The Bike Scheme thread

joeKel73 · 11-12-2014 4:29pm

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galwaycyclist · 11-12-2014 10:09pm

Iwannahurl wrote: »

A City Tribune reporter has a good go at the shared bikes, and at cyclists, in today's paper.

Apart from slating the management of the project, he says the CZ bikes represent "196 new hazards" on the city's road network.

Apparently cyclists are -- collectively -- a contrary bunch who'd pick a fight with their own toenails and who make up the rules as they go along.

I had a chance to read this now. It was an editorial by Dara Bradley and he makes an important point. He makes the point that if there were bike stations in Salthill or Doughiska then people would be able to park their cars and cycle into town. This would alleviate congestion.

He continues

But it would also cut off a revenue stream for the Council - through a reduction in parking charges at its city centre car parks. For city officials, money trumps traffic alleviation every day of the week.

Its hard to argue with that conclusion.

dinneenp · 11-12-2014 10:35pm

Use the bikes a few days ago. Bikes were decent, I did go wrong way on one way roads several times as there's so many one ways in Galway.
The 'basket' at front is 2 or 3 bits of a string elastic material with gaps in between. Don't know why they didn't put a proper basket in place, these ones are no good if you have smallish items.
Overall happy with them though.

Poxyshamrock · 12-12-2014 3:32am

dinneenp wrote: »

The 'basket' at front is 2 or 3 bits of a string elastic material with gaps in between. Don't know why they didn't put a proper basket in place, these ones are no good if you have smallish items.

Noticed that too! Pretty useless for something like a bottle of water, etc.

Maybe it's a way of preventing people dumping/leaving items in it.

yer man! · 14-12-2014 4:48pm

I'm not sure that this scheme is being given the maintenance it requires, half of the stations were offline today and people were parked right up against the docks in wood quay so you couldn't get any bikes out.

galwaycyclist · 14-12-2014 4:51pm

yer man! wrote: »

I'm not sure that this scheme is being given the maintenance it requires, half of the stations were offline today and people were parked right up against the docks in wood quay so you couldn't get any bikes out.

Noticed that. Its like someone decided to make a parking space where there isnt one.

galwaycyclist · 14-12-2014 5:59pm

galwaycyclist wrote: »

Noticed that. Its like someone decided to make a parking space where there isnt one.

I went down and had another look. I don't know if this is oversight or design but the car parking spaces have not being removed.

So motorists are encouraged to park up against the backs of the bikes. If this is intentional then it seems to me that the bikeshare station was installed the wrong way around. It should have been installed so that the bikes back onto the footpath.

Either way I would have thought some kind of barrier or railing is needed at the back of the stands.

joeKel73 · 14-12-2014 9:53pm

yer man! wrote: »

I'm not sure that this scheme is being given the maintenance it requires, half of the stations were offline today and people were parked right up against the docks in wood quay so you couldn't get any bikes out.

Looks pretty bad alright;

what_traffic · 15-12-2014 10:22am

yer man! wrote: »

I'm not sure that this scheme is being given the maintenance it requires, half of the stations were offline today and people were parked right up against the docks in wood quay so you couldn't get any bikes out.

Did you report this on the Bikeshare.ie website?

dinneenp · 15-12-2014 11:09am

Call me (very) stupid but where on the bike is the lock?

snubbleste · 15-12-2014 11:25am

dinneenp wrote: »

Call me (very) stupid but where on the bike is the lock?

very stupid !

biko · 15-12-2014 12:32pm

Mind yourself snubb.

The rack lock is fixed to the frame and you just push it into a connection to lock it to the rack.

boardzz · 15-12-2014 12:43pm

dinneenp wrote: »

Call me (very) stupid but where on the bike is the lock?

I presume you mean the lock that can be used to lock the bike in a location other than the docking stations.
Don't think they exist just yet.

pleasant Co. · 15-12-2014 1:04pm

what_traffic wrote: »

Did you report this on the Bikeshare.ie website?

Don't know how beneficial that would be given that I sent them a query (wasn't covered in their FAQ) about 3 weeks ago with no reply as of yet, that query has coincidentally been answered on this thread though

yer man! · 15-12-2014 2:04pm

I did let them know of the matter but the phone number goes to a call centre in Wexford who know nothing outside of the FAQ and when I sent an email to their support contact I got back an out of office. I do hope they don't screw this scheme up.

galwaycyclist · 15-12-2014 2:16pm

galwaycyclist wrote: »

I went down and had another look. I don't know if this is oversight or design but the car parking spaces have not being removed.

