Forum Topic

More dockless bikes appearing on the streets

Interested to know what people think about the continuing rise in dockless bikes.My view is that it no doubt ticks a box for the council but ultimately it is more like fly tipping. They end up clogging up the path and several are damaged and no use. I have reported one to the council but it is still there. I just think we are creating more waste that we will have to pay to get cleared up. You only have to see the literal mountains of these things building up around the world (Google it to see what I mean) to become quite concerned.

Mark Jarvis ● 2600d10 Comments

Broken paving stones - generally damaged by cars and vans and lorries driving up onto the pavement - has to be a very big danger to those who have failing eyesight.  The NHS doesn't need the demand on immediate care or ongoing care in the future that falls on cracked and broken rocking stones will require.  Those who fall are nowadays also quite likely to be working in the gig economy so will find themselves without pay and if they need to be nursed that will no doubt impact on other members of their family - if they have any.

Philippa Bond ● 2586d

Anything that potentially gets people out of their cars is a good thing. We seem quite happy to line our roads with cars and paths with bins and street furniture but put bikes on there and everyone shrieks like frightened babies. SOme fine tuning may be neede but the stinking polluting killing  elephant in the room is ICE cars, lorries and buses.

Tony Mansell ● 2586d

The silence of the electric cars too is potentially lethal but we have to change how we travel.  I've seen one of those scooters in Ealing on the street.  Cars when they were first introduced were preceded along the road by a man waving a flag.

Philippa Bond ● 2586d

These abandoned bikes are potentially lethal for blind people and cause considerable difficulties for anyone who isn't fairly firm of foot.Recently back from Paris where not only are there lots of dockless bikes (equally irresponsibly left lying around), but there are dockless scooters too. Initially when I encountered a few I thought it was some sort of street art but no, they are for hire. The scooters whizz in and out of the traffic, are completely silent, and are the equivalent of skateboards on the roads.And, I gather, various companies are submitting applications for them to be available in London.

Margaret Joachim ● 2587d

There is CCTV cameras outside the bike shop next to the barriers. One of them points down to the beauty shop.

Naweed Shams ● 2592d

Philippa, where exactly is the CCTV on Churchfield Road?

Helen New ● 2595d

This is worth a read. I wondered how those companies could make money with such low cost.https://www.bikebiz.com/landscape/data-mining-is-why-billions-are-being-pumped-into-dockless-bikes

Tania Bapuji ● 2597d

I wonder if that is on CCTV!

Philippa Bond ● 2598d

Walking along Churchfield Road opposite Londis, saw a line of green bikes outside Mara Beauty Salon.  A large green dustbin lorry was parked in the bay outside the salon, and as it was reversing/pulling away, reversed into the line of bikes, hitting some, and then drove off!

Helen New ● 2599d

It is a great way to get people out of their cars and cycling without them having the added problems of having to worry about the cost of buying and securing a bike.  They have solid tyres, have reflective wheels and integral lighting.  It would be good if manufacturers here moved to meet some of these reductions to the hassle of bike ownership.What we really do need is safe cycle parking as cars become more unusable with the number of them and the lack of parking.  You can fit 6-10 cycles in the parking space that a car takes.The main problem once again is the behaviour of a minority of antisocial people who dump them and severely obstruct the pavement and seek to steal and destroy them for their own selfish pleasure and enjoyment and to the detriment of the rest of society.https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2018/aug/25/mobike-no-more-dockless-bikes-could-soon-be-gone-from-uk-streetsThose responsible people that find them useful will miss them when they're gone.You can report them to mobike.https://www.ealing.gov.uk/info/201173/transport_and_parking/150/cycling/3

Philippa Bond ● 2600d