Biking in Boston
- Thread starter statler
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Sorry, my post was also supposed to have a link....
I think they handled it well. Putting out random stations in far out places to spread the coverage is bad for everyone. Stations only work well if theres one close enough so that if its full/empty theres ALWAYS an options.
In Bostons case, everything west of Kenmore is badly placed, way too spread out. DC has 5-6 stations sent far out to spread coverage that dont work at all.
In NYCs case, besides doing a straight line, they also could have done a jagged VVVV style ending, but youve got to end it somewhere for phase 1.
I am also interested to see how Alta does, and what it means for Boston.
And Bixi as well. Remember, Bixi (Montreal Parking Authority) makes the bikes/systems for everyone. Do they have the capacity to send 400 stations to NYC and still satisfy DC, Boston and the many other cities they serve?
czsz
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The placement seems so random. In my neighborhood in Brooklyn, they're being placed at intersections of minor side streets 1-3 blocks away from main arteries. I would have expected to walk to the corner of a major street to pick up a bike, not have to wander into a warren of residential streets to find them.
http://www.boston.com/news/local/ma...cambridge_somerville_and_brookline/?page=full
Some details on expansion
43 images, 0 bicyclists. Exactly the problem - too much space dedicated to too few users. Its as impractical as widening sidewalks which are not congested with travelers, or streets which are not congested with travelers or parking. Proportion the supply with the demand.
Bike Share in Cambridge
How does the bike share plan in Cambridge have any chance of success at all? All of the bike stations will be at subway spots. Where will riders go? Another subway station, which they could have just used the T for? Is the plan to decrease T ridership? If I want to go to the Kendall Theater, where would I park the bike? Where is the lock? After a 90 minute movie, the bike use would cost $14. Some people don't watch movies alone, so multiply the cost. Driving and cabs are cheaper and easier! Since Cambridge will be a failure, they could have just borrowed least used stations from Boston.
Sundays and recreational use along Memorial Drive will be the main use, but limited. Users would get much nicer bikes, reasonably priced from bike shops for recreation use (instead of from the taxpayers).
How does the bike share plan in Cambridge have any chance of success at all? All of the bike stations will be at subway spots. Where will riders go? Another subway station, which they could have just used the T for? Is the plan to decrease T ridership? If I want to go to the Kendall Theater, where would I park the bike? Where is the lock? After a 90 minute movie, the bike use would cost $14. Some people don't watch movies alone, so multiply the cost. Driving and cabs are cheaper and easier! Since Cambridge will be a failure, they could have just borrowed least used stations from Boston.
Sundays and recreational use along Memorial Drive will be the main use, but limited. Users would get much nicer bikes, reasonably priced from bike shops for recreation use (instead of from the taxpayers).
Lurker
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Look at pictures of the interstate highway system, Hell the Mass Pike, when it was first constructed. NEARLY EMPTY!
I also note how there are far more lanes than cars in these photos as well. By your logic most of the traffic lanes should be removed as well.
Catering to anti-urban transportation patterns is a recipe for disaster on some many levels. All it takes is the fuel supply to be disrupted for people to get a good taste of this. What's going on in the DC area right now with all the gas stations out of petrol is a wake-up call to many about the failings of the auto-centric transportation model.
Edit: Ah I realize who you are now.
Ron Newman
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Isn't one of the Hubway stations going to be at Inman Square? That's a longish walk from a T station but a very short bike ride. You pick up a bike at a T station, ride it to Inman, and drop it off. Later you pick up another bike at Inman and ride it back to a T station.
If Cambridge is smart, they'll put a Hubway station near the Kendall theatre, which is also a longish walk from the T. We'll see how smart they are.
If Cambridge is smart, they'll put a Hubway station near the Kendall theatre, which is also a longish walk from the T. We'll see how smart they are.
