Orlando Transit

[Urban Mail Carrier]

Yep, very  familiar. He did his part and we as Orlandoans are grateful. He did his part, was effective for the time when Orlando needed him. Time for fresh ideas.

[AmIReal]

For the sake of everyone else can we move this discussion to the local politics thread...

47 minutes ago, Urban Mail Carrier said:

Time for fresh ideas.

see politics thread

[Naqiy90]

On 12/9/2020 at 4:41 PM, AndyPok1 said:

Me and most people I know ride them regularly.  We would ride them even MORE if they were more available.  I walk 2 miles downtown for lunch at least once a week.  I'd love to take a scooter sometimes, but there's rarely any around for me to pick up.  They used to place them at Page/Orange, but not recently.

There will always be bad apples.  We need to regulate them, not ruin the perfect solution to last-mile transit.  A few weeks ago I went from downtown to Ivanhoe.  If there weren't scooters available, there's no way I would have gone there.  That's another 2 miles away from my house when I had already walked 2.  I may love urbanism and walking, but I'm not about to walk 4 miles home.

Scooters are okay but i'm mad they got rid of the E-Bike which are much safer and actually provide exercise. I have friends who had never ridden bikes in years but loved riding the Lime Ebikes. Scooters are fun but I never feel safe on them personally.

[dcluley98]

I agree.  They could always ride a real bike. . .  But the e-bikes were great IMO for casuals who may not own a bike themselves. 

I thought they were used more than the scooters for long trips and were less scattered around just left in odd spots. I am sure it's probably easier to collect the scooters and move them around to where they are supposed to be staged than the bikes, but the bikes provided a different level of service than them, imo. 

[AndyPok1]

I largely hated the e bikes. Way too heavy and bulky with no shocks. With that said, yes I wish we could have both so bike casuals had the option if they wanted.

I know it's a running joke that I'm the forum drunk, but short one-way trips are the vast majority of the business model. Oh, I'm drinking downtown and I have friends that are at Hammered Lamb.  Oh, I'm running late leaving my apartment and people are waiting on me for Brunch at Stubborn Mule.  Let's have dinner at Delaney Tavern but then go downtown for the night.

You don't want to take your personal bike or scooter (I actually know 3 people that have bought their own scooter because there aren't ENOUGH bird/lime and/or there are too many regulations on them) because then you have to move it with you when bar hopping and/or have to come back the next day to get it and hope no one stole it.

[spenser1058]

24 minutes ago, AndyPok1 said:

I largely hated the e bikes. Way too heavy and bulky with no shocks. With that said, yes I wish we could have both so bike casuals had the option if they wanted.

I know it's a running joke that I'm the forum drunk, but short one-way trips are the vast majority of the business model. Oh, I'm drinking downtown and I have friends that are at Hammered Lamb.  Oh, I'm running late leaving my apartment and people are waiting on me for Brunch at Stubborn Mule.  Let's have dinner at Delaney Tavern but then go downtown for the night.

You don't want to take your personal bike or scooter (I actually know 3 people that have bought their own scooter because there aren't ENOUGH bird/lime and/or there are too many regulations on them) because then you have to move it with you when bar hopping and/or have to come back the next day to get it and hope no one stole it.

Now I’m flashing back to when having a Vespa was all the rage...

[codypet]

4 hours ago, dcluley98 said:

I thought they were used more than the scooters for long trips and were less scattered around just left in odd spots. I am sure it's probably easier to collect the scooters and move them around to where they are supposed to be staged than the bikes, but the bikes provided a different level of service than them, imo. 

This.  Also they're moving the staging areas where they get the most rides.  That's why the College Park/Milk District/Hourglass District and Sodo hubs are gone from Lime and Bird.  Noone seemed to start their journey there.

38 minutes ago, AndyPok1 said:

I know it's a running joke that I'm the forum drunk, but short one-way trips are the vast majority of the business model. Oh, I'm drinking downtown and I have friends that are at Hammered Lamb.  Oh, I'm running late leaving my apartment and people are waiting on me for Brunch at Stubborn Mule.  Let's have dinner at Delaney Tavern but then go downtown for the night.

