Charlotte Bike / Scooter Sharing

[kermit]

6 hours ago, Scribe said:

About the cars on the grass... is there a "no parking" sign?

Its illegal to park on yards in the city http://charlottenc.gov/HNS/Code/Pages/ParkingLawn.aspx

As to your suggestion about calling 311 here is the city's note about response time to report violations of the above ordinance:

Quote

The response time is up to three business days.

I'll reiterate: can we quit pretending that bikes are the biggest problem here?

Edited February 3, 2018 by kermit

[kermit]

Nm

Edited February 3, 2018 by kermit

[Scribe]

15 hours ago, kermit said:

can we quit pretending that bikes are the biggest problem here

Except, no one has said that or implied that.

We are in a thread about bikes, you are the one that keeps bringing up cars in a bike thread.

[JoshuaDrown]

18 hours ago, Scribe said:

I would love to see where we would be in @kermit 's utopian bike world

I can’t speak for @kermit, but I think most of us that are fully on board with dockless bike share don’t think bikes are a path to Utopia... 

I do however wish there was more transparency from those that are complaining so loudly about the dockless bikes, it seems the real objection is that many people just don’t like how they... Look. Ok, occasionally one completely blocks a sidewalk, and that is a problem, but the real issue for them, is that they just don’t like seeing so many of them.

We have become so steeped in privilege that we are at risk of placing the aesthetics of our urban environment above the very real challenges that face our city, our planet, and our people. We have devastating upward mobility challenges in Charlotte and these bikes provide vital first mile / last mile solutions for the poor and mobility challenged. We have a planet that is warming and heading to disaster and these bikes provide a clean and non-destructive form of transportation. Bikes are part of the solution. A big part.

In Melody Hoffmann’s excellent book, “Bike Lanes are White Lanes: Bicycle Advocacy and Urban Planning”, she explores how race and social/economic status affect how people perceive bikes. The upwardly mobile, and largely white population, grow up seeing the bike as a toy, for recreation. These individuals often advocate for bike lanes, greenways, and safety. The working class and people of color tend to look at the bike as a tool, it is necessary and affordable transportation that gets them to school or work. These individuals are often interested in better bike availability and more bike availability. Understanding our bias is important in any issue.

We all want a beautiful city... but, when we are doing our armchair urban planning, doesn’t our personal aesthetic perception fall behind the function of our city’s transportation network for the people that need it most? 

We need more bikes... we need them in every neighborhood.

Edited February 3, 2018 by JoshuaDrown

[SgtCampsalot]

40 minutes ago, JoshuaDrown said:

In Melody Hoffmann’s excellent book, “Bike Lanes are White Lanes: Bicycle Advocacy and Urban Planning”, she explores how race and social/economic status affect how people perceive bikes. The upwardly mobile, and largely white population, grow up seeing the bike as a toy, for recreation. These individuals often advocate for bike lanes, greenways, and safety. The working class and people of color tend to look at the bike as a tool, it is necessary and affordable transportation that gets them to school or work. These individuals are often interested in better bike availability and more bike availability. Understanding our bias is important in any issue.

On the east side, but spending a ton of time around Uptown as well: the majority of people I see on these dockless bikes are people who clearly don't own a car. If the visual distinction is someone wearing plain clothes/uniforms, versus someone wearing a particularly stylish outfit, workout clothes, or a "Get the Gear!" type get-up...

Edited February 3, 2018 by SgtCampsalot

[kermit]

3 hours ago, Scribe said:

Except, no one has said that or implied that.

You said exactly that in this post yesterday:

... just after you implied the same thing in your off the rails rant:

...also  here:

...and here...

 

 

Edited February 3, 2018 by kermit

[kermit]

3 hours ago, JoshuaDrown said:

I can’t speak for @kermit, but I think most of us that are fully on board with dockless bike share don’t think bikes are a path to Utopia... 

I do however wish there was more transparency from those that are complaining so loudly about the dockless bikes, it seems the real objection is that many people just don’t like how they... Look. Ok, occasionally one completely blocks a sidewalk, and that is a problem, but the real issue for them, is that they just don’t like seeing so many of them.

We have become so steeped in privilege that we are at risk of placing the aesthetics of our urban environment above the very real challenges that face our city, our planet, and our people. We have devastating upward mobility challenges in Charlotte and these bikes provide vital first mile / last mile solutions for the poor and mobility challenged. We have a planet that is warming and heading to disaster and these bikes provide a clean and non-destructive form of transportation. Bikes are part of the solution. A big part.

In Melody Hoffmann’s excellent book, “Bike Lanes are White Lanes: Bicycle Advocacy and Urban Planning”, she explores how race and social/economic status affect how people perceive bikes. The upwardly mobile, and largely white population, grow up seeing the bike as a toy, for recreation. These individuals often advocate for bike lanes, greenways, and safety. The working class and people of color tend to look at the bike as a tool, it is necessary and affordable transportation that gets them to school or work. These individuals are often interested in better bike availability and more bike availability. Understanding our bias is important in any issue.

