Launch of new Cork Public Bikes Scheme

D'Agger

Signed up to this today, may never use it but for €10 how bad - it's nice to have the option available and I do think it'll help the city in a big way

Dan Dare

Is it really that cheap? If it is I'll sign up myself.

Poxyshamrock

Provided you don't have the bike for more than 30 mins, the charge is €10 for the year!

Worztron

Poxyshamrock wrote: »

Provided you don't have the bike for more than 30 mins, the charge is €10 for the year!

I'd happily pay more if I did not have to give free advertising to a particular fizzy drink corp.

namloc1980

Worztron wrote: »

I'd happily pay more if I did not have to give free advertising to a particular fizzy drink corp.

It's not free. They are paying to be the sponsors and without Coke the scheme wouldn't have seen light of day. People can decide whether they would prefer not to have the scheme on a point of principle about who the sponsor is but personally I'm glad the scheme is here and fair play to Coke for providing the cash.

thomil

Worztron wrote: »

I'd happily pay more if I did not have to give free advertising to a particular fizzy drink corp.

I understand where you're coming from with that, but sponsoring has been part of the concept for the local bike scheme since the first studies by the NTA. And, to be honest, I'd much rather have Coca Cola Zero as sponsor than some bank (London), or a pharmaceutical company. As for the price, some people might be willing to pay more to get something without ads, I agree. Hell, I'd pay 50€ a year, and still be happy. However, if you're trying to get a system such as Coke Zero Bikes of the ground, it is better to start with a lower price to make the system more attractive.

On a more personal note, the color scheme of the bikes, black and red, dictated of course by the sponsor, looks fantastic if you ask me.

TheChizler

The only thing stopping me from signing up is the deposit. Do they actually take it out of your account or do you just authorise them to take it if necessary?

thomil

TheChizler wrote: »

The only thing stopping me from signing up is the deposit. Do they actually take it out of your account or do you just authorise them to take it if necessary?

No, I've never seen any transaction to that effect on my credit card statement yet. You just authorise them to take it out if the worst happens, and you destroy the bike, don't return it, or it gets stolen. I presume they run some kind of check whether you have enough limit when you sign up, though.

namloc1980

TheChizler wrote: »

The only thing stopping me from signing up is the deposit. Do they actually take it out of your account or do you just authorise them to take it if necessary?

Nothing comes out of your account and there is no hold on your account. It's a preauthorisation that your agreeing to.

TheChizler

namloc1980 wrote: »

Nothing comes out of your account and there is no hold on your account. It's a preauthorisation that your agreeing to.

Oh great! I thought it might be like in an automatic petrol station where the authorised amount is inaccessible for a few days.

namloc1980

TheChizler wrote: »

Oh great! I thought it might be like in an automatic petrol station where the authorised amount is inaccessible for a few days.

No not like that. I used my Visa Debit card when I signed up. No hold on it. They do put a €1 hold on it for a few days after you sign up just to confirm the card is genuine but that goes after a week or so.

okedoke

I was wondering earlier in the thread where you get the combination for the lock. Most people probably spotted that it comes up on screen just before you press validate (4 digit).

KCAccidental

had my first journey on one the other night. was handy going from UCC to town, 10 minute walk turns into a 5 minute cycle.

looking forward to the other stations opening as I will get much more use out of it.

Pitcairn

I had a good chat with one of the guys replacing the bikes from the truck the other day.
He said they are waiting for a French company to come to Cork to do the software on the remaining docking stations before they can be switched on and they are finishing ones in Galway and Limerick first.

He also said from their point of view it's going well in Cork with high usage. He said there has only been a few instances of vandalism with people kicking and damaging the wheels but nothing too bad.

Worztron

How about if they had some bikes with no sponsor on them and people could pay more to use those ones - I would. I hate the thought of advertising for a company that I loathe. Besides this, the scheme seems to be doing great though.

Bacchus

Worztron wrote: »

How about if they had some bikes with no sponsor on them and people could pay more to use those ones - I would. I hate the thought of advertising for a company that I loathe. Besides this, the scheme seems to be doing great though.

While I'm happy to see this roll out and believe it will be nothing but beneficial to Cork I really would have liked if it wasn't sponsored by Coca-Cola - a brand that can take it's fair share of credit for the current obesity crisis in Ireland. But look, it's neither here nor there now, there is a great facility available to all at a great price and by all accounts it seems to be going well. That's the main thing.

D'Agger

Worztron wrote: »

How about if they had some bikes with no sponsor on them and people could pay more to use those ones - I would. I hate the thought of advertising for a company that I loathe. Besides this, the scheme seems to be doing great though.

The effort involved in implementing something like that would greatly outweigh the number of people it would appease - making it not worth it. Won't happen.

