Community Bikes

[5PointsGuy]

http://denver.bcycle.com/

http://www.niceridemn.org/

http://socialbicycles.com/

What do these 3 websites have in common? They each represent a US city. They each represent transportation. They each represent community and innovation. These websites represent community bicycle racks, where people can rent bikes to use around town.

These bike racks aren't limited to green US cities either. They are all over Europe too, including Paris.

http://europeforvisitors.com/paris/articles/paris-bike-rentals.htm

These bike racks could be a great way to lesson car usage downtown and all the while increasing the distance pedestrians can travel in a set amount of time.

If I lived downtown, I think this would be a great way to get around the Urban Core without having to bring a bike in and out of an apartment or worrying about a bike being locked up outside. The Denver model even is run by solar power!

What do you guys think?

[avs]

I think this is a great idea!  Sustainable Springfield has looked into something like this as one of our future projects in for the Springfield area.  So many great ideas to make happen - just need the time to pursue the funding!

But yes, Jacksonville's urban core residents could benefit greatly from this.  The urban core also has the worst health statistics in the county - so this has health as well as environmental implications.

[RiversideLoki]

It'd be great until some poor Moe gets plowed over by an idiot in an SUV, and then the next day the T.U. headline reads "Rental Bikes: Are they a danger to downtown?"

[buckethead]

It'd be great until some more Moe gets plowed over by an idiot in an SUV, and then the next day the T.U. headline reads "Rental Bikes: Are they a danger to downtown?"

Or the Folio take:

SUV Murders Innocent Cyclist for Promoting Social Justice.

[Ernest Street]

As a Riverside Cyclist this is exciting.
It would be cool to ride to areas or distances that you wouldn't do with your P.O.S bike that always has flat tires if you don't ride every week.

[Singejoufflue]

I saw a small piece about the Paris system on CurrentTV and they noted some of the initial challenges (theft, education); however, after the learning curve ended, this has been enormous for tourists and residents alike.  Mayor Daley wanted to implement a similar program in Chicago where a bike culture was really growing.

Having really only been in Arlington and Southside since moving back, has the infrastructure or attitude toward cyclists improved?

[Dog Walker]

Having really only been in Arlington and Southside since moving back, has the infrastructure or attitude toward cyclists improved?

Sadly, infrastructure no.  With lots more people on bikes in the urban neighborhoods, the attitude there is better.  I wouldn't bike in Southside or Arlington.