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The Bike Scheme thread

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Comments

  • Registered Users Posts: 4,184 ✭✭✭Fey!


    Uki: It's the Coca-Cola bikes that have been missing from Mainguard Street for the last month, with out of service signs on each of the docking stations.


  • Registered Users Posts: 28 uki


    Oh really? Did not know. Thats bad.


  • Registered Users Posts: 25,594 ✭✭✭✭Mrs OBumble


    uki wrote: »
    I must say that I would be interested in joining the bike sceme it there was a station in Salthill, Knocknacarra or even out in Barna. I would leave my car at home on a fine day and cycle. I bet there would be a huge demand. At the moment the hire stations are far to close to town. They are not an alternative for commuters like me. I think it is a no brainer. Good for everybody to take cars of the road. So PLEASE INSTALL A STATION IN SALTHILL / BARNA / KNOCKNACARRA!

    Where in each of those areas would you like a station installed?

    Knocknacarra, in particular, is quite large.


  • Registered Users Posts: 5,606 ✭✭✭schemingbohemia


    uki wrote: »
    I must say that I would be interested in joining the bike sceme it there was a station in Salthill, Knocknacarra or even out in Barna. I would leave my car at home on a fine day and cycle. I bet there would be a huge demand. At the moment the hire stations are far to close to town. They are not an alternative for commuters like me. I think it is a no brainer. Good for everybody to take cars of the road. So PLEASE INSTALL A STATION IN SALTHILL / BARNA / KNOCKNACARRA!

    Sorry but you don't seem to understand how these systems work. They're not for long/mid distance commuters, they're for short journeys within a town/city centre.

    The schemes need to have stations every 250-400 metres to provide enough "churn" of bikes between stations. How many stations would that require out to Barna? Also who would be returning a bike to Barna? The station would empty in the morning and then not have any bikes returned until the evening (apart from the company moving the bikes).

    What's stopping you from buying a bike and cycling in from Barna?


  • Moderators, Motoring & Transport Moderators Posts: 14,071 Mod ✭✭✭✭monument


    I'd bet every cent I have on that not being the case.

    Its like predictions in the past that we would all be driving flying cars by the year 2000.

    The difference is that when the prediction was made about flying cars, they were not testing well-working flying cars which could be mass-produced.
    Sorry but you don't seem to understand how these systems work. They're not for long/mid distance commuters, they're for short journeys within a town/city centre.

    The schemes need to have stations every 250-400 metres to provide enough "churn" of bikes between stations. How many stations would that require out to Barna? Also who would be returning a bike to Barna? The station would empty in the morning and then not have any bikes returned until the evening (apart from the company moving the bikes).

    What's stopping you from buying a bike and cycling in from Barna?

    The same could be said about the bike stations across the border of the city of Paris. And as for "What's stopping you from buying a bike"... the same could be said about people in any part of Paris, Dublin or Galway.

    Sure, Paris is more populous but the difference between the centre of Paris the border of the city area is likely comparable to the difference between Galway city centre and Barna (as much as anything can be compared between Galway and Paris).

    EDIT: I'm actually thinking more Barna Road rather than Barna itself -- which is likely too far for any system.


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  • Registered Users Posts: 1,332 ✭✭✭the untitled user


    Sorry but you don't seem to understand how these systems work. They're not for long/mid distance commuters, they're for short journeys within a town/city centre.

    In both London and Paris you see plenty of people using them to commute. Living in cities like the above with as many old buildings converted to apartments you'll encounter quite a few people don't actually have the space to store a bike of their own.


  • Registered Users Posts: 25,594 ✭✭✭✭Mrs OBumble


    Sorry but you don't seem to understand how these systems work. They're not for long/mid distance commuters, they're for short journeys within a town/city centre.


    Why not? I don't see the problem if a bike rack at Barna empties in the morning when the bikes travel into town, and fills up again at night.

    I used to work with a lad who biked from Knocknacarra into Eyre Square most days, locked his bike there and caught the bus to work from there.


  • Posts: 0 Ivy Spicy Pain


    I think for people who want to cycle to work, even an odd day, getting a bike on the cycle to work scheme is the best way to do it, particularly if you are paying tax at the higher rate.

    Even in the city the bike racks near apartments can empty very quickly (in Cork anyway) so Id imagine having a rack out as far as somewhere like Barna it would be hard to be guaranteed a bike unless you were there early.


