Jax Bike Share

[Kerry]

A few weeks ago I joined the bike share program in Oklahoma City (www.spokiesokc.com).  For $70 a year I get unlimited 1 hour bike rides using 8 downtown and downtown-adjacent stations.  There is a station 2 blocks from my apartment and one right outside my office so I ride to and from work every day I am in town.  I also use it just to get around downtown (dinner, movie, sightseeing, etc...).  I have a fob on my keychain so I just swipe the lock on the bike I want, it unlocks, and away I go.  Finally, the membership is good in about 30 other cities.

So what would it take to get something like this in Jacksonville?  Has there ever been effort of any kind to bring it here?  Living in Brooklyn I would love to be able to just grab a bike outside 220 Riverside and ride to 5-Point, downtown, San Marco, and King St.  Heck, I would even ride it to Avondale for dinner instead of having to drive my car there.  If like-minded would like to take up the cause I would be willing to join in.

[Adam White]

There have been a number of threads about this over the years. I think there was a story, too.

I'd love to see some sort of bike sharing programme in Jax, but I think it will need a significant investment in infrastucture (like proper bike lanes) and maybe more density/development downtown.

My suggestion (to do the stuff you say you want to do) is to get a Brompton.

[Kerry]

I think there is already pretty good density around downtown.  I just did a quick station placement map and it would require about 35 stations between Springfield, downtown, LaVilla, Brooklyn, Riverside, Avondale, Southbank, and San Marco.  The OKC systems is sponsored by Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Oklahoma and Jax is home to BCBS of Florida so this seems like a natural location for one.

[blfair]

My suggestion (to do the stuff you say you want to do) is to get a Brompton.

I'm curious why? Don't get me wrong... Bromptons are awesome, but what about riding around/between those places in jax needs a folding bike? Not that it wouldn't work, but wouldn't any bike?

[Adam White]

My suggestion (to do the stuff you say you want to do) is to get a Brompton.

I'm curious why? Don't get me wrong... Bromptons are awesome, but what about riding around/between those places in jax needs a folding bike? Not that it wouldn't work, but wouldn't any bike?

Well, as a Brompton rider, I am biased. But beyond that, I see bike share as a way to have a bike without having to deal with the "hassle" (like storage, etc). A Brompton takes up barely any space in your apartment (I assume Kerry has an apartment, as he lives in Brooklyn) and you don't have to worry about finding a place to lock it up when you get to your destination (well....sometimes). Of course, they weigh a ton, so they aren't great to lug around. But a Brompton would be ideal for a trip from Brooklyn to Mellow Mushroom, for example.

[Adam White]

I think there is already pretty good density around downtown.  I just did a quick station placement map and it would require about 35 stations between Springfield, downtown, LaVilla, Brooklyn, Riverside, Avondale, Southbank, and San Marco.  The OKC systems is sponsored by Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Oklahoma and Jax is home to BCBS of Florida so this seems like a natural location for one.

I think the main issue is that there isn't a lot of stuff to do downtown. Not a lot of people work there and there are bars, but that's about it. I'm not saying it wouldn't work - but I wonder how much usage it would get. But there is a decent amount of stuff between San Marco, Riverside, Avondale, Brooklyn and Downtown, so it could maybe do okay. I would just worry about the bikes sitting neglected downtown. That, and cyclists being hit by dickheads who don't know how to share the road.

[TimmyB]

I think there is already pretty good density around downtown.  I just did a quick station placement map and it would require about 35 stations between Springfield, downtown, LaVilla, Brooklyn, Riverside, Avondale, Southbank, and San Marco.  The OKC systems is sponsored by Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Oklahoma and Jax is home to BCBS of Florida so this seems like a natural location for one.

