provide a degree of regulation of the distribution of bicycles around the stations, we do not guarantee that any given station will never be either full or empty.

The system is designed to self regulate to a significant degree and to this end, advanced features are provided on the terminal to indicate the real time capacity of local stations.

If you arrive at a full station, you can scan your card so the terminal recognises that you are trying to return a db to a full station. It will then list the nearest 8 stations with availability and allow an extra 15 minutes free of charge to leave the bike back at another station.


You can also plan a journey in advance to ensure availability by doing one of the following:
· Using the dublinbikes website which gives availability in real time on the station map
· Downloading the iphone or Android application allbikesnow for free
· Or by simply contacting the call centre between normal working hours on 1850 777 070
We value your feedback which we take into account along with all other comments on a similar theme when considering possible changes to our regulation patterns. In the context of regulating the entire network, we note your particular comments and will endeavour to make improvements wherever possible.
Should you wish to take your query further, please do not hesitate to contact DCC on 01 222 2222.


Regards
dublinbikes team
T. 1850 777 070
For more information visit www.dublinbikes.ie
*******************************************************
Wondering have many other dublinbike users experienced the lack of bikes on north side ?

Yes, I have found the same problem. The ones nearest to me at Talbot Amd Princes Streets are frequently empty or nearly empty. Even expanding the one at Talbot seems to have made little difference. Connolly Station nearby contributes a lot to this. It does seem very shortsighted to not put more stations in this area when there there seems to be an abundance of them on North Wall Quay for some reason.

Using for me is even akward as these newest stations are nearly half an hour walk. They can be useful though when it doesn't suit to bring your own bike. They could easily have been expanded further on the Northside with the canal anyway. North Strand had the highest number of cyclists during peak times in the last count, which seems to indicate the people do cycle in that part of town. Maybe the design and planning of this system was carried out by Southsiders who only cross the Liffey for the airport.

I don't care what the whingers say. It's still the best tenner I've spent in my life. And even doubling the subscription it's still a steal.

Single best improvement to the quality of life in the city I can remember.

Snickers Man wrote: »

I don't care what the whingers say. It's still the best tenner I've spent in my life. And even doubling the subscription it's still a steal.

Single best improvement to the quality of life in the city I can remember.

It does have loads of postives without saying. The gaps in the network and empty/full stations can be a bit of nuisance. It has got lots of people to consider the bicycle as a practical mode of transport. It partly encouraged me to resume cycling more frequently after a gap of about 8 years. I was nearly at the point of giving away my bicycles. Seeing people using the bike share scheme over the last few years has not gone unnoticed.

Yes, I will be renewing too. Might it use to rediscover parts of the city that I haven't cycled for many years, especially with expansion towards Kilmainham. It's great in the evening to cross town when meeting people and also can save time walking places during the day when you don't have your own bike with you.

Far from a rip off.

They should have some MI on where they need bikes each morning to meet their requests.

I'd like to see them move the bikes out further first than adding more stations within the current network and do it in a even movement so everyone gets the benefit.

There's plenty of bikes available on the Fenian St stand, nobody around that area to use them OH, 'Inda' has a pad nearby?, so THAT'S why they built a stand in the middle of nowhere :rolleyes:

Aard wrote: »

Plenty of people living near Fenian St. Conspiracy theory averted.

Really ? Let's see what the usage pattern is there then from Dublin Bikes - I would have thought placing the stand on Merrion St/Fenian st jct between the hotels there and on the route to/from Pearse station would have been more logical and user friendly :rolleyes:

Qualitymark wrote: »

May be a question of how much use a particular piece of pavement gets, though? Not everything is the evil politicians' doing.

That particular location gets SFA pedestrian traffic - ask the one coffee shop there,or the Garda on duty There's a KBC bank across from it but in terms of it being in a high volume location - NADA. I stick to my original theory, especially when you hear 'Inda' being interviewed (sounding out of breath by his morning stroll up to Government buildings ) :cool:

Capri wrote: »

Really ? Let's see what the usage pattern is there then from Dublin Bikes - I would have thought placing the stand on Merrion St/Fenian st jct between the hotels there and on the route to/from Pearse station would have been more logical and user friendly :rolleyes:

Oh dear Capri.....you obviously are NOT "On-Message" here.......some refocusing work required i'm afraid.....;)

As their biggest fan and honestly believing it is possibly one of the best things to happen to the city I cannot get my head around the fact they dont accept debit cards. I thought finally getting rid of my credit card would be a positive aspect!

Then I log on to their website and no phone number (yeah I know its on the card) and no physical address either.

Not good enough.