For me, its a super easy way for me to get home and get my ride home paid for instead of paying for an Uber.  I've done it getting off Sunrail a couple of times.

[AmIReal]

For your reading pleasure...

Metroplan 2045 Draft

https://metroplanorlando.org/2045-mtp/whats-in-the-2045-plan/2045-draft-plan-virtual-tour/

 

[spenser1058]

No HOPR for you!

https://bungalower.com/2021/04/11/hopr-bikes-not-renewing-permit-in-orlando/
 

From Bungalower 

[codypet]

After the scooters came out, you rarely saw anyone on the bikes.  And they made a mistake when they switched from Juice to Hopr (docked vs dockless) that they didn't go with electric assisted like LimeBike did.  They went electric assisted just a few months ago.

Edited April 12, 2021 by codypet

[sethM]

I only ever read the Lime bikes but assume HOPR is the same, every bike had at least one issue that made riding a pain. There’s so much upkeep on bikes especially when riders aren’t kind to them. 

The scooters seems much more binary in that they either work or they don’t. 

[spenser1058]

This has been a mess from the get go. There should have been competitive bidding for a single franchise with a contract for a fixed amount of time. 

Edited April 12, 2021 by spenser1058

[codypet]

1 hour ago, sethM said:

I only ever read the Lime bikes but assume HOPR is the same, every bike had at least one issue that made riding a pain. There’s so much upkeep on bikes especially when riders aren’t kind to them. 

The scooters seems much more binary in that they either work or they don’t. 

So Hopr's blue bikes weren't electric assisted, their bright green ones were (only like a month or two old now).  LimesBikes were electric assisted.  All of them were chain driven and you're right, they all seemed to have some kind of issue.  The docked Juice bikes weirdly had a prop shaft and drove much like a RWD car and therefore easier to maintain and keep up, but they were HEAVY! IMO none of these scooter companies keep up with the amount of maintenance these things require, especially with the amount of abuse they get both with regular wear and tear and intentional abuse (vandalism) from riders or people who hate them.

I've personally seen Limes where people break the screens on them (The most common damage I've seen), cut the brake lines on them, sometimes run them over, snap them at the steering mechanism.  I've also seen ones that seem perfectly normal until you ride them, and you realize, the steering is too loose or you have no brakes.  After I went to collect that one and found it in the tree, I've felt completely over it, and don't think this city is mature enough to deserve the scooters.  It was a great last mile solution in theory, but its proving to be an unregulated toy for irresponsible people.

Edited April 12, 2021 by codypet

[AmIReal]

10 hours ago, codypet said:

but its proving to be an unregulated toy for irresponsible people.

say view many seem to have re: cars

[popsiclebrandon]

Love the scooters and they need to be used as a mobility solution more than just a fun thing. They can be both but it sucks since I moved to college park there just aren't scooters there. With my upcoming projects in Ivanhoe and Parramore I'm just going to buy a personal scooter and basically never drive my car anymore. We need to be funding solutions like that like France is doing with the tax credits for e-bikes.

[ChiDev]

42 minutes ago, popsiclebrandon said:

Love the scooters and they need to be used as a mobility solution more than just a fun thing. They can be both but it sucks since I moved to college park there just aren't scooters there. With my upcoming projects in Ivanhoe and Parramore I'm just going to buy a personal scooter and basically never drive my car anymore. We need to be funding solutions like that like France is doing with the tax credits for e-bikes.

I just bought myself one of these, I will let you know how it goes.  https://fatbearscooters.com/collections/scooters/products/fatbear-scooter-es295-4-0?variant=31252709998670

[nite owℓ]

On 4/12/2021 at 10:08 AM, codypet said:

I've personally seen Limes where people break the screens on them (The most common damage I've seen), cut the brake lines on them, sometimes run them over, snap them at the steering mechanism.  I've also seen ones that seem perfectly normal until you ride them, and you realize, the steering is too loose or you have no brakes.  After I went to collect that one and found it in the tree, I've felt completely over it, and don't think this city is mature enough to deserve the scooters.  It was a great last mile solution in theory, but its proving to be an unregulated toy for irresponsible people.