  • Registered Users Posts: 272 ✭✭Goofy


    Why not? I don't see the problem if a bike rack at Barna empties in the morning when the bikes travel into town, and fills up again at night.

    I used to work with a lad who biked from Knocknacarra into Eyre Square most days, locked his bike there and caught the bus to work from there.
    Because if the station empties every morning, you will never be guaranteed a bike. Therefore very few people are going to want to use it. You need to have stations clustered close together so that if you arrive at a station and it is empty you don't have to go far for a another station. Same goes for when you arrive there with a bike and the station is full.

    You can't have outlier stations like 1 in bearna or 2 in knocknacarra because people will get pissed off with them being constantly full or empty. They will just stop using the station.

    These systems have to gradually grow from the centre out with the right station density not to annoy users. And I'm sure this will happen in Galway just as it has happened in Dublin, London and Paris.

    Commuters in London and Paris use these regularly because if they arrive at an empty station in the morning it's not a problem. They don't have to walk far to find a station with a bike. If I was commuting from Bearna and I was late to work just 1 day because of an empty station with no other stations in walking distance, I'd definitely be driving the next day.


  • Registered Users Posts: 25,594 ✭✭✭✭Mrs OBumble


    I agree re the need to grow in a managed way from the centre out - I'm not critical of the starter pattern they've installed.

    But I think you're totally underestimating the abilities of scheme administrators to plan based on likely demand and to move bikes around as needed. Longer term, I predict stations at Rusheen, Silverstrand, Barna village (maybe even one east end and one west). And Cappagh Park, Joycces, the church .. various others in Knocknacarra too.


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  • Registered Users Posts: 5,606 ✭✭✭schemingbohemia


    I agree re the need to grow in a managed way from the centre out - I'm not critical of the starter pattern they've installed.

    But I think you're totally underestimating the abilities of scheme administrators to plan based on likely demand and to move bikes around as needed. Longer term, I predict stations at Rusheen, Silverstrand, Barna village (maybe even one east end and one west). And Cappagh Park, Joycces, the church .. various others in Knocknacarra too.

    The abilities of the scheme organisers aren't in question, it's the viability and cost of a massive expansion that is in question. It took years for Dublin's scheme to expand, it will likely take the same or longer for Galway's to similarly expand. Whether that expansion could ever go as far as Barna is open to question.


  • Registered Users Posts: 28 uki


    Just think how much it cost to build the new bypass road from Barna to the East side of Galway. 500 Million? Just 1 % of that money spend on bikes and cycling lanes would go a long way.


  • Registered Users Posts: 18,357 ✭✭✭✭kippy


    uki wrote: »
    Just think how much it cost to build the new bypass road from Barna to the East side of Galway. 500 Million? Just 1 % of that money spend on bikes and cycling lanes would go a long way.

    Yep,
    Cycle lanes, locking stations, incentives for employers to provide secure bike "spaces" and showers etc....
    50 Million would go a very long way in the country to promote this type of thing, not just Galway.


  • Registered Users Posts: 28 uki


    These stations are so close to each other that I decide to walk instead. The centre of Galway is so small that you do not need a bike inside the city. A good walker walks from Quay Street to Eyre Square in 5 minutes. Furthermore you are not supposed to cycle in shop street anyway. Why going through the hassle of cycling? To make a real impact it should be extended further outside the city. People could park their cars outside town and then change into a more environmetal friendly type of transport. (BIKES)

    Lets keep the cars outside the city. Make it more pedestrian and cyclist friendly. See Holland for example!


  • Registered Users Posts: 8,087 ✭✭✭dinneenp


    Regardless of how good the bike system and public transport will/might be I think the bypass is still needed. For anyone with a destination west of Galway they need to cross the city.

    The location of the bike stands has been much discussed; most believe/hope that there will be many additional stands created further out from the city in the future.

    Galway has many 1 way streets and pedestrian areas that you often end up 'shock, horror' breaking the law. Of course you could avoid this but then you'd be almost as quick walking.


  • Registered Users Posts: 25,594 ✭✭✭✭Mrs OBumble


    dinneenp wrote: »
    Regardless of how good the bike system and public transport will/might be I think the bypass is still needed. For anyone with a destination west of Galway they need to cross the city..

    How come every thread about bicycles ends up being about the bypass?


