Three years of Boris Bikes: How do people use them?


By Dilla at 2013-08-17 11:32:53
London, UK
101 replies
13844 views
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2013-08-18 19:23:20

I feel like they regularly get used by tourists, and haven't in truth grow to be a routine transport option for most Londoners on journeys.

Maybe if they were on Oyster it would help. Also if they were more prevalent in zones 2 and 3, so people may possibly use them for local journeys in the region of where they live. If I'm in zone 1, I've perhaps had to get the bus or tube to where I was going anyway.

> I feel like they mostly get used by tourists, and haven't in truth become a routine transport option for most Londoners on journeys.

Oddly, I would say the literal opposite.

They are a bit of a pest for casual users -- markedly working out how to use the access codes if you are not comfortable with them.

But for standard users with an yearly pass they are brilliant for short hops round the place where you might have once used a bus or the tube.

Just take a look in the rush hour to see floods of commuters looking for one to end the mile of their journey connecting train station and office.

They were brilliant until they doubled the price.
didn't hear about that. i use the dongle and haven't checked my bills but what's the price now?
it went from £45 to £90 per year and £1 to £2 for 24hrs


2013-08-18 23:22:20

I feel like they regularly get used by tourists, and haven't in truth grow to be a routine transport option for most Londoners on journeys.

Maybe if they were on Oyster it would help. Also if they were more prevalent in zones 2 and 3, so people may possibly use them for local journeys in the region of where they live. If I'm in zone 1, I've perhaps had to get the bus or tube to where I was going anyway.

> I feel like they mostly get used by tourists, and haven't in truth become a routine transport option for most Londoners on journeys.

Oddly, I would say the literal opposite.

They are a bit of a pest for casual users -- markedly working out how to use the access codes if you are not comfortable with them.

But for standard users with an yearly pass they are brilliant for short hops round the place where you might have once used a bus or the tube.

Just take a look in the rush hour to see floods of commuters looking for one to end the mile of their journey connecting train station and office.

They were brilliant until they doubled the price.
didn't hear about that. i use the dongle and haven't checked my bills but what's the price now?
Membership charges have been doubled.

So it is now £2 for a day's membership instead of £1. And £90 for a year instead of £45. This happened approximately 6 months ago.

That's £180 for a pair which just crosses a certain mental barrier for me. I can't rationalize it.


2013-08-19 04:22:20

I feel like they regularly get used by tourists, and haven't in truth grow to be a routine transport option for most Londoners on journeys.

Maybe if they were on Oyster it would help. Also if they were more prevalent in zones 2 and 3, so people may possibly use them for local journeys in the region of where they live. If I'm in zone 1, I've perhaps had to get the bus or tube to where I was going anyway.

> I feel like they mostly get used by tourists, and haven't in truth become a routine transport option for most Londoners on journeys.

Oddly, I would say the literal opposite.

They are a bit of a pest for casual users -- markedly working out how to use the access codes if you are not comfortable with them.

But for standard users with an yearly pass they are brilliant for short hops round the place where you might have once used a bus or the tube.

Just take a look in the rush hour to see floods of commuters looking for one to end the mile of their journey connecting train station and office.

I suppose it depends what time you're looking. When I ride in in the mornings I spot tons of businessmen in suits cycling on boris bikes and on the weekend it's mostly continental looking young adults cycling around most likely site seeing. As for which is a more sizeable I would have to presume business users.


2013-08-19 06:12:20

I feel like they regularly get used by tourists, and haven't in truth grow to be a routine transport option for most Londoners on journeys.

Maybe if they were on Oyster it would help. Also if they were more prevalent in zones 2 and 3, so people may possibly use them for local journeys in the region of where they live. If I'm in zone 1, I've perhaps had to get the bus or tube to where I was going anyway.

> I feel like they mostly get used by tourists, and haven't in truth become a routine transport option for most Londoners on journeys.

Oddly, I would say the literal opposite.

They are a bit of a pest for casual users -- markedly working out how to use the access codes if you are not comfortable with them.

But for standard users with an yearly pass they are brilliant for short hops round the place where you might have once used a bus or the tube.

