Velib like bicycle rental kiosks are being constructed in Dublin

mmclo · 01-09-2009 02:15PM

The puncture thing has been reported in a lot of papers and online

Nietzschean · 01-09-2009 03:44PM

CheGuedara wrote: »

Did anyone see that bit in yesterdays Metro (such a quality publication...) that on the off chance that the high quality Dublin roads and provided cycle lanes and frequently glass free streets of the city were to puncture the rentabike while you use it, that as the last user before the puncture is reported the cost of repairing the puncture (an unspecified ammount in the article, but I'm guessing it'll be more than just the cost of a regular tube) is debited from your creditcard?

I know it's a small thing but really you'd imagine that this should be taken as part of the operating costs of the system?

so if you report the puncture you don't get charged for it? that doesn't make sense too much does it? if you puncture + report then the previous guy gets billed for your puncture?...

petethedrummer · 01-09-2009 04:24PM

So a puncture is not classified as a maintenance cost to Decaux? I can't believe this will be the case.

petethedrummer · 01-09-2009 04:26PM

davearthurs wrote: »

Certainly they'll get a big shock if they try cycling to O'Connell street via the extremely dangerous Westmoreland Street.

This has been bothering me all day and I can't let it lie.

Westmoreland St is not extremely dangerous.

Stark · 01-09-2009 04:35PM

Conditions of use for the Velibs are here: http://www.dublinbikes.ie/content/download/6399/47798/version/3/file/GENERAL+CONDITIONS+OF+ACCESS+AND+USE+24+Jul+09.pdf

There are a number of ambiguous articles relating to the puncture issue:

7.3 The customer is responsible for the bike hired and must make every effort to avoid
damage to the bike or its destruction or disappearance.
7.6 The customer undertakes to inform the provider as swiftly as possible of the loss,
theft, accident or any other problem in relation to the use of either a bike or the
dublinbikes Ticket or Card associated with a dublinbikes subscription and/or bike,
no later than 24 hours following the occurrence of said event, on the following
telephone number: 1850 777 070. In any event, the bike shall remain under the
responsibility of the customer in accordance with the terms of Article 7.3 and 9.1.
9.1 The customer is fully and solely liable for any damage caused by the use made of
the bike during the period of use, including when this period exceeds the maximum
authorised continuous period of use in the event of late return by the customer.
9.7 Since the customer is liable for the bike (see Articles 7.3 and 9.1), prior to using the
bike, the customer must carry out a basic check of the main visible working parts, in
particular (but not limited to):
that the saddle, pedals and basket are properly fixed;
that the bell, brakes and lights function properly;
that the frame and the tyres are in good condition;
that the anti-theft lock is in place.
In the event that the above criteria are not met, the customer must make the provider
aware of any issues.
10.3 The nature and/or amount of the penalties payable to the provider by the customer
in the event of a contractual failing on the part of the customer, are as follows:
(1) disappearance of the bike in contravention of Article 7.4: €150;
(2) repair of damage to the bike attributable to the customer: flat rate penalty
according to the degree of damage; to a maximum of €150
(3) loss or damage to the anti-theft lock and/or the associated key: €20

It's not clear to me from those T&Cs if failure to report a puncture means you're liable for the repair.

Chips Lovell · 01-09-2009 04:38PM

petethedrummer wrote: »

This has been bothering me all day and I can't let it lie.

Westmoreland St is not extremely dangerous.

+1

I'd cycle down it most days I'm on the bike. Never had an issue with it.

Limestone1 · 01-09-2009 05:13PM

beans wrote: »

I spotted a corpo flat-bed with a load of these bikes on the back today, heading out of town on the Naas Rd. They all had baskets on the front! Some looked small enough to be kid's bikes.

This is not an uncommon site in Paris where they seem to drive around and move bikes from full stands to empty ones. Also they pick up the damaged/punctured/ soft tires etc and take them away for repair. I spent a week there recently where I found this bike scheme to be a brilliant addition to the general transport system.
Don't think there is any way they can chase you for a puncture - it could get punctured/damaged by a passer by whilst locked in the station. I presume once you return a bike you are free from any liability. Though maybe if every bike you return needs a repair then they will come asking some questions !
Saw plenty of damaged bikes in the Paris stations but generally they get taken away in a few days.
I didn't notice any smaller bikes - in fact under 14s are not allowed use them. Hopefully the vandalisation won't be too bad in Dublin and this will be a success - we could do with a larger area being covered to make it more useful but there are no plans for that at present.

buffalo · 01-09-2009 07:25PM

el tonto wrote: »

+1

I'd cycle down it most days I'm on the bike. Never had an issue with it.

Haven't been down it in about six months, certainly not since the bus gate came into operation. But I do remember a certain trepidation with cars trying to get into the right lane from Dame Street, or going up the left-hand side where all the buses pull in. And you've got that corner onto Aston Quay, where at least one cyclist has died in the past five years.

Granted, I never had an issue personally, but I can see why it would be extremely intimidating to a less confident or novice cyclist.

