New stationless bike rental scheme in Dublin - BleeperBike

LeinsterDub · 22-06-2017 8:56am

Chuchote wrote: »

Looking at the map they don't seem to be at UCD, Phoenix Park, East Point Business Park/East Wall, Ballsbridge, Ringsend, TCD, Croke Park, Finglas, Dublin Airport, and I'm a bit hazy about where DCU is?

With reguards to Finglas that's most likely due to no 'legal' place to store them . I cycle up the Finglas road every day and apart from Phibsborough SC the road has no bike racks. If I recall correctly there a some in Finglas Village.

magicbastarder · 22-06-2017 9:05am

ED E wrote: »

Its Glasnevin.
https://goo.gl/maps/iuduWRagmXx

Saw one at the north side of Glasnevin Ave today parked in a bike rack.

spotted one this morning at the bottom end of ballymun road, near where it meets griffith avenue.

Chuchote · 22-06-2017 3:47pm

BleeperBikes have tweeted that they're going offline temporarily, and someone has posted a video of DCC staff taking bikes.

ED E · 22-06-2017 3:53pm

Chuchote wrote: »

BleeperBikes have tweeted that they're going offline temporarily, and someone has posted a video of DCC staff taking bikes.

https://twitter.com/bronwynfay/status/877478653239623683

buffalo · 22-06-2017 4:02pm

I presume the guys in the video above have before this travelling the city tagging rusted or damaged bikes for removal? Or are they licence enforcers - warning businesses about sandwich boards blocking footpaths and the like?

It'll be great when all the Bleeper Bikes are gone, and the DCC crews can launch into #MakeWayDublin.

ThisRegard · 22-06-2017 4:15pm

They claimed they'll remove such bikes themselves with permission from the council.

loyatemu · 22-06-2017 4:37pm

Obvious conflict of interest considering DCCs involvement in DublinBikes. Blah blah advertising, blah wheelchairs, blah blah licensing - it all looks like they're just taking out the competition.

ED E · 22-06-2017 5:00pm

loyatemu wrote: »

Obvious conflict of interest considering DCCs involvement in DublinBikes. Blah blah advertising, blah wheelchairs, blah blah licensing - it all looks like they're just taking out the competition.

That would be great if DCC made any money from DBs.

LeinsterDub · 22-06-2017 5:52pm

loyatemu wrote: »

- it all looks like they're just taking out the competition.

You can't just do what ever you feel like with public property and public spaces. I would reckon DCC would love to divest themselves from the lose making DB but they need to make sure a) the replacement service isn't a menace b) the replacement service is as good if not better c) if they are going to be providing the locking infrastructure for the benefit of a private company that said private company bares some of the cost, also some the cost of removing DB

expectationlost · 23-06-2017 5:20pm

Council confirms Bleeperbikes have been seized https://www.rte.ie/news/dublin/2017/0623/885085-bleeperbike/ if they are not being operated thats what they are, advertising.

oh i see he changed his mind about turning the app off after he told they would remove them because they were advertising https://www.rte.ie/news/dublin/2017/0620/884248-bleeperbike/

how soon will DCC have the bye-laws in place then your reckon?

tomasrojo · 23-06-2017 9:32pm

I don't know how these enterprises have worked out abroad (apart from stories of bike dumping in China), but I would have two concerns.

One is that a private company is occupying public bike parking, making it harder to find somewhere to park your bike, and profiting on a common good. The second of these isn't always a bad thing, but it certainly can be.

The other concern is that it undermines Dublin Bikes; see the comments by one of the councillors that the stationless option could be used for the outer suburbs as a cheaper option.

If it works as well as Dublin Bikes (which has its problems, but is still a great service that provides reliable bikes, takes up no general-purpose bike parking and has almost no problems with vandalism or dumping), I'll be surprised.

Chuchote · 23-06-2017 9:39pm

Odd that the neoliberal adoration of anything done by a private company doesn't extend to a bikeshare scheme.

The good thing about BleeperBikes is that if it takes off, it will increase the number cycling by up to 1,000 a day.

The bad thing is that it requires Dublin City Council to build at least 1,000 new bike parking spaces.

ED E · 23-06-2017 9:45pm

tomasrojo wrote: »

If it works as well as Dublin Bikes (which has its problems, but is still a great service that provides reliable bikes, takes up no general-purpose bike parking and has almost no problems with vandalism or dumping), I'll be surprised.