Just take a look in the rush hour to see floods of commuters looking for one to end the mile of their journey connecting train station and office.

They were brilliant until they doubled the price.
What rating would you give a bit that was brilliant at £45 per year, now that it costs £90?

Average, crap, hideous?


2013-08-19 11:15:20

To be honest the major shock for me is that we haven't had a lot of accidents. They're kind of encouraging people that don't generally ride much to ride central london lacking a helmet.
I've crashed one of these, then again I was drunk and it seemed akin to a good idea at the time as an alternative of the tube.


2013-08-19 14:58:20

I feel like they regularly get used by tourists, and haven't in truth grow to be a routine transport option for most Londoners on journeys.

Maybe if they were on Oyster it would help. Also if they were more prevalent in zones 2 and 3, so people may possibly use them for local journeys in the region of where they live. If I'm in zone 1, I've perhaps had to get the bus or tube to where I was going anyway.

> I feel like they mostly get used by tourists, and haven't in truth become a routine transport option for most Londoners on journeys.

Oddly, I would say the literal opposite.

They are a bit of a pest for casual users -- markedly working out how to use the access codes if you are not comfortable with them.

But for standard users with an yearly pass they are brilliant for short hops round the place where you might have once used a bus or the tube.

Just take a look in the rush hour to see floods of commuters looking for one to end the mile of their journey connecting train station and office.

I know so many people who have tried them and thought hey, this is great. And spent out and bought a bicycle for their day by day commute or frequent use.

I think that's a enormous factor/benefit that never truly gets measured. Raising the appeal and awareness in cycling.

I don't think it can be even partially accurately calculated and there-in lies the issue.


2013-08-19 18:27:20

To be honest the major shock for me is that we haven't had a lot of accidents. They're kind of encouraging people that don't generally ride much to ride central london lacking a helmet.
Wearing a helmet doesn't stop accidents -- just makes them marginally more survivable.
Is it just me, or are bicycle helmets made out of some vaguely stronger form of polystyrene? All I can see them doing is making my ride a little less comfortable.

Wouldn't like to put it throughout the same test that moterbiker did on /r/wtf...


2013-08-19 19:24:20

To be honest the major shock for me is that we haven't had a lot of accidents. They're kind of encouraging people that don't generally ride much to ride central london lacking a helmet.
I've crashed one of these, then again I was drunk and it seemed akin to a good idea at the time as an alternative of the tube.
We once made the terrible choice of renting them whilst on a lot of coke. grave move.


2013-08-19 19:55:20

I feel like they regularly get used by tourists, and haven't in truth grow to be a routine transport option for most Londoners on journeys.

Maybe if they were on Oyster it would help. Also if they were more prevalent in zones 2 and 3, so people may possibly use them for local journeys in the region of where they live. If I'm in zone 1, I've perhaps had to get the bus or tube to where I was going anyway.

> I feel like they mostly get used by tourists, and haven't in truth become a routine transport option for most Londoners on journeys.

Oddly, I would say the literal opposite.

They are a bit of a pest for casual users -- markedly working out how to use the access codes if you are not comfortable with them.

But for standard users with an yearly pass they are brilliant for short hops round the place where you might have once used a bus or the tube.

Just take a look in the rush hour to see floods of commuters looking for one to end the mile of their journey connecting train station and office.

They were brilliant until they doubled the price.
What rating would you give a bit that was brilliant at £45 per year, now that it costs £90?

Average, crap, hideous?

Half Brilliant.

So Brill.


2013-08-19 20:46:20

The start of this item makes it sound like there's a lot of wasteage in the system.

I've got to be honest, I think if a station has 1k+ uses a year, then it's doing all right. markedly when others are getting over 100k.

My only concern with the bikes is that they haven't spread far out as much as necessary and at times it's not clear where the stations are. (I one time missed my train on a last minute holy shit I'm going to miss it cycle to Paddington on a Boris Bike. Had to go round the whole station before I found a place to dock. Missed my train by half a minute).

I imagine they need to reach out to fill zone 2 at least. everybody who lives there could bike to central and this would offer them all the ability. in particular those who have trouble paying ~1k on travelcards.


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