I think the main issue is that there isn't a lot of stuff to do downtown. Not a lot of people work there and there are bars, but that's about it. I'm not saying it wouldn't work - but I wonder how much usage it would get. But there is a decent amount of stuff between San Marco, Riverside, Avondale, Brooklyn and Downtown, so it could maybe do okay. I would just worry about the bikes sitting neglected downtown. That, and cyclists being hit by dickheads who don't know how to share the road.

When we were visiting Jax (before deciding to relocate there), we noticed the same thing.  We took our bikes downtown and then asked "What for?".  There was nothing much to do, there was no safe place to ride, etc.  Maybe with the advent of 220 Riverside, the Broadstone project, and the others, there will be that critical mass of DT residents, which will make it a place to be, but I'm not seeing that, yet.

[Adam White]

I think there is already pretty good density around downtown.  I just did a quick station placement map and it would require about 35 stations between Springfield, downtown, LaVilla, Brooklyn, Riverside, Avondale, Southbank, and San Marco.  The OKC systems is sponsored by Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Oklahoma and Jax is home to BCBS of Florida so this seems like a natural location for one.

I think the main issue is that there isn't a lot of stuff to do downtown. Not a lot of people work there and there are bars, but that's about it. I'm not saying it wouldn't work - but I wonder how much usage it would get. But there is a decent amount of stuff between San Marco, Riverside, Avondale, Brooklyn and Downtown, so it could maybe do okay. I would just worry about the bikes sitting neglected downtown. That, and cyclists being hit by dickheads who don't know how to share the road.

When we were visiting Jax (before deciding to relocate there), we noticed the same thing.  We took our bikes downtown and then asked "What for?".  There was nothing much to do, there was no safe place to ride, etc.  Maybe with the advent of 220 Riverside, the Broadstone project, and the others, there will be that critical mass of DT residents, which will make it a place to be, but I'm not seeing that, yet.

I think it's happening slowly and maybe it will gain speed as more stuff is developed. My only concern is that in the past, there have been times when it looked like stuff was starting to coalesce and then it would die. I think people need to start living downtown more.

Things have been looking up - as much as I hate what happened to Brooklyn, it's looking busier than it has in a long time (even if it looks like Baymeadows now).

[finehoe]

...and cyclists being hit by dickheads who don't know how to share the road.

This is the part that would scare me.  Drivers who aren't used to bikers (like those in FL) sometimes act very aggressively towards interlopers in "their" space.

[Adam White]

...and cyclists being hit by dickheads who don't know how to share the road.

This is the part that would scare me.  Drivers who aren't used to bikers (like those in FL) sometimes act very aggressively towards interlopers in "their" space.

Yeah, right? They almost seem to take it personally.

[Kerry]

So here is what I found to be the big advantage of using the OKC bike share vs. just buying a bicycle.

1) Cost.  $70/year vs. $300+ for bike plus maintenance.  I can ride for 4 years before I even begin to approach the cost of owning.
2) Storage.  I don't have to store a bicycle I rent.  I could keep one in my apartment but I have limited space.
3) Reciprocity.  I can use my bike-share in over 30 cities (and they can all use the one in Jax).  I am not taking my bicycle on the road.
4) Theft.  Practically zero chance my shared bike will be stolen while I am riding it.  When I check the bike in I get an immediate email/text letting me know it has been logged back in and my financial responsibility ends.
5) One way trip.  To me this is the biggest advantage of all and the primary reason I didn't buy a bike.  I can take the bike one way and leave it.  If I am meeting my friends in Bricktown (entertainment district in OKC) I am free to leave the bike and go somewhere else without it.  If I end up in another part of downtown I can get another bike and ride home.
6) Car-free.  The bike share program in OKC allows me to live there without a car.  That alone covers a significant portion of my rent.  Versus living in suburban OKC I can live in downtown OKC just on the money I save by choosing to live downtown.  Think about that for a minute.

The urban core of Jax already has a significant number of bike riders and certainly the average Jax driver is no worse in dealing with bicyclist than those in OKC.  However, Jax does need to get on the ball with bike lanes and such but maybe a shared bike program could act as a catalyst for it.

