bicycle freedom

The city of Paris rolled out a citywide bicycle program involving 10,600 bikes in a bid to cut gridlock and give citizens a greener way to get around town. The program, named Vélib — a blend of vélo (bike) and liberté — allows users to swipe their credit card and take and return a bike from one of 750 stations in the city.

"In the morning, you can go to work in the tram and come home by bike; it depends on the weather, it depends on your mood and on your friends," said Paris Mayor Bertrand Delanoe Sunday.

Delanoe aims to cut car traffic in the city by 40 per cent by 2020.

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  News & Politics

[aarogh]

Can you return the bike to a different station, like with U-haul?

[leper99]

yes

[Moreno Zanotto]

Helmets have nothing to do with cycling safety! Stop the victim blaming.

[siddharthjoshi91]

This should be implemented in India. We have too many reckless two-wheeler drivers and traffic and pollution is getting out of hand.

[hatwithfloppers]

In norway we've had this for years. In oslo the bike points are everywhere, no time limit and much, much cheaper

[alliterati1]

I want this in the US. 

[stopglobalswarming]

They need latex sealant in the tires, or to use foam tires.

[eze14213]

a bike like that id beat the shit outta with the way i ride id ghost ride the whip down a flight of 100 stairs

[Jesus45U]

This idea was based on a "free" bike program in Copenhagen, which works much the same way, but with a coin instead of a credit card and no time limit.

And the bicycles in copenhagen is not nearly as desirable as the french ones, so they don't get stolen as much, and are harder to vandalize.

Add in commercial advertizing on them, with some tax reductions thrown in, and the program still works in Copenhagen.

watch?v=mrKXSRafDOI

They are not the best ride, but they work.

[kelleydave]

According to NY Times article, 80% of the bikes were either stolen or trashed so badly that they had to be replaced. But the stupid French are so drunk on socialism they will keep pouring money down the drain. Private property works. Socialized property doesn't.

[BikeWasHere]

i want go back in paris :((

[Guildou]

There's theft and vandalism that's sure, but the program continue and is sheduled for other big cities in France.