tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-225087846795766487.post3955725597084096527..comments2023-08-12T08:41:01.080+01:00Comments on Green Bristol Blog: HourBike or NineDayWonderBike?Chris Hutthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01532451004057748734noreply@blogger.comBlogger11125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-225087846795766487.post-35384846106989193352010-01-30T09:27:45.409+00:002010-01-30T09:27:45.409+00:00Matt, as you observe the scheme has been implement...Matt, as you observe the scheme has been implemented in a manner that more or less guarantees failure. Coverage is far too limited for it ever to be of any practical value. <br /><br />Personally I think that a more extensive scheme would not be viable in that the costs would far exceed the benefits, but that remains a moot point. Information about the costs/benefits of schemes elsewhere seems very hard to come by (and I think I know why).Chris Hutthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01532451004057748734noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-225087846795766487.post-39149960197221261502010-01-29T16:26:55.578+00:002010-01-29T16:26:55.578+00:00I paid my membership for this scheme as I think it...I paid my membership for this scheme as I think it's a great idea and I want to support it.<br /><br />I keep the card in my wallet at all times because I'm always walking from one side of Bristol to another.<br /><br />However...<br /><br />I've still never used it!<br /><br />When will they install more hubs? If there were just a few more hubs I'm sure it would start to take off but I've never needed to make a journey that these bikes have been able to help me with.<br /><br />TM would be a good start, so would Glocester road, lawrence hill, bedminster, clifton, totterdown.<br /><br />It's so annoying, I fear they will give up on this scheme when I'm sure it'll work if there were just a few more hubs.<br />Surely all the expense was in getting the framework in place, can a few more hubs really be that much more expensive / awkward?Matt Burnshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09192847284712971504noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-225087846795766487.post-12845839299335105202009-07-12T09:30:05.768+01:002009-07-12T09:30:05.768+01:00Quite apart from the flimsy lights... plastic mudg...Quite apart from the flimsy lights... plastic mudguards, V brakes and exposed chains don't make for <a href="http://hembrow.blogspot.com/2009/01/anatomy-of-reliable-everyday-bicycle.html" rel="nofollow">reliable bicycles</a>.<br /><br />I posted before about how even in the numbers that they have in Paris, these schemes can only make for a <a href="http://hembrow.blogspot.com/2009/03/velib-vel-on-and-other-public-shared.html" rel="nofollow">tiny percentage of journeys</a>.David Hembrowhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14543024940730663645noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-225087846795766487.post-45281452362716379972009-07-08T11:51:30.060+01:002009-07-08T11:51:30.060+01:00But that was last November!But that was last November!Chris Hutthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01532451004057748734noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-225087846795766487.post-45061600891332378912009-07-08T11:20:49.757+01:002009-07-08T11:20:49.757+01:00"Starting in November, we will be upgrading a..."Starting in November, we will be upgrading all the equipment and starting to install HUBs in the city centre in locations including Temple Meads, shopping and business areas and Tourist locations."<br /><br />from the hourbike website.<br /><br />https://www.hourbike.com/hourbike/locations.uk.england.bristol.doAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-225087846795766487.post-72624168313860089292009-07-06T21:49:45.838+01:002009-07-06T21:49:45.838+01:00Mr Hourbike,
You're very welcome to take all ...Mr Hourbike,<br /><br />You're very welcome to take all the space you need here to explain your project to readers of this blog. I'd be happy to make a fresh blog posting of anything you'd like to say. <br /><br />But the underlying principle of my blogging is that everything that is publically funded should be transparent and open to public scrutiny. A private off-line discussion with you wouldn't really be consistent with that principle. I don't want to be in situation where I am party to confidential information which I cannot share with others on this blog. <br /><br />You have the right to reply here if you feel that I've been unfair in my comments.Chris Hutthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01532451004057748734noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-225087846795766487.post-52300702463635452592009-07-06T21:06:46.504+01:002009-07-06T21:06:46.504+01:00Dear Chris,
I, like yourself, am also passionate ...Dear Chris,<br /><br />I, like yourself, am also passionate about promoting cycling in Bristol. <br /><br />It would be good to meet you and discuss where we are taking Hourbike. <br /><br />E-mail me using support@hourbike.comMr Hourbikehttp://www.hourbike.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-225087846795766487.post-69906908081615196342009-07-05T23:20:38.302+01:002009-07-05T23:20:38.302+01:00I recently went to Barcelona where they've got...I recently went to Barcelona where they've got a similar scheme called Bici - and it seemed to be very popular.<br /><br />However:<br /><br />- There were racks of these bikes *everywhere*<br /><br />- Barcelona already has a great metro system and most stations had Bici racks outside them.<br /><br />- The bike are so distinctive and ubiquitous that there wouldn't be much point in stealing them.<br /><br />- There are bike lanes all over the place. They seemed to be well thought out and segregated with priority signals (i.e. not just 30m of pink tarmac ending in a parking space).<br /><br />- Although Barcelona has lots of hills, most of the central part of town is very flat.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-225087846795766487.post-4060098513428098172009-07-05T21:13:28.494+01:002009-07-05T21:13:28.494+01:00Hi Chris,
I posted about this, in the context of ...Hi Chris,<br /><br /><a href="http://www.timandkathy.co.uk/journal/2009/06/10/paris-vs-bristol/" rel="nofollow">I posted about this</a>, in the context of some quotes from a video commemorating Paris Velib's first birthday.<br /><br />I fear the small number of hire stations will prevent Hourbike taking off in any way, since the number of bikes is so short of the level in Paris (1 bike per 200 population).<br /><br />Cheers,<br /><br />TimTim Beadlehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17958070871462777000noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-225087846795766487.post-17239079541726195842009-07-04T13:19:20.338+01:002009-07-04T13:19:20.338+01:00No, advertising at the hubs doesn't appear to ...No, advertising at the hubs doesn't appear to be part of the business model (assuming there is one) at this stage. <br /><br />Even the sponsors of the site in question, like At-Bristol?, don't appear to get prominent credit. Odd.Chris Hutthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01532451004057748734noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-225087846795766487.post-89012074890645178662009-07-04T13:09:03.775+01:002009-07-04T13:09:03.775+01:00Were there any advertising hoardings at the site?Were there any advertising hoardings at the site?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com