When you try Santander Cycles (London Bikes) then com back to Dublin Bikes its really striking how well our system works. Even the DB app is far better.

I dont agree with the stationless model, but the fact that Bleeper are trying it shows the market for more bikes in the city. DCC need to get going with the expansion and stop being such utter twats.

magicbastarder · 23-06-2017 9:54pm

Chuchote wrote: »

Odd that the neoliberal adoration of anything done by a private company doesn't extend to a bikeshare scheme.

i'm sure it does. do neoliberals cycle? i'm not that well up on identity politics, or whatever reference i should be making here.

mvt · 23-06-2017 10:03pm

Not sure what to think of this.
I noted that the two bikes in Inchicore were removed from their public racks earlier today.
When I saw them at first(maybe thursday) I was pissed at a private company taking over public space but then I thought well,you can just lock your bike against theirs

Both bike racks btw have had no sort of bikes attached to them in a long time :eek:

tomasrojo · 23-06-2017 10:03pm

I had a look to see what problems (if any) this newer model was having. Plenty of results for discarded piles of bikes in China, but maybe that's because of the very loosely regulated way it all developed there.

There is a mention of the new companies undermining the established bike share companies:

“The problem was I didn’t have regulatory authority over them,” says Maddox. “We don’t want to stifle this technology. But it’s important for cities like San Francisco for there to be a level playing field. When we negotiated a contract with Motivate [the city’s traditional bike-share system], we got bike redistribution, certain safety standards, maintenance standards, and a system compliant with existing rights and regulations.”

https://www.curbed.com/2017/3/31/15141002/cycling-transportation-bike-share-bluegogo-ride

I'm a little sceptical of smartphone-driven "creative disruption", especially when the established system just needs more public money.

Chuchote · 23-06-2017 10:13pm

magicbastarder wrote: »

i'm sure it does. do neoliberals cycle? i'm not that well up on identity politics, or whatever reference i should be making here.

Yeah

Chuchote · 23-06-2017 10:17pm

More seriously, BleeperBikes could be the 'disruptor', as the trendy businessspeak goes, that would lead many, many people in cars to say "Feck it, I'll park up and ride a bike the rest of the way". It could change Dublin cycling.

tomasrojo · 23-06-2017 10:21pm

Also from that Curbed article above:

Stevens, Bluegogo’s spokesperson, says there’s a misunderstanding about how her company operates.

“If the bikes are parked illegally, we can easily fix them up and move them back to the public bike racks,” she says.

This is pretty optimistic. The Dublin Bike scheme does have redistribution trucks, but there's no problem with illegal parking and not much with theft, because if the user doesn't return the bike securely to a designated space, they can get charged €150 (or thereabouts). To properly ensure that stationless bikes are properly locked would required a pretty big team, on the face of it anyway.

HivemindXX · 23-06-2017 10:43pm

Chuchote wrote: »

More seriously, BleeperBikes could be the 'disruptor', as the trendy businessspeak goes, that would lead many, many people in cars to say "Feck it, I'll park up and ride a bike the rest of the way". It could change Dublin cycling.

Perhaps more serious than a bunch of irrelevant pictures but it's still some pretty fantastic wishful thinking.

Do you have any basis, any basis at all, backing your your notion that "many, many people" will choose to use these bikes instead of driving their car the way they currently do?

This may end up being a useful facility. Whether is is or not depends on how the company will address the well documented problems with people leaving the bikes in places and in ways they shouldn't. This company says that won't happen but I don't believe them when they say their agents will simply remove those bikes that are left in inconsiderate places. Here's the thing about the so called "disruptive" companies, they don't follow the rules, they don't think the rules apply to them, and they lie their asses off whenever it suits them. If there is no mechanism to force them to do something that doesn't profit them then they won't do it.

jimmycrackcorm · 23-06-2017 10:47pm

expectationlost wrote:

if they are not being operated thats what they are, advertising.

I see some Dublin buses parked up not in use. They've big advertising signs on their sides.

It's a very petty action by DCC considering they haven't caused any issues. It just shows that the council yet again acts in its own interests and not for the public.

If they were really interested in on street issues then they'd clean up the broken glass over reported several times.

magicbastarder · 23-06-2017 10:59pm

jimmycrackcorm wrote: »

I see some Dublin buses parked up not in use. They've big advertising signs on their sides.

are they parked in bays which would otherwise be usable by other road users?

tomasrojo · 23-06-2017 11:08pm

Is there anywhere with a currently successful(*) stationless bike share scheme, or are they all too new to judge?