We all want a beautiful city... but, when we are doing our armchair urban planning, doesn’t our personal aesthetic perception fall behind the function of our city’s transportation network for the people that need it most? 

We need more bikes... we need them in every neighborhood.

I think this is really well said.

I am pretty sure that all of us (even the companies themselves) would agree that its bad when bikes are blocking the flow of people.  Its the aesthetic arguments against dockless bikes that irk me. Not only is the argument subjective but it also feels disingenuous. Their is a ton of stuff on the landscape that is visual blight (much of which has little community value), why do people feel the need to single out bikes as the thing that has gotta be fixed first?

Edited February 3, 2018 by kermit

[kermit]

This sprawling overview of dockless in Streetsblog cites a source who says the bikes probably cost around $200 each.

I suspect their highest cost item is the rebalancing / picking up and maintenance  staff.

The story does make clear that costs are irrelevant at this point due to the volume of equity $ flowing into the industry.

https://usa.streetsblog.org/2018/02/07/is-the-dockless-bike-share-revolution-a-mirage/

Edited February 7, 2018 by kermit

[Nick2]

So what I'm gathering from this conversation is that the problem is assholes who don't know how to properly park their various modes of transport.

Edited February 9, 2018 by Nick2

[videtur quam contuor]

Tragedy of The Commons

[Guest]

 

good lord.

Edited February 12, 2018 by Guest

[deleted]

58 minutes ago, ricky_davis_fan_21 said:

 

good lord.

Not sure why this bothers you but not the four cars parked behind them??

[15895]

5 minutes ago, JBS said:

Not sure why this bothers you but not the four cars parked behind them??

I’m not sure if this is a jab at those who tend to be more bike friendly or you genuinely wonder why the bikes bother him more than the cars.

 

If the cars were flipped upside down, burning, etc..... I could see your point.

 

that said. I’m pro bike and hate cars. Though I don’t want to be a martyr for bikes ultimately hurting my cause 

[Guest]

19 minutes ago, JBS said:

Not sure why this bothers you but not the four cars parked behind them??

I don't own a car, so yes, they bother me too.

 

But those cars are in lined, marked and legal parking spaces.

Edited February 12, 2018 by Guest

[Bikeguy]

Given that this scrum of bikes is likely due to the popularity of the place of business ( Unknown Brewery), would it not make sense for the business ( or landlord)  to replace a parking space or two with a bike corral ?  Or, is this a case of the business being required to reserve a certain number of spaces for cars commensurate to the square footage of the building ?  

[deleted]

Those bikes bother me also.  Voicing any concerns about the current state of dockless bikes in Charlotte (even as an avowed supporter) is generally perceived here as anti-bike or disingenuous.  I think most people can see the difference between those bikes and four legally parked cars.  I do wonder why you didn't stop, set them all up and move them to better locations?

Okay, I'll stop being an asshole now.

 

[kermit]

^bikes blocking the flow of people bothers me as well. I am actually going to (ironically) drive over and pick them up if they still need it (I have a ton of work so I need something to procrastinate with).

FWIW I am the one who used the word disingenuous to describe dockless beotchers. To be clear I was only referring to the people making the aesthetic argument against dockless. I don’t think dockless bike should impede pedestrian flow (but I also don't think they should be singled out as the only thing that blocks the sidewalk).

Edited February 12, 2018 by kermit

[kermit]

And everything is better now...

Edited February 12, 2018 by kermit

[Guest]

23 hours ago, JBS said:

 I do wonder why you didn't stop, set them all up and move them to better locations?

Because I live 600 miles away. I'll be in town Friday, I'll pick up any bikes I find. 

Edited February 13, 2018 by Guest

[southslider]

I do stop and pick these up, when walking by them. I also knock or pound on cars stopped in crosswalks, when walking by those.

[go_vertical]

In my younger, more obnoxious days I was known to do the occasional Dukes of Hazard hip slide across the hood of a car blocking the crosswalk. Nobody ever thought it was as funny as I did though.

[Guest]

1 hour ago, go_vertical said:

In my younger, more obnoxious days I was known to do the occasional Dukes of Hazard hip slide across the hood of a car blocking the crosswalk. Nobody ever thought it was as funny as I did though.

haha, I usually stop and stare into car windows and then side step until I get around the hood, then walk forward until I clear the front of the car, and then sidestep back to the left. Its totally worth the charade. I'll try the Dukes of Hazard hip slide next time, though I suspect I'd dent a car hood.

[CLTranspo]

16 hours ago, southslider said:

I do stop and pick these up, when walking by them. I also knock or pound on cars stopped in crosswalks, when walking by those.

I do this too lol

[kermit]

Looks like ofo has upgraded their bikes, but people still park them like aholes.

 

[SgtCampsalot]

6 hours ago, kermit said:

Looks like ofo has upgraded their bikes, but people still park them like aholes.

 

Things like this are one reason I try to keep dry-erase markers and easy-removal sticker decals on me at most times.

Edited February 17, 2018 by SgtCampsalot