I think the main thing is that there's a functioning service up and running. Hopefully the sponsorship will be up for renewal in a relatively short period of time allowing other interested parties to get involved. However, even then, it's money that talks and not many can keep pace with Coca Cola

schemingbohemia

Interesting article in the Times this morning about the scheme
http://www.irishtimes.com/life-and-style/people/cork-bike-share-scheme-starts-with-a-rattle-1.2098360

namloc1980

schemingbohemia wrote: »

Interesting article in the Times this morning about the scheme
http://www.irishtimes.com/life-and-style/people/cork-bike-share-scheme-starts-with-a-rattle-1.2098360

Goes to prove we like to have a good old fashioned moan down here. You'd swear there were acres of car parking being decimated in the city. Cork people really are obsessed with cars and driving everywhere.

Anyway I see they have started work on the bike stands at the train station. That'll instantly increase the use of the bikes once opened.

Corholio

namloc1980 wrote: »

Goes to prove we like to have a good old fashioned moan down here. You'd swear there were acres of car parking being decimated in the city. Cork people really are obsessed with cars and driving everywhere.

Anyway I see they have started work on the bike stands at the train station. That'll instantly increase the use of the bikes once opened.

Lot of relative points there though, most things of public interest these days will seem exaggerated in some peoples eyes. Spot on about the line of it 'being the fastest piece of work they ever did'. Good idea, just implemented and structured awful.

TheChizler

Corholio wrote: »

Good idea, just implemented and structured awful.

In what way though? I know some things have been mentioned several times but overall I feel the flow of the city has improved greatly.

Knasher

TheChizler wrote: »

In what way though?

The contraflow cycle lane on Washington St. would probably be a good example. It was introduced in support of this scheme, after all. It required a pretty big reduction in road traffic and, I say this as a cyclist, it does very very little to help cyclists. I regularly cycle that route, and it is notably faster to cycle the Maradyke along with the rest of traffic, than taking the cycle lane.

I do actually use the Popes Quay changes, so I can at least defend them a little. But I'd never cycle on Washington St. contraflow, even though it is technically a slightly shorter route.

TheChizler

While I agree it's much faster going along the Mardyke, you often saw people cycling against the flow of traffic on Washington street. These people are obviously idiots, but I think it's a good thing that they now have protection. I don't think the reduction in car space makes your delay longer overall, individual queues are longer but overall throughout doesn't seem to be affected.

Subpopulus

Knasher wrote: »

The contraflow cycle lane on Washington St. would probably be a good example. It was introduced in support of this scheme, after all. It required a pretty big reduction in road traffic and, I say this as a cyclist, it does very very little to help cyclists. I regularly cycle that route, and it is notably faster to cycle the Maradyke along with the rest of traffic, than taking the cycle lane.

I do actually use the Popes Quay changes, so I can at least defend them a little. But I'd never cycle on Washington St. contraflow, even though it is technically a slightly shorter route.

I think it does a lot to help cyclists. The most important thing about the Washington Street contraflow is not that it's a faster route, it's that it's a safer route that encourages more people to cycle, and doesn't mean that cyclists have to take long diversions in order to negotiate one-way systems. The fact that you see people cross the street to cycle the wrong way down the contraflow lane, annoying as it is, shows that people prefer using segregated facilities because it makes them feel safer. The poorest aspect of them is the long dwell times at traffic signals (which leads to most people ignoring them), and the odd 'shared space' segments on the footpath.

The Mardyke route, while sometimes faster depending on the lights, has a few pinch points which make it intimidating for inexperienced cyclists, and several opportunities for left hooks, assuming you don't position yourself in the lane correctly. And the most direct route towards the city centre via Castle Street involves illegal contra flowing.

Recently I've seen parents cycling to school along Washington Street with their children on bikes behind them. I doubt you'd have seen that before the lanes were built.

thomil

Meanwhile, while the bike lanes are a topic of hot debate here on Boards, four more stations went online yesterday, two on Grand Parade (Grand Parade and Peace Park), Patrick Street, and Clontarf Street. Bizarrely, Emmet Place Station is up and running software wise, the terminal was online when I walked by there earlier today, however, it has no bikes and is still surrounded by construction fencing, for whatever reason.
The stations got quite a few interested looks, and the attitude towards them that I was able to observe was quite positive.

D'Agger

Another station nearly up on South Mall, seemed close to being finished passing in a car today

opus

Must say I think they're a great addition to the place. Is there a date for when all the stations all be in place? The only closest to me is Griffith Bridge but it's not obvious where it's going to be yet.

namloc1980

According to the app the bike stand at the Bus Station is up and running.

Subpopulus

Word on the street is that the scheme is to be officially launched on Monday 2nd March in Cork City hall by Minister Simon Coveney. So everything should be up and running by the end of this week.

cgcsb

Officially launched??? It started in December.