Melbourne Bike Share In Trouble?

Visit my bicycle art web site. http://situp-bike-art.com.
I went to Melbourne to find out how the new Bike share scheme was going, having bought a year's membership.

Category:

Education

Tags:

• melbourne bike share
• london bike share
• montreal
• bixis
• barclays cycle hire
• helmet laws
• mandatory helmet law
• compulsory helmets
• barclays bicycles
• boris johnson
• sit up bikes
• nick law
• mike rubbo
• melbourrne university
• unibicycles

[ntworkz]

Its typical that many have an opinion on the system but most of those actually havent used the system. I have used it many times and organising myself to have a helmet with me is not a real hassle. Now I have over 50 trips, my $50 annual subscription looks very I even run bike tours with them and provide helmets: meltours.com.au/bikehiretour.h­tm. Anyway I think the system should be exempt from the laws.

[MikeRubbo]

@ntworkz We did use the system many times. The bikes are good. They ride well. Seems like you agree with our conclusion that the scheme should be exempt from the helmet law. Darwin shows an interesting precedent . Take a look at Darwin Shows the Way.

[BungaEBiker]

If people truly want to be safe on a bicycle then the only way is to have segregated bicycle lanes where motor vehicles are NOT allowed. This is the only way to insure safety. The majority of persons injured on bicycles are the result of vehicular contact. The small percentage of people who are injured that is not the result of vehicular contact is due to extreme sports such as rock hopping and the like. The idea of shared bikes is sound it's the application that has the problem.

[MikeRubbo]

@BungaEBiker Yes, but to get those built, you have to have enough cyclists demanding them.

The Lycra folks , the dominant cycle group in Aust., wont demand such facilties with any real enthusiasm since they prefer to be vehicular cyclists, that is to mix on the roads with traffic. On segregated lanes, many feel slowed down too much by people on these bike share type bikes, sit-ups It really is a different way of riding, a different culture, even . When that's understood, we'll progress.

[vvmoko]

Melbourne has 450 bikes- average 183 trips a day

Dublin also has 450 bikes- average 3020 trips a day

Why? Simple. No (farcical) helmet laws (in ALL of Europe).

Loose the antiquated, kneejerk nanny law & watch Melbourne transform!

(src: The Age- 'Helmet law hurting shared bike scheme')

[Zoza15]

They should come to The Netherlands and they will be scared how we Dutch take cycling seriously..

[KrunchyJD]

@Patricoau The problem with that argument is 2 fold. Firstly you gave yourself the answer. Remove the hostile attitude (behaviour) by protecting cyclists in law, and create better infrastructure. Secondly, helmets for cyclists are designed to protect your head when you fall off your bike, they will NOT protect you from impact with a car.

[KrunchyJD]

@MikeRubbo I enjoy your video's a lot. I however dont entirely agree on this. Sometimes I ride relatively slow, I have 2 bikes, one my shopping bike, and another a road bike. I also regularly go faster then 30 km/h. I am not super fast, but am not slow, by bike standards. I would prefer wide segregated cycle lanes, to riding on the road. I do tend to ride mainly for transport though. I dont prefer vehicular riding, I only do so for safety reasons, since there usually is no bike path.

[MatSim65]

Dude, you are just whining too much! Just carry the damn helmet and do not worry about your bike being stolen... You are annoying and your tone condescending and arrogant. Just get a life!

[powpanda]

@Patricoau I've been riding a bike in Sydney without a helmet for a few years now with no problems. The cops see me all the time and never say anything. Also the studies you speak of are not so conclusive. Take a look at

/wiki/Bicycle_helmet#Science:_­testing_the_hypothesis_that_he­lmets_are_effective

It all depends on how the study is framed.

[B0ombastix]

Lol, fail.

[Patricoau]

The medical community and various tests show that impact without a helmet is more likely to be catastrophic. Overseas experience is not transferrable to Australia which has a more hostile attitude to cyclists and less cycling infrastructure. If there is a co-ordinated movement to have segregated cycleways in the inner-city then the risk/benefit of no-helmets would be ok, but as is I think it is dangerous to put helmetless cyclists in the flow of road traffic (Russian roulette in Sydney).

[tashole]

the population en masse will not be toting around helmets. laziness is the common noose that will prevent this idea from taking off. I lived in Montreal for 5 yrs, I was there when BIXI was introduced, and it made the entire city come alive. The barrier of getting somewhere was removed. Everything was tangible. Going to a café or outdoor jazz show wasn't a problem - it was a fun 3min cycle. The helmet restriction would have robbed us of all this. BIXI is freedom, we need to support it.

[tashole]

the population en masse will not be toting around helmets. laziness is the common noose that will prevent this idea from taking off. I lived in Montreal for 5 yrs, I was there when BIXI was introduced, and it made the entire city come alive. The barrier of getting somewhere was removed. Everything was tangible. Going to a café or outdoor jazz show wasn't a problem - it was a fun 3min cycle. The helmet restriction would have robbed us of all this. BIXI is freedom, we need to support it.

[melbournecapital]

@ntworkz

The Labor Government has funded helmets in the city!

There are now helmet Vending Machines in the city for $5, and can be returned un-damaged to any 7-eleven store for a $3 refund, and the helmets meet Australian standards, you can also get helmets from 7-Eleven stores which cost the same!