So motorists are encouraged to park up against the backs of the bikes. If this is intentional then it seems to me that the bikeshare station was installed the wrong way around. It should have been installed so that the bikes back onto the footpath.

Either way I would have thought some kind of barrier or railing is needed at the back of the stands.

Picture from yesterday.

The cars in the foreground are parked up against the back of the bikes. The cars in the background are parked up against empty stands for the bikes.

what_traffic · 15-12-2014 2:37pm

galwaycyclist wrote: »

Picture from yesterday.

The cars in the foreground are parked up against the back of the bikes. The cars in the background are parked up against empty stands for the bikes.

If ever an example was needed of laziness in City Hall you could use this picture! Where to start. Bikes and station are in the wrong location(should be the other side of the road in the heart of Woodquay), too lazy to remove the road markings, removing disabled parking spaces.....

boardzz · 15-12-2014 3:12pm

Parking tickets all round then...?

snubbleste · 15-12-2014 3:15pm

boardzz wrote: »

Parking tickets all round then...?

On a Sunday :eek:

Julabo · 15-12-2014 3:55pm

God, that photo made me laugh!

dinneenp · 15-12-2014 4:28pm

I e-mailed them today about the baskets (elastic, not great for holding small items) and they replied (this afternoon) stating-
We understand what you have said from a usability point of view. Unfortunately it is beyond our action at this moment in time as the bikes are not manufactured by us. Hopefully in the future baskets will be replaced with traditional mesh baskets.

ratracer · 15-12-2014 7:21pm

The stations at main guard street and the fire station have been out of order since early afternoon!!

what_traffic · 16-12-2014 10:29am

Julabo wrote: »

God, that photo made me laugh!

Made me cry!

cgcsb · 16-12-2014 11:02am

galwaycyclist wrote: »

Picture from yesterday.

The cars in the foreground are parked up against the back of the bikes. The cars in the background are parked up against empty stands for the bikes.

Jeepers that's shocking. They didn't even remove the parking spaces? It seems as if the NTA is trying to implement a scheme for the good of Galway and Galway City council are trying to stop them.

ratracer · 16-12-2014 12:50pm

ratracer wrote: »

The stations at main guard street and the fire station have been out of order since early afternoon!!

Still out of order :-(

dinneenp · 16-12-2014 12:56pm

ratracer wrote: »

Still out of order :-(

Report it to them!

yer man! · 16-12-2014 12:58pm

dinneenp wrote: »

Report it to them!

Has been, person responsible is out of office.

Iwannahurl · 16-12-2014 1:15pm

galwaycyclist wrote: »

Picture from yesterday.

https://us.v-cdn.net/6034073/uploads/attachments/114588/331808.jpg

EDIT: Was being fixed this afternoon. Will post pics later.

From the Connacht Tribune website:

NTA says Galway public bike scheme proving popular

The National Transport Authority says over 1200 people have registered online to use Galway’s public bike scheme.

Since November 24th, the bikes, which are located at 19 docking stations across the city, have been taken out for more than 1000 trips.

The NTA says its half-price registration rate of €5 will remain in place until December 31st.

http://connachttribune.ie/nta-says-galway-public-bike-scheme-proving-popular

Mrs OBumble · 16-12-2014 1:48pm

Is it possible for me to give someone a registration as a Christmas gift? Do they need to have an ATM card of their own to make payments, or can I put some money into their account, and they can top up later some other way?

what_traffic · 16-12-2014 2:34pm

NTA says Galway public bike scheme proving popular

The National Transport Authority says over 1200 people have registered online to use Galway’s public bike scheme.

Since November 24th, the bikes, which are located at 19 docking stations across the city, have been taken out for more than 1000 trips.

http://connachttribune.ie/nta-says-g...roving-popular

Do the NTA not know there are NOT 19 docking stations across the city? Only 2/3 that amount and latest word on the street is that the City Library station is not going ahead along with the University Station and Fairgreen Tourist Office Station?

The Bike Scheme thread

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