[Kerry]

...and cyclists being hit by dickheads who don't know how to share the road.

This is the part that would scare me.  Drivers who aren't used to bikers (like those in FL) sometimes act very aggressively towards interlopers in "their" space.

That hostility is mostly aimed at the team kit wearers that are using the public street for their personal exercise equipment.  I hate those guys as well.

[Adam White]

So here is what I found to be the big advantage of using the OKC bike share vs. just buying a bicycle.

1) Cost.  $70/year vs. $300+ for bike plus maintenance.  I can ride for 4 years before I even begin to approach the cost of owning.
2) Storage.  I don't have to store a bicycle I rent.  I could keep it my apartment but I have limited space.
3) Reciprocity.  I can use my bike-share in over 30 cities (and they can all use the one in Jax).  I am not taking my bicycle on the road.
4) Theft.  Practically zero chance my shared bike will be stolen while I am riding it.  When I check the bike in I get an immediate email/text letting me know it has been logged back in and my financial responsibility ends.
5) One way trip.  To me this is the biggest advantage of all and the primary reason I didn't buy a bike.  I can take the bike one way and leave it.  If I am meeting my friends in Bricktown (entertainment district in OKC) I am free to leave the bike and go somewhere else without it.  If I end up in another part of downtown I can get another bike and ride home.
6) Car-free.  The bike share program in OKC allows me to live there without a car.  That alone covers a significant portion of my rent.  Versus living in suburban OKC I can live in downtown OKC just on the money I save by choosing to live downtown.  Think about that for a minute.

The urban core of Jax already has a significant number of bike riders and certainly the average Jax driver is no worse in dealing with bicyclist than those in OKC.  However, Jax does need to get on the ball with bike lanes and such but maybe a shared bike program could act as a catalyst for it.

Here's how a Brompton performs against your criteria:

1) Brompton loses, hands down. Although relatively low-maintenance, a new one is going to cost you upward of $1000.
2) Although a Brompton takes up more space than no bike, it's not much more. So I call a draw on this point.
3) You can take a Brompton on the road - and you're not limited to places that have a bike share. And you've always got a bike at your disposal. So I say Brompton just hedges it here.
4) You can bring your Brompton into the restaurant or your office and store it easily. Theft is not an issue, really.
5) You've still got to hold onto your Brompton bike when you get to your location, so if it's not convenient, the bike share wins. Good thing, though, is that if you get a bit drunk, you can fold a Brompton up and take public transport home.
6) You can be car-free with a Brompton. And you can take it on public transport.

For your purposes, I think bike share is probably better. However, Brompton does have a thing called the "Brompton Dock" which is a private Brompton bike share programme. So, in my eyes, that's the best of both worlds!

[Adam White]

...and cyclists being hit by dickheads who don't know how to share the road.

This is the part that would scare me.  Drivers who aren't used to bikers (like those in FL) sometimes act very aggressively towards interlopers in "their" space.

That hostility is mostly aimed at the team kit wearers that are using the public street for their personal exercise equipment.  I hate those guys as well.

I've been on the receiving end of it on more than one occasion and I am not a team kit wearer or a MAMIL.

[Kerry]

...and cyclists being hit by dickheads who don't know how to share the road.

This is the part that would scare me.  Drivers who aren't used to bikers (like those in FL) sometimes act very aggressively towards interlopers in "their" space.

That hostility is mostly aimed at the team kit wearers that are using the public street for their personal exercise equipment.  I hate those guys as well.

I've been on the receiving end of it on more than one occasion and I am not a team kit wearer or a MAMIL.

Yea - not saying that there aren't people who hate bicyclist of all varieties, but as a pedestrian I have also had drivers see how close they could get to me while I was in crosswalk.  They are just ***holes and probably treat other drivers they same way they do bicyclist and pedestrians.  Typically, jerks are jerks full-time.