Cambridge is getting what, 24 stations? I'm optimistic that 19 of those won't be right next to the 5 subway stations. Sure would be nice to see a single drop of updated information on where and when this will happen, though! Is there anything?
Peterborough
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As somebody who commutes by bike year-round I originally thought the Hubway bikes were going to be a disaster. Inexperienced riders, tourists, no helmets, dangerous drivers; it all seemed like a recipe for disaster. After a year though I'm pleasantly surprised and Hubway has actually worked. Maybe there aren't as many riders as previously but overall I see more bikers, more respectful drivers, more bike lanes, and an overall safer commute everyday.
Peterborough
http://www.bostontipster.com
Peterborough
http://www.bostontipster.com
Every time I walk by the Hubway stations in the downtown area, they are pretty empty. I see a good number of people riding them all over the city. It seems like a nice program and if I were a tourist in Boston, I would probably rent a bike for a few hours.
I love it, but still have self imposed limits on where and when I am comfortable biking. I have a great ride from Fenway to Charles MGH on the esplanade to get to work in cambridge. 15-20 minutes car free on the water with no hot mess on the green line. couldnt ask for a better trip.
I commute most mornings from Porter, Sq., however, and spend most of my time in Somerville and can't stop thinking- where the H#ll are the promised stations. Somerville will be great for it because all the squares will be accessible by the bikes and most streets outside of somerville, highland, and broadway are actually pretty quiet and easy to ride on.
But seriously, Somerville and Cambridge were almost falling over themselves to get these and are more bike friendly than boston. Who is blowing this?!? its July, they can't figure out basic contract liabilities and structures yet?
I commute most mornings from Porter, Sq., however, and spend most of my time in Somerville and can't stop thinking- where the H#ll are the promised stations. Somerville will be great for it because all the squares will be accessible by the bikes and most streets outside of somerville, highland, and broadway are actually pretty quiet and easy to ride on.
But seriously, Somerville and Cambridge were almost falling over themselves to get these and are more bike friendly than boston. Who is blowing this?!? its July, they can't figure out basic contract liabilities and structures yet?
Ron Newman
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Somerville has approved this months ago. We're waiting for Hubway to deliver.
Seems like hubway has been a huge success despite the operator's (Alta? I forget) many failures. Poor notifications, late installations, next to no marketing. At the least this demonstrates the strong existing demand for this service... you think they would rush to take advantage of it.
How do you judge hubway a great success? Taking away business from public transit? An operating profit like the Mass Pike, airlines, cabs, private bus and boat companies? Where are operating numbers for bike shares in various cities, including Boston? How can they break even when 99% of annual member trips are free? Its all a big secret or cover-up.
I see people in MBTA buses on the street or waiting at stops. Does that make the MBTA a success? What is your yardstick for success?
As to Alta's problems, I see them challenged in having to work with government and not having enough revenue to pay workers as well as the MBTA.
so Alta (a (inter?)national company that operates in numerous city) has the problem of not paying as well as the MBTA?
Member rides aren't free. My membership was $75. that's like saying because i buy a monthly t pass, my T rides are free. Free and marginal cost are different things. I often take both on the same trip. bike fenway to charles red line to broadway. The T is great for hub to spoke transit, but not so much from lateral nodes. It is difficult to say the hubway has taken away T riders since T riderships statistics since hubway's installation are nearly all record-breaking. So if you can back anything out of this its that hubway promotes more public transit usage by allowing people to get more directly where they are going with the T and bike then they could with the car.
I judge it being a success as being one of the quickest and most widely adopted bikeshares in the nation. (Quickest to 100,000 rides last year). And by the fact that it is simple to understand and that I know people that are both avid bikers, non-bikers, city residents, and out-of-towners that have all used and enjoyed it. I also judge it a relative success in that it has garnered sponsorships from new balance, harvard and more. And that other cities and neighborhoods are clamoring for it.