(*) Let's say: bikes mostly roadworthy after months of use, little or no problems with dumping or blocking footpaths, or illegal parking, redistribution of bikes no worse than Dublin Bikes.

expectationlost · 23-06-2017 11:51pm

jimmycrackcorm wrote: »

I see some Dublin buses parked up not in use. They've big advertising signs on their sides.

the buses are being used if the app isn't working the bikes can't be used.

ThisRegard · 24-06-2017 11:25am

Chuchote wrote: »

Odd that the neoliberal adoration of anything done by a private company doesn't extend to a bikeshare scheme.

What does that even mean?

expectationlost · 24-06-2017 11:35am

another company writes to the council saying we'll play nice and releases its letter to the press http://www.herald.ie/news/reckless-jibe-as-bike-wars-to-hit-city-streets-35860536.html

Chuchote · 24-06-2017 11:54am

HivemindXX wrote: »

Perhaps more serious than a bunch of irrelevant pictures but it's still some pretty fantastic wishful thinking.

Do you have any basis, any basis at all, backing your your notion that "many, many people" will choose to use these bikes instead of driving their car the way they currently do?

This may end up being a useful facility. Whether is is or not depends on how the company will address the well documented problems with people leaving the bikes in places and in ways they shouldn't. This company says that won't happen but I don't believe them when they say their agents will simply remove those bikes that are left in inconsiderate places. Here's the thing about the so called "disruptive" companies, they don't follow the rules, they don't think the rules apply to them, and they lie their asses off whenever it suits them. If there is no mechanism to force them to do something that doesn't profit them then they won't do it.

A strong contender for Generalisations of the Year Award.

Yes, I do have a basis for contending that many people will choose a cheap cycle option - the fact that this has already been the experience with DublinBikes.

Incidentally, Austin, Texas is trialling a stationless bike share system; in San Francisco it was stopped by the council

http://uk.businessinsider.com/spin-bikesharing-program-launches-2017-3?r=US&IR=T

https://www.forbes.com/sites/bensin/2017/01/18/what-san-franciscos-backlash-against-chinese-start-up-says-about-east-west-cultural-differences/#3cccb4f51bf4

CramCycle · 24-06-2017 1:53pm

I can see many cases where someone driving into work from September to May, is stuck in one of Tue really really backed up jams. They see a bpeeperbikeand think, right so. Pull in a side road, park and ride in the rest of the way.

Similarly pedestrians and public transport users who decide to ride home because Tue weather is nice, and then either ride back in the morning or of the weather is bad, just leave it.

If it manages to penetrate outside the city centre and they actually maintain them, it could do very well.

tomasrojo · 24-06-2017 3:06pm

IrishCycle.com writing about regulation of stationless schemes:
http://irishcycle.com/2017/06/24/stationless-bicycle-share-should-be-regulated-but-care-is-needed/

Also has a report on the removal of the bikes, pending new by-laws.

Chuchote · 24-06-2017 3:18pm

Funny the way the rickshaws have been working away quietly but the Corpo jumps on this one.

CramCycle · 24-06-2017 3:32pm

Chuchote wrote: »

Funny the way the rickshaws have been working away quietly but the Corpo jumps on this one.

The rickshaws are not left hanging around or parked up on the street when not in use.

Lets not kid ourselves, the reason it has been pulled is because they didn't go through the proper channels. This in it self is sort of OK but once they were notified, and then went ahead anyway, DCC were never going to let it stand.

If the organisers had any sense, they would have made proper representations to each local council in dublin county, explain the benefits, allow a few councillors to get photos, job done.

tomasrojo · 24-06-2017 3:44pm

And they skipped the proper channels to get an unfair advantage on outfits that were trying to go through the proper channels.

S. Goodspeed · 27-06-2017 12:29pm

Bleeper Bikes have all been removed by the county council according to the Irish Times. Apparently they received "numerous" complaints. They did in their hole...

This is a great example of civil servants standing in the way of innovation for no good reason, same goes for the treatment of Uber and the proposed restrictions on AirBnB. We claim to be a tech hub but have a bunch of mindless drones demanding bye laws for every new thing that comes out. That in itself would be (just about) acceptable but you can guess how long we'll have to wait for such bye laws and in terms of prioritisation I would imagine the council workers have better things that they could / should be working on.

