Boris Bikes for casual users

[Norm]

I've just seen that Boris Bikes are now available for casual users, so you no longer need to get membership before hiring.

A tad frustrating as I checked on Thursday and it was still "coming soon" but I'll be using that next time I'm in town.

 

[g00se]

Off to London tomorrow. Tempted to leave my behind and give one a go.

Does anyone know what state the central London roads are like at the moment?

 

[gemsno4]

Off to London tomorrow. Tempted to leave my behind and give one a go.

Does anyone know what state the central London roads are like at the moment?

Do it they're great. Roads seemed a bit icy on Friday, even main ones, be especially careful on bridges. I was merrily going over waterloo bridge last week and hit a ridge of frozen slush going right across the road.

Boris bikes are pretty study and held up well I thought.

 

[Tynan]

I found on Friday when my usual start station at Devonshire Row was empty, the next one was disconnected, the third was empty although a bike rolled in as I was about to set off to my fourth, and on the return leg the station was full with a chap patiently waiting for me to stop pfaffing so he could dock

I suspect this is going to throw the whole thing out of kilter, the casual users will be just that, taking bikes now and then to do this and that journey, a lot of the stations I've used are small ones with only 12 bikes ish so easily cleared out and/or filled up

 

[zimzum42]

I reckon they should have kept it all members only - last thing we need is gangs of Spanish kids with matching backpacks emptying whole stations then causing chaos going round and round seven dials

 

[Matthames]

I am tempted to try a Boris bike tomorrow. I am wondering if you can use a debit/credit card at the docking station to use one.

 

[Norm]

I am tempted to try a Boris bike tomorrow. I am wondering if you can use a debit/credit card at the docking station to use one.

Click the link in my post.

 

[HLaB]

I've just seen that Boris Bikes are now available for casual users, so you no longer need to get membership before hiring.

A tad frustrating as I checked on Thursday and it was still "coming soon" but I'll be using that next time I'm in town.

It looks like you still have to register but not far in advance just the morning or day before.

 

[HLaB]

I found on Friday when my usual start station at Devonshire Row was empty, the next one was disconnected, the third was empty although a bike rolled in as I was about to set off to my fourth, and on the return leg the station was full with a chap patiently waiting for me to stop pfaffing so he could dock

I suspect this is going to throw the whole thing out of kilter, the casual users will be just that, taking bikes now and then to do this and that journey, a lot of the stations I've used are small ones with only 12 bikes ish so easily cleared out and/or filled up

Do TfL manage the bike supply ? I beleive they do in Washington DC, a van goes round a few times a day transfering bikes from full to empty racks.

 

[Sittingduck]

Yep there are guys who drive around re-distributing bikes.

I think the casual user roll-out is a good thing. Surely this is what the scheme is all about - the option to just grab one on-the-fly!

 

[HLaB]

Yep there are guys who drive around re-distributing bikes.

I think the casual user roll-out is a good thing. Surely this is what the scheme is all about - the option to just grab one on-the-fly!

 

[Tynan]

I know they redistribute but I bet it's one hell of a help to be able to see a discernable pattern as oppososed to not

 

[g00se]

It looks like you still have to register but not far in advance just the morning or day before.

it looks like that's an option - but not necessary:

http://www.tfl.gov.uk/roadusers/cycling/15023.aspx

 

[CanucksTraveller]

You do have to have £300 in your debit account in order to use the bikes casually... covers the "loss" fee. I imagine that will put quite a few off.

 

[HLaB]

it looks like that's an option - but not necessary:

http://www.tfl.gov.u...ling/15023.aspx

Cheers

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