A Threefold 'Thank You' to Los Angeles
Dear Los Angeles: I'm Thankful For...
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A Photo Gallery of the Things I am Grateful for This Year
I LOVE L.A.! My Thanksgiving Thanks
10 Random Albums To Be Thankful For
There's been a lot of bicycle talk on LAist today and here's one more: the idea of bicycle sharing in Los Angeles has been mulled over about quite a bit and next week, a city panel will examine (.pdf) using a site near Olvera Street and Union Station for a variation that theme--bicycle rentals. From a motion introduced last month:
More and more people are starting to use the bicycle as a way to tour many of the City's historic and cultural sites. In an effort to contribute to these pedestrian oriented neighborhoods and improve access to bikes, EI Pueblo should examine the feasibility ofimplementing a rent-a-bike facility at the site.
This potentially could be helpful for those who want to arrive downtown and move around quickly, efficiently and with ease to multiple locations. Of course, they will need to provide locks that can protect from the high theft rate currently happening in downtown.
Speaking of which, other bicycle posts on LAist today included said bicycle thefts and how Metro is exploring new bike-on-train policies.
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I think the city should first address bicycle paths and sharrows. Then address having bicycle rentals which is a great idea...If they work on getting bicycles first it would be working on something backwards. And more or so likely creating a bigger problem. Unless they execute all three things we really need at the same time...Motorist & bicycle safety education, bicycle paths & sharrows and last but not least bicycle rentals. Especially because around Olvera st. and Union station it gets sooo congested.I even get nervous riding around there people are pin heads!
Oh yes but kuddos!!! To a progressive movement! We just have to do it right!
Speaking of Union station, how about fixing Alemeda. Numerous pot holls, large cracks and rail tracks from trains and street cars that haven't existed in how many years dot the landscape. Especially during or after rain, the combination of oil water and steel guarantees bicycle crashes as bicycle tires completely lose traction in those conditions. I was on a small group ride led by someone else during light drizzle that was taking Alemeda to the LA river path from Union station this winter. I told everyone lets go out of the way and not get on Alemeda until south of Washington where it clears up. No one listened to me and sure enough we had 3 crashes within the first mile of riding, all of which from wear wheel slipping out on diagonal rails not used in half a century still in the road way.
Yea, your right!! Alameda even does a number on my car...I dont even try going down that rode on my bicycle...I just take santa fe...Alameda is a rode for distruction and popped inner tubes!
Indeed properly paved streets, bike paths and sharrows should rate a higher priority than rentals. Purchasing a cheap bike would be more cost effective. Although, at root, I guess bike rentals are *mainly* for tourists, or for newbies testing out, both commendable ventures, yet frosting on the cake as it were.
Sidenote: one fairly secure place to bike park downton is within Union Station - there's a fairly substantial sized bike rack in the parking garage (north of the MTA info window).
Yes! I was so jealous that Paris had a bike rental system; it was easy and efficient (at least for residents). They've got rental stations everywhere and you simply tap your card (which is also connected to the user's credit card to deter theft) over the sensor, your bike is released from the locked rack, and you're good to go. I'll be interested in seeing what they come up with...Again, they obviously need to consult with the people who are actually going to use this system - cyclists.
But I also agree with the first commenter - can't have a good bike rental system unless you've also got a better system for using them on the streets.