LeinsterDub · 27-06-2017 12:41pm

S. Goodspeed wrote: »

Bleeper Bikes have all been removed by the county council according to the Irish Times. Apparently they received "numerous" complaints. They did in their hole...

This is a great example of civil servants standing in the way of innovation for no good reason, same goes for the treatment of Uber and the proposed restrictions on AirBnB. We claim to be a tech hub but have a bunch of mindless drones demanding bye laws for every new thing that comes out. That in itself would be (just about) acceptable but you can guess how long we'll have to wait for such bye laws and in terms of prioritisation I would imagine the council workers have better things that they could / should be working on.

There is a perfectly good reason to object Bleeper have no where to store their bikes

expectationlost · 27-06-2017 12:49pm

S. Goodspeed wrote: »

Bleeper Bikes have all been removed by the county council according to the Irish Times. Apparently they received "numerous" complaints. They did in their hole...

This is a great example of civil servants standing in the way of innovation for no good reason, same goes for the treatment of Uber and the proposed restrictions on AirBnB. We claim to be a tech hub but have a bunch of mindless drones demanding bye laws for every new thing that comes out. That in itself would be (just about) acceptable but you can guess how long we'll have to wait for such bye laws and in terms of prioritisation I would imagine the council workers have better things that they could / should be working on.

complaints by potential rival operators? https://www.irishtimes.com/news/environment/council-removes-bleeper-bikes-from-streets-of-dublin-1.3135414

ED E · 27-06-2017 12:52pm

S. Goodspeed wrote: »

Bleeper Bikes have all been removed by the county council according to the Irish Times. Apparently they received "numerous" complaints. They did in their hole...

This is a great example of civil servants standing in the way of innovation for no good reason, same goes for the treatment of Uber and the proposed restrictions on AirBnB. We claim to be a tech hub but have a bunch of mindless drones demanding bye laws for every new thing that comes out. That in itself would be (just about) acceptable but you can guess how long we'll have to wait for such bye laws and in terms of prioritisation I would imagine the council workers have better things that they could / should be working on.

Not picking great examples there. Uber is a pretty scummy company (underpaying employees in 5 states I think it is now) and AirBnB is doing well for tourists but is screwing over other residents in MUDs.

Disruptor tech has an advantage, but only when its reigned in somewhat. Lets get the deliver-rodents off the streets until they're slightly less suicidal for one.

Macy0161 · 27-06-2017 12:59pm

There's already a shortage of bike parking spots, as often bemoaned on this forum. No sign of this company paying for more sheffield stands to take up the space they'd be using? Just looking to freeload of the council they're now complaining about.

HivemindXX · 27-06-2017 1:18pm

ED E wrote: »

Not picking great examples there. Uber is a pretty scummy company (underpaying employees in 5 states I think it is now) and AirBnB is doing well for tourists but is screwing over other residents in MUDs.

Disruptor tech has an advantage, but only when its reigned in somewhat. Lets get the deliver-rodents off the streets until they're slightly less suicidal for one.

Yeah, let's be realistic here. Uber, the company and their management, are vermin. Airbnb has some problems, companies renting out entire apartment buildings without following any of the regulations for landlords for example, but they at least seem willing to engage with regulators and deal with abuses.

Accusing everyone who doesn't thoughtlessly embrace these companies who refuse to follow the rules of being drones is ironic in the extreme.

ThisRegard · 27-06-2017 1:18pm

S. Goodspeed wrote: »

Bleeper Bikes have all been removed by the county council according to the Irish Times. Apparently they received "numerous" complaints. They did in their hole...

Never underestimate what the public would complain about to the council.

Chuchote · 27-06-2017 1:37pm

ED E wrote: »

Lets get the deliver-rodents off the streets until they're slightly less suicidal for one.

I'd prefer not to talk about other people in such terms.

If Bleeper had gone to the council first off, they'd probably be waiting ten years while there were endless debates and delays. Launching - even if they had to unlaunch again - has put pressure on a council that has not proved itself terribly forward-thinking in terms of bike share so far.

What's the betting that a second stationless bike share company now appears on the scene?

ThisRegard · 27-06-2017 1:41pm

Chuchote wrote: »

on a council that has not proved itself terribly forward-thinking in terms of bike share so far.

That's pretty unfair given probably the most successful bike share scheme in the world operates in the city.