Those were common issues seen in every major city beforehand so it's not like anyone could say they didn't see this coming upon doing basic research. This is why we wanted commissioners to put some precautions in place before unleashing them on the streets. All we got was empty words and non-enforcement. It makes no sense to allow scooter companies to regulate themselves while placing the burden on residents to waste time reporting incidents (with ZERO accountability anyway).

I'm tired of scooter users riding and discarding them in prohibited areas, hogging the sidewalk and expecting pedestrians to clear the path like the parting of the red sea, several people riding on one scooter yelling at the top of their lungs on the sidewalk, weaving in and out of traffic, driving head-on into oncoming traffic between lanes, etc. Nothing will change because no one is facing any consequences for their carelessness. I wish the city would allow the meter maids to start writing tickets and impounding scooters. Maybe then the companies will wake up and ban repeat offenders certain users from renting them.

[ChiDev]

Wouldn't it be more effective to just offer a ride discount for putting the scooter back into a charging port?  In Chicago we use that system for the Divvy bikes

 

[smileguy]

4 hours ago, popsiclebrandon said:

With my upcoming projects in Ivanhoe and Parramore I'm just going to buy a personal scooter and basically never drive my car anymore.

Do that... then mention it to anyone at the City who has to do with planning or parking when you talk to them.  I was talking to someone in business dev about outdated parking minimums and as I was on the phone, watched someone step out of a barber shop and onto their personal scooter and ride away.  The more anecdotal examples that they have will (hopefully) help move the needle. 

[spenser1058]

18 minutes ago, smileguy said:

Do that... then mention it to anyone at the City who has to do with planning or parking when you talk to them.  I was talking to someone in business dev about outdated parking minimums and as I was on the phone, watched someone step out of a barber shop and onto their personal scooter and ride away.  The more anecdotal examples that they have will (hopefully) help move the needle. 

I remember in the ‘80’s when having your own Vespa was all the rage for Biff and Skip and the clique at the Crocodile Club. There was even a Vespa store on Orange Ave that was oh so convenient for the Rollins crowd.

[nite owℓ]

Maybe convert 1-2 mid-block parking spaces into scooter stall parking?

[spenser1058]

Quite seriously, however, out of date parking minimums are a scourge across the country. Autocentricity run rampant may be inescapable in the ‘burbs but city staff needs to recognize urban areas that desire alternatives.

[codypet]

16 hours ago, smileguy said:

Do that... then mention it to anyone at the City who has to do with planning or parking when you talk to them.  I was talking to someone in business dev about outdated parking minimums and as I was on the phone, watched someone step out of a barber shop and onto their personal scooter and ride away.  The more anecdotal examples that they have will (hopefully) help move the needle. 

Similarly when I lived in Colonialtown and even here, if I'm going to Thornton or Ivanhoe and I know the weather is gonna keep up, I'd rather bike everywhere.  Downtown is a different story because I'm just too afraid my bike is gonna get vandalized or stolen.

[popsiclebrandon]

I also have been toying with the idea of scooters/ other micro-mobility products as means of economic drivers. Like if someone takes a scooter to my bar and spends money the ride should be comped. Like they upload the receipt and then boom ride is free. Charge businesses monthly fee to be a part of it. Take it anywhere else fine, you pay. I'd pay good money to drive traffic to my place that way. Just haven't found a decent software in place already that could be workable for that so hey if someone here is good at that stuff run with it.

[ChiDev]

6 hours ago, popsiclebrandon said:

I also have been toying with the idea of scooters/ other micro-mobility products as means of economic drivers. Like if someone takes a scooter to my bar and spends money the ride should be comped. Like they upload the receipt and then boom ride is free. Charge businesses monthly fee to be a part of it. Take it anywhere else fine, you pay. I'd pay good money to drive traffic to my place that way. Just haven't found a decent software in place already that could be workable for that so hey if someone here is good at that stuff run with it.