Free floating micro mobility alternatives always cause the same problems. The entire ops model is flawed. They should all be banned and replaced with either docked or some version of a supervised option with high and aggressively enforced fines. Similar to what they themselves did with the scooters.
That was my first reaction. This may have more to do with the inherent problems of the dockless model more than the anti-tourist crusade. They are really annoying...and dangerous...
Barcelona's tourism industry earns more than $15 BILLION per year, directly employs more than 130,000 people, and funds nearly 13% of the city's annual income. So let's take a deep breath before diving further into the anti-tourism screeds. I'm dubious about the claim that "90% of rentals on the 'dockless' private programs are by tourists." How is that even quantifiable? A credit card purchase doesn't identify a person's tourism status. Is that a real statistic? You provide no source other than saying "Data shows." But if you don't want the tourism income, so be it. I recommend visitors come to New York City instead, where we love you, and you can rent as many bikes as you want.
Lived and worked in NYC for many years. I’m also from there. I love tourists! They buy all that crap and spend money in crappy restaurants and if you’re smart, you hardly ever run into them. Although I had noticed an uptick of tourists in the South Bronx. They love the cuchifritos
Good point about source of the data. I added an attribution to the city. That is is the case they are making. Re: how do they know residency of users, maybe you have to open an account with your address before you book a bike? The dockless services have annoyed people in many cities. Framing it around the anti-tourism campaign was probably just a bonus for the advocates…
I really wish they’d do something about this in San Francisco.
Whether a tourist or not, dock less bikes and scooters are a real hazard.
I have almost been run over dozens of times on the SIDEWALKS where they illegally ride. Just the other day in fact, two times in one day. Both times by a group riding down the sidewalk, both times the guys riding them got mad at ME for being in their way when I was walking down the sidewalk.
Neighbors I know have been seriously injured by them. (Knocked over, concussion, broken arm, broken hip, broken and crushed foot….)
They do pile up everywhere. In the middle of sidewalks and Crosswalks. They get chained to railings people need to access public stairways and private driveways. They get ditched in bushes and parking lots and bus lanes.
My city residential block at the top of a hill is a regular dumping spot. They ride up, ditch the bikes, then go down by bus or foot? We as residents are tasked with calling the companies to come pick up their bikes. But hours later, there they are again.
All this while door dashers on actual mopeds (twice as large) are riding on sidewalks too to avoid traffic and illegally park for deliveries, and Waymo’s are running red lights now…
I dunno. I’m stressed. And I love walking in my city - I walk 3-10 miles a day here … but this is just getting out of hand.
This is a very long rant to say… I am happy some other cities are taking this problem seriously.
Free floating micro mobility alternatives always cause the same problems. The entire ops model is flawed. They should all be banned and replaced with either docked or some version of a supervised option with high and aggressively enforced fines. Similar to what they themselves did with the scooters.
That was my first reaction. This may have more to do with the inherent problems of the dockless model more than the anti-tourist crusade. They are really annoying...and dangerous...
Barcelona's tourism industry earns more than $15 BILLION per year, directly employs more than 130,000 people, and funds nearly 13% of the city's annual income. So let's take a deep breath before diving further into the anti-tourism screeds. I'm dubious about the claim that "90% of rentals on the 'dockless' private programs are by tourists." How is that even quantifiable? A credit card purchase doesn't identify a person's tourism status. Is that a real statistic? You provide no source other than saying "Data shows." But if you don't want the tourism income, so be it. I recommend visitors come to New York City instead, where we love you, and you can rent as many bikes as you want.
Lived and worked in NYC for many years. I’m also from there. I love tourists! They buy all that crap and spend money in crappy restaurants and if you’re smart, you hardly ever run into them. Although I had noticed an uptick of tourists in the South Bronx. They love the cuchifritos
Good point about source of the data. I added an attribution to the city. That is is the case they are making. Re: how do they know residency of users, maybe you have to open an account with your address before you book a bike? The dockless services have annoyed people in many cities. Framing it around the anti-tourism campaign was probably just a bonus for the advocates…
I really wish they’d do something about this in San Francisco.
Whether a tourist or not, dock less bikes and scooters are a real hazard.
I have almost been run over dozens of times on the SIDEWALKS where they illegally ride. Just the other day in fact, two times in one day. Both times by a group riding down the sidewalk, both times the guys riding them got mad at ME for being in their way when I was walking down the sidewalk.
Neighbors I know have been seriously injured by them. (Knocked over, concussion, broken arm, broken hip, broken and crushed foot….)
They do pile up everywhere. In the middle of sidewalks and Crosswalks. They get chained to railings people need to access public stairways and private driveways. They get ditched in bushes and parking lots and bus lanes.
My city residential block at the top of a hill is a regular dumping spot. They ride up, ditch the bikes, then go down by bus or foot? We as residents are tasked with calling the companies to come pick up their bikes. But hours later, there they are again.
All this while door dashers on actual mopeds (twice as large) are riding on sidewalks too to avoid traffic and illegally park for deliveries, and Waymo’s are running red lights now…
I dunno. I’m stressed. And I love walking in my city - I walk 3-10 miles a day here … but this is just getting out of hand.
This is a very long rant to say… I am happy some other cities are taking this problem seriously.
This is fantastic news. Those Lime bikes are a menace. Good riddance.