Chuchote · 27-06-2017 1:51pm

ThisRegard wrote: »

That's pretty unfair given probably the most successful bike share scheme in the world operates in the city.

I'm possibly prejudiced because of where I live - an area where the logo normally goes on transport maps, despite being 10 minutes' cycle from the city centre.

And while DublinBikes is well used, its development has stuttered almost to a halt with stations failing to spread beyond the canals.

And the number of bike stands, while it is improving, needs a radical leap, and they need to be installed on suburban shopping streets and in areas with a lot of offices. If the council suddenly started hanging road signs in the middle of the street there'd be nowhere to tie your bike.

LeinsterDub · 27-06-2017 1:54pm

Chuchote wrote: »

I'd prefer not to talk about other people in such terms.

If Bleeper had gone to the council first off, they'd probably be waiting ten years while there were endless debates and delays. Launching - even if they had to unlaunch again - has put pressure on a council that has not proved itself terribly forward-thinking in terms of bike share so far.

What's the betting that a second stationless bike share company now appears on the scene?

That's quite a circular argument. If new by laws were to be created tomorrow sure BB pressured them, if there are delays sure the council is useless. BB can't lose in this situation.

We are aware of several bike share companies with an interest in Dublin, they are just following the rules

expectationlost · 27-06-2017 2:18pm

so Hugh Bleeping Cooney says he met with the council and agreed to wait for new bye-laws
https://www.thetimes.co.uk/edition/ireland/bleeperbike-postpones-full-launch-of-stationless-bike-sharing-scheme-hzchffzjl now we'll wait to see how long they take.

Idbatterim · 27-06-2017 2:44pm

ive just read the previous ten pages! Here is a suggestion, those morons in Dublin city council and they are useless at everything they do, actually provide more bloody bike parking! I dont think its on, that because of their failings, they stop something that is very beneficial to the city, i.e. more cycling.

No doubt "funds" will be spouted out as an excuse, dont they have the option to lower lpt by 15%? no doubt they will choose that option when the time comes, yet they dont have enough money for anything :rolleyes:

LeinsterDub · 27-06-2017 2:46pm

Idbatterim wrote: »

ive just read the previous ten pages! Here is a suggestion, those morons in Dublin city council and they are useless at everything they do, actually provide more bloody bike parking! I dont think its on, that because of their failings, they stop something that is very beneficial to the city, i.e. more cycling.

No doubt "funds" will be spouted out as an excuse, dont they have the option to lower lpt by 15%? no doubt they will choose that option when the time comes, yet they dont have enough money for anything :rolleyes:

How much do you expect BB to pay for using public facilities ? Or is it a free for all?

Macy0161 · 27-06-2017 2:51pm

Chuchote wrote: »

I'd prefer not to talk about other people in such terms.

If Bleeper had gone to the council first off, they'd probably be waiting ten years while there were endless debates and delays. Launching - even if they had to unlaunch again - has put pressure on a council that has not proved itself terribly forward-thinking in terms of bike share so far.

What's the betting that a second stationless bike share company now appears on the scene?

Council can't win. They simply can't release if they're currently talking to one or more other options due to commercial considerations of whoever they are talking to. If those discussions are a success then you'll give bleeper the credit. If they fall through, you'll still blame the council.

It's also possible that someone else is in the pipeline, and that's why bleeper ploughed on regardless to try and get the publicity first.

But we may never know I guess!

Idbatterim · 27-06-2017 2:58pm

How much do you expect BB to pay for using public facilities ? Or is it a free for all?

nothing. they are providing a public service as far as I am concerned! reducing traffic, pollution, noise pollution, improved health... If the city council are so concerned with bikes, why dont they allow taller buildings in appropriate areas and people might not even have to cycle to work, they could walk...

ThisRegard · 27-06-2017 3:28pm

Idbatterim wrote: »

nothing. they are providing a public service as far as I am concerned! reducing traffic, pollution, noise pollution, improved health... If the city council are so concerned with bikes, why dont they allow taller buildings in appropriate areas and people might not even have to cycle to work, they could walk...

And using public facilities in order to try make a profit, at the expense of the public using those limited facilities.

Idbatterim · 27-06-2017 3:33pm

And using public facilities in order to try make a profit, at the expense of the public using those limited facilities.

so if there is a shortage of bike parking, who should be sorting this out?

New stationless bike rental scheme in Dublin - BleeperBike

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