Member rides aren't free. My membership was $75. that's like saying because i buy a monthly t pass, my T rides are free. Free and marginal cost are different things. I often take both on the same trip. bike fenway to charles red line to broadway. The T is great for hub to spoke transit, but not so much from lateral nodes. It is difficult to say the hubway has taken away T riders since T riderships statistics since hubway's installation are nearly all record-breaking. So if you can back anything out of this its that hubway promotes more public transit usage by allowing people to get more directly where they are going with the T and bike then they could with the car.
I judge it being a success as being one of the quickest and most widely adopted bikeshares in the nation. (Quickest to 100,000 rides last year). And by the fact that it is simple to understand and that I know people that are both avid bikers, non-bikers, city residents, and out-of-towners that have all used and enjoyed it. I also judge it a relative success in that it has garnered sponsorships from new balance, harvard and more. And that other cities and neighborhoods are clamoring for it.
Choo, first you claim Alta has had many failures, then quick to adoption. The measure of adoption, trips is a false one avoided on the Internet where unique users per day is far more accurate. Plain WGETs is not accurate enough for billing advertising.
If you paid $75, you lost out on one of the $65 specials run last winter. Having to discount so much doesn't speak to popularity. From data I've seen. most bike share use is recreational, being on the weekend. Is that what tax dollars are for?
Who is clamoring for bike share? People who own their own bikes or those who need them? Tourists can get better bikes for less money at bike shops, along with a helmet. Taking business away from them is also bad. As far as taking trips from the T, Alta should have the data. Capitol share released data last year or so showing trip origin, end, duration, time, bike#, and member#/type are all recorded for every trip.
If you paid $75, you lost out on one of the $65 specials run last winter. Having to discount so much doesn't speak to popularity. From data I've seen. most bike share use is recreational, being on the weekend. Is that what tax dollars are for?
Who is clamoring for bike share? People who own their own bikes or those who need them? Tourists can get better bikes for less money at bike shops, along with a helmet. Taking business away from them is also bad. As far as taking trips from the T, Alta should have the data. Capitol share released data last year or so showing trip origin, end, duration, time, bike#, and member#/type are all recorded for every trip.
You must be joking. Generally all modes of transportation in the United States (and most other countries, actually) require some sort of government subsidy to operate. The entities you've listed are not exempt from that, nor are they necessarily the beacons of profitability that Hubway should aspire to. Any 'operating profit' does not include the massive investments required of taxpayers in order for these types of transportation options to be made available.
JohnAKeith
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Yikes, someone's very sensitive.
I used Hubway bikes last year but only got a membership this year, starting maybe 3 weeks ago. I have used it probably 10-12 times since then. Today I finally bought a helmet and lock.
I love it. Do I use public transportation less? Yes! I no longer wait for the 43 bus. My ride is 12-15 minutes shorter from home to work (I bike the wrong way down one-way roads and across the Common, I admit it). I've biked to Brookline and to the Fenway on several occasions.
I hate bikers who are obnoxious and arrogant, which is probably at least 1/2 of them. I also hate bikers who obey all the traffic rules for cars, because a bike is not a car, and I fail to see the reason to wait at red lights.
I've added biking to my regular rotation of modes of transportation: buses, subways, and ZipCars.
I'll never need to own a car again!
I used Hubway bikes last year but only got a membership this year, starting maybe 3 weeks ago. I have used it probably 10-12 times since then. Today I finally bought a helmet and lock.
I love it. Do I use public transportation less? Yes! I no longer wait for the 43 bus. My ride is 12-15 minutes shorter from home to work (I bike the wrong way down one-way roads and across the Common, I admit it). I've biked to Brookline and to the Fenway on several occasions.
I hate bikers who are obnoxious and arrogant, which is probably at least 1/2 of them. I also hate bikers who obey all the traffic rules for cars, because a bike is not a car, and I fail to see the reason to wait at red lights.
I've added biking to my regular rotation of modes of transportation: buses, subways, and ZipCars.
I'll never need to own a car again!