  • Registered Users Posts: 2,833 ✭✭✭?Cee?view


    How come every thread about bicycles ends up being about the bypass?

    :D


  • Registered Users Posts: 4,845 ✭✭✭what_traffic


    http://seankyne.ie/statistics-show-success-of-galway-bike-rental-scheme/

    Ignore the fact it's a politician's website.
    Has a letter from head of the NTA Anne Graham re the Galway Scheme.
    Has some stat's about usage


  • Registered Users Posts: 587 ✭✭✭L'Enfer du Nord


    How come every thread about bicycles ends up being about the bypass?
    On that note, would a West-East Axis bicycle path/express way be viable? I'm thinking from Cappagh road to Parkmore? Thru the city centre with a spur along the canal to NUIG?




  • I was going to sign up but I was wondering, why on earth would they need my date of birth to sign up to rent a bike?

    Name & address, yes I get that, they need to post the card out to you, but DOB?

    Edit: nvm, I see you have to be 14 or more to sign up


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  • Registered Users Posts: 8,087 ✭✭✭dinneenp


    How come every thread about bicycles ends up being about the bypass?

    A previous poster commented on the cost for the bypass and how a percent of that would do amazing stuff if used for cycling. I simply replied to their comment.

    Also no one mode of transport exists in isolation, they're all part of transport, congestion, possible solution in Galway.


  • Registered Users Posts: 860 ✭✭✭boardzz


    I was going to sign up but I was wondering, why on earth would they need my date of birth to sign up to rent a bike?

    Name & address, yes I get that, they need to post the card out to you, but DOB?

    Edit: nvm, I see you have to be 14 or more to sign up

    Most companies ask for DOB to verify between two people
    e.g. people with same name and same address.


  • Registered Users Posts: 5,969 ✭✭✭hardCopy


    dinneenp wrote: »
    Galway has many 1 way streets and pedestrian areas that you often end up 'shock, horror' breaking the law. Of course you could avoid this but then you'd be almost as quick walking.

    One way streets should allow cyclists in both directions by default, bar exceptional cases.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 8,156 ✭✭✭Iwannahurl


    http://seankyne.ie/statistics-show-success-of-galway-bike-rental-scheme/

    Ignore the fact it's a politician's website.
    Has a letter from head of the NTA Anne Graham re the Galway Scheme.
    Has some stat's about usage

    The layout and design of our city is very suited to bike journeys.

    I wonder whether the Deputy is a regular commuter cyclist?

    Now that I think of it, I vaguely recall that he admitted in a recent GBFM interview that he does not use the Dublin Bikes. Must check that...

    Yep, here it is (skip to 00:14:20): http://galwaybayfm.ie/keith-finnegan-show-monday-may-11th/

    .


  • Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators Posts: 7,374 Mod ✭✭✭✭pleasant Co.


    boardzz wrote: »
    Most companies ask for DOB to verify between two people
    e.g. people with same name and same address.

    email addresses distinguish people in the above scenario, these guys are the first crowd i've come across in a very long time to ask for a DOB (DOB is pre-internet stuff)


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 8,156 ✭✭✭Iwannahurl


    I believe use of the CZ bikes is age restricted.


  • Registered Users Posts: 25,594 ✭✭✭✭Mrs OBumble


    email addresses distinguish people in the above scenario, these guys are the first crowd i've come across in a very long time to ask for a DOB (DOB is pre-internet stuff)

    So you've not opened a bank account recently?


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,105 ✭✭✭cocoman


    email addresses distinguish people in the above scenario, these guys are the first crowd i've come across in a very long time to ask for a DOB (DOB is pre-internet stuff)

    Not everyone has an e-mail address.


  • Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators Posts: 7,374 Mod ✭✭✭✭pleasant Co.


    So you've not opened a bank account recently?

    Not online, no. Not sure comparing the sign up procedure of a bank to those of a bicycle rental company is all that apt though.
    cocoman wrote: »
    Not everyone has an e-mail address.

    With that as the case, you're making signing up to the service this thread/post is referring to a bit more awkward for yourself, but if you can sign up offline then fair point.


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  • Registered Users Posts: 4,845 ✭✭✭what_traffic


    So it's six months since the scheme was launched and only have 14/15 (Mainguard St seems to Out of Order for a while now)stations out of 19.

    Will we have all 19 stations opened by the end of 2015?


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