I'm trying to decide how I feel about BIXI. The premise is this:
"The name BIXI is a combination of the words bicycle and taxi, indicating how easy it is to access a BIXI bike wherever you are and reach your intended destination - without worrying about a parking space, a lock, or what to do if you weren’t planning on biking back afterwards. The bicycle’s engineering as well as its solar-powered docking stations located less than 300 meters apart define the accessible nature of this program.
"Since BIXI Toronto will run year-round, a hassle-free bike will always be conveniently close by. For a $95 (tax incl.) subscription members will receive one year of unlimited use of the BIXI system for up to 30 minutes at a time. For example, a subscriber could arrive at Union Station, take a BIXI bike to ride to work, drop it off in front of their office, then pick a different BIXI bike up at the end of the day to head back to Union Station. Or, if your trip will last longer than 30 minutes, you may dock the initial bike and access a second bike for another 30 minutes of usage."
(Source: Toronto Bike Union members' Email)
While I'm all for getting people out of cars and onto bikes, will this do it? I'm not convinced. I'd rather any tax money that is going into this be put into more bike lanes, more secure bike parking spaces, and road repair. Sherbourne's bike lanes need some work.
Ninety-five dollars is good chunk of change towards a used (or new) bike, for a person to use whenever and wherever they want.
For the commuter who might use it from Union as suggested above, that's an extra $95/year on top of transit fees. Unless they're cutting out a TTC ride or two each day, will it be worth it for them?
Will Tourists use these? Not without more bike lanes. Imagine a Tourist renting a BIXI at City Hall. Where are the bike lanes? Queen? Nope. Bay? Sort of, in the shared diamond lanes, so really nope for the leisure rider. Dundas? Nope. University? Sadly (and damn you, City Council!), nope.
Maybe they'll have BIXI on the Toronto islands? I'm all for that, and I'm sure they would be well-used there, freeing up space on the ferries on the busy summer weekends. I'd bet 50 or even 100 BIXIs on the Islands would get used every weekend, six to eight months of the year.
Finally, while I know helmets are not mandatory, BIXI riders--since I'm guessing they won't be lugging around helmets of their own--will be that much less safe if they do ride.
I'm not dumping on the hard-working bike advocates trying to get this program going, More bikes, fewer cars is my mantra. I'm just failing to see who the target market is for BIXI and wondering if the docking stations will be as ugly as the rest of Toronto's street furniture.
Time will tell. In the meantime, ride ‘em if you’ve got ‘em!
Indie Coffee Passport adventures, yada yada yada, previous parts here and here.
