Comments on: New bike hire system in Taipei http://blog.taiwan-guide.org/2009/03/taipei-u-bike/ commentary on all things Taiwanese -- Taipei, Taiwan Thu, 11 Mar 2010 16:14:50 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Edouard http://blog.taiwan-guide.org/2009/03/taipei-u-bike/comment-page-1/#comment-84938 Edouard Fri, 08 May 2009 08:08:47 +0000 http://blog.taiwan-guide.org/?p=3703#comment-84938 David, When I'm talking about advertising I mean something else: In Paris the whole system (which cannot earn enough money on its own) is funded by a company called JCDecaux. They do this since the city of Paris has given them the exclusivity on the whole of the advertising marketing within the city walls. Hence my question, how is it funded here? David,
When I’m talking about advertising I mean something else: In Paris the whole system (which cannot earn enough money on its own) is funded by a company called JCDecaux. They do this since the city of Paris has given them the exclusivity on the whole of the advertising marketing within the city walls.
Hence my question, how is it funded here?

]]> By: jenna http://blog.taiwan-guide.org/2009/03/taipei-u-bike/comment-page-1/#comment-84813 jenna Wed, 18 Mar 2009 13:13:56 +0000 http://blog.taiwan-guide.org/?p=3703#comment-84813 That's true - if there were more stations, then it would be fine not to have a lock. Without a lot of stations, a lock is more or less necessary unless you are just using them for exercise. Doesn't really matter for me - I have my own bike now! I haven't quite worked up the death wish necessary to ride it in Taipei traffic from Jingmei to Xinyi, but I have it, there are bike trails nearby and I know how to ride to Shida via the back lanes now. That’s true – if there were more stations, then it would be fine not to have a lock. Without a lot of stations, a lock is more or less necessary unless you are just using them for exercise.

Doesn’t really matter for me – I have my own bike now! I haven’t quite worked up the death wish necessary to ride it in Taipei traffic from Jingmei to Xinyi, but I have it, there are bike trails nearby and I know how to ride to Shida via the back lanes now.

]]> By: David Reid http://blog.taiwan-guide.org/2009/03/taipei-u-bike/comment-page-1/#comment-84810 David Reid Mon, 16 Mar 2009 00:40:50 +0000 http://blog.taiwan-guide.org/?p=3703#comment-84810 Jenna, I think there are good arguments for and against the lock. I just feel that if the system had a really extensive network of stations spaced 500 metres apart then a lock would become unnecessary. People could just return the bikes to the stations when not using them. Edouard, Thanks for adding some French perspective. I agree the network needs to expand a great deal and integrate more with the MRT for it to be really useful. The first half hour is free and then NT$10/15 minutes. I am not sure about the financing arrangements for the system. There is space for advertising on the bikes, but I guess this is a way of generating extra revenue rather than funding the entire system. Jenna,

I think there are good arguments for and against the lock. I just feel that if the system had a really extensive network of stations spaced 500 metres apart then a lock would become unnecessary. People could just return the bikes to the stations when not using them.

Edouard,

Thanks for adding some French perspective. I agree the network needs to expand a great deal and integrate more with the MRT for it to be really useful. The first half hour is free and then NT$10/15 minutes. I am not sure about the financing arrangements for the system. There is space for advertising on the bikes, but I guess this is a way of generating extra revenue rather than funding the entire system.

]]> By: Edouard Roquette http://blog.taiwan-guide.org/2009/03/taipei-u-bike/comment-page-1/#comment-84808 Edouard Roquette Sun, 15 Mar 2009 20:51:35 +0000 http://blog.taiwan-guide.org/?p=3703#comment-84808 This is a really great system but it needs a station every 300-500m everywhere the MRT network runs to be useful. In Paris we use it to go back home at night when the Metro stops. It is really great. But it also need to come into a larger strategy on how to move around the city. I have been riding my bicycle over 2000km in Taipei this year, and there is a great great lot that needs to be done before this can be a true alternative. Do you know what is the pricing for this system? And any idea who paid for it, and who is managing it? Is it an advertising company like in Europe (JCDecaux in Paris, through they "Cyclocity" system)? This is a really great system but it needs a station every 300-500m everywhere the MRT network runs to be useful.
In Paris we use it to go back home at night when the Metro stops. It is really great.
But it also need to come into a larger strategy on how to move around the city. I have been riding my bicycle over 2000km in Taipei this year, and there is a great great lot that needs to be done before this can be a true alternative.

Do you know what is the pricing for this system?
And any idea who paid for it, and who is managing it? Is it an advertising company like in Europe (JCDecaux in Paris, through they “Cyclocity” system)?

]]> By: jenna http://blog.taiwan-guide.org/2009/03/taipei-u-bike/comment-page-1/#comment-84807 jenna Sun, 15 Mar 2009 15:45:19 +0000 http://blog.taiwan-guide.org/?p=3703#comment-84807 That's a fantastic idea; here's hoping it expands. The lock mechanism really is necessary; few people are going to come to Xinyi just to ride the bike from one station to another. I could see someone taking a bike out to go to a nearby cafe, ride across Xinyi to run an errand at the other end, or in my case, ride it from, say, City Hall MRT to Songde Road to teach there instead of walking. In those cases, you have to get off the bike and leave it for awhile before returning it - and those are the situations where most people would use the system. There's no profit to be had if you only make it available to people who intend to ride it around and bring it back without stopping. That’s a fantastic idea; here’s hoping it expands.

The lock mechanism really is necessary; few people are going to come to Xinyi just to ride the bike from one station to another. I could see someone taking a bike out to go to a nearby cafe, ride across Xinyi to run an errand at the other end, or in my case, ride it from, say, City Hall MRT to Songde Road to teach there instead of walking. In those cases, you have to get off the bike and leave it for awhile before returning it – and those are the situations where most people would use the system.

There’s no profit to be had if you only make it available to people who intend to ride it around and bring it back without stopping.

]]> By: Fili http://blog.taiwan-guide.org/2009/03/taipei-u-bike/comment-page-1/#comment-84802 Fili Fri, 13 Mar 2009 17:44:08 +0000 http://blog.taiwan-guide.org/?p=3703#comment-84802 That's absolutely brilliant. I wish we had something like that here (or back home). That’s absolutely brilliant. I wish we had something like that here (or back home).

]]> By: Todd http://blog.taiwan-guide.org/2009/03/taipei-u-bike/comment-page-1/#comment-84801 Todd Fri, 13 Mar 2009 14:00:53 +0000 http://blog.taiwan-guide.org/?p=3703#comment-84801 Great report David, that's an attractive looking setup the city has! I hope a lot of people use it to encourage them to add more locations both in Taipei and other cities. Great report David, that’s an attractive looking setup the city has! I hope a lot of people use it to encourage them to add more locations both in Taipei and other cities.

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