MyDublin · 01-09-2009 09:44PM

Stark wrote: »

Conditions of use for the Velibs are here: http://www.dublinbikes.ie/content/download/6399/47798/version/3/file/GENERAL+CONDITIONS+OF+ACCESS+AND+USE+24+Jul+09.pdf

There are a number of ambiguous articles relating to the puncture issue:

7.3 The customer is responsible for the bike hired and must make every effort to avoid
damage to the bike or its destruction or disappearance.
7.6 The customer undertakes to inform the provider as swiftly as possible of the loss,
theft, accident or any other problem in relation to the use of either a bike or the
dublinbikes Ticket or Card associated with a dublinbikes subscription and/or bike,
no later than 24 hours following the occurrence of said event, on the following
telephone number: 1850 777 070. In any event, the bike shall remain under the
responsibility of the customer in accordance with the terms of Article 7.3 and 9.1.
9.1 The customer is fully and solely liable for any damage caused by the use made of
the bike during the period of use, including when this period exceeds the maximum
authorised continuous period of use in the event of late return by the customer.
9.7 Since the customer is liable for the bike (see Articles 7.3 and 9.1), prior to using the
bike, the customer must carry out a basic check of the main visible working parts, in
particular (but not limited to):
that the saddle, pedals and basket are properly fixed;
that the bell, brakes and lights function properly;
that the frame and the tyres are in good condition;
that the anti-theft lock is in place.
In the event that the above criteria are not met, the customer must make the provider
aware of any issues.
10.3 The nature and/or amount of the penalties payable to the provider by the customer
in the event of a contractual failing on the part of the customer, are as follows:
(1) disappearance of the bike in contravention of Article 7.4: €150;
(2) repair of damage to the bike attributable to the customer: flat rate penalty
according to the degree of damage; to a maximum of €150
(3) loss or damage to the anti-theft lock and/or the associated key: €20

It's not clear to me from those T&Cs if failure to report a puncture means you're liable for the repair.

I don't think Decaux are trying to stick cyclists for punctures as that would be part of the maintenance for the bicycles but I think the T&C's try to cover as best as possible for things that people may do to the bikes while they are using them. The reality is that most users (I would hope) who take out a membership for the scheme don't intend to do anything other than cycle the bikes between stations and therefore won't incur any additional costs. Most users expect to be able to use the bikes and not get any additional charges i.e. they will use each and every bike they take for less than 30 mins and then won't have to pay anything over and above the annual fee of €10. Really good deal ......

MyDublin · 01-09-2009 09:49PM

beans wrote: »

I spotted a corpo flat-bed with a load of these bikes on the back today, heading out of town on the Naas Rd. They all had baskets on the front! Some looked small enough to be kid's bikes.

All the bikes will be exactly the same size - they have to be to fit into any of the bike stations dotted around the city centre and into any bike-stand in any station. The only thing that is adjustable is the saddle. T&C's confirm that only over 1.5m tall and over 14's in age can use the bikes also.

penexpers · 03-09-2009 10:15AM

Just saw this on another forum - the iphone app

http://fusio.net/dublinbikesapp/

cable842 · 03-09-2009 10:34AM

Bikes are free to take in copenhagen to take and bring back.

why is it always we have to pay when the rest of europe does,nt

its not fair.

bicycle recycling scheme would be a good idea. give them your bike and they give you a light weight one like the bikes they use in europe.

penexpers · 03-09-2009 10:41AM

cable842 wrote: »

Bikes are free to take in copenhagen to take and bring back.

When I used the free bikes in Copenhagen about three years ago, a lot of them were in a very poor state of repair.

eightyfish · 03-09-2009 10:43AM

cable842 wrote: »

Bikes are free to take in copenhagen to take and bring back.
why is it always we have to pay when the rest of europe does,nt

They do pay for it, with much higher taxes. There's no such thing as free.

blorg · 03-09-2009 10:56AM

cable842 wrote: »

Bikes are free to take in copenhagen to take and bring back.

why is it always we have to pay when the rest of europe does,nt

its not fair.

It's a tenner a year FFS, is that beyond you?

petethedrummer · 03-09-2009 11:07AM

would you pay to ride this?

Stark · 03-09-2009 11:11AM

Disc wheels, deadly.

petethedrummer · 03-09-2009 11:14AM

The Paris scheme seems to have an annual subscription of €29.

http://www.en.velib.paris.fr/abonnements_tarifs/abonnement_1_an

petethedrummer · 03-09-2009 11:19AM

Stark wrote: »

Disc wheels, deadly.

Everyone is a potential time triallist. You can also grip on to the map bit in the middle for increased aero positioning.

cable842 · 03-09-2009 11:25AM

in copenhagen is free to take a bike and then bring it back to another station

petethedrummer · 03-09-2009 11:31AM

cable842 wrote: »

why is it always we have to pay when the rest of europe does,nt

Some of Euroe does pay. Paris, as was pointed out.

stuf · 03-09-2009 11:42AM

cable842 wrote: »

in copenhagen is free to take a bike and then bring it back to another station

Copenhagen also has an widespread, intrinsic sense of civic responsibility that Dublin doesn't have. Would be great to have bikes along the Copenhagen system but they wouldn't last a week here. A €10 charge and credit-card guarantee is a fair and hopefully workable system for Dublin.

BeerNut · 03-09-2009 11:44AM

And by the time you've stopped at the second pub it's already costing you less than the same journey in Copenhagen.

Poncherello · 03-09-2009 11:54AM

had a good look at one today, they were testing the locking mechanisms at one of the depots. They are sturdy enough, but the basket and rear mudguard thing will get kicked to sh*t. I like the lock feature very easy to use. The guy there with the bike admitted that they were concerned about what will happen late at night but said there will be security...

Lumen · 03-09-2009 12:03PM

petethedrummer wrote: »

would you pay to ride this?

Is that even legal? Shame on you.

-Chris- · 03-09-2009 12:18PM

I got my card in the post yesterday - number 1,592!!

I wonder who has the lowest number here...

03-09-2009 12:36PM

Think I'm 112X or so. Looking forward to this starting now.

oflahero · 03-09-2009 12:38PM

Yup, bikes being tested as I type at the Merrion Square (west) dropoff point. Was tempted to wander over with my db card and ask for a cheeky spin. Can't help feeling a twinge of sadness looking at all the shiny newness, knowing the harsh future that awaits them. I imagine it's like watching your child head off eyes wide open on his first trip interrailing in Europe.