[update: I have had a number of issues with Lime bikes - poor condition bikes, incorrect fines despite parking correctly, and rude treatment from their customer support team. Would not recommend]
Just spotted outside my office in the Square Mile:
Electric hire bikes - just pick up and go (payment / unlock via app), no need to park in docking stations. Fair few of them available, too:
I rode these in Seattle, they’re great, but the electric ones get expensive quite quickly. I hope they don’t go the way of the other bike rental companies, which seem to have suffered (unsustainably so) with theft and vandalism etc.
They’ve arrived in Lewisham:
I found a Santander Bike abandoned at one end of Sunderland Road. I wonder if people are getting confused about the different hire policies of these companies.
Wonder how many will end up in the River Quaggy by the end of the summer
I’m surprised that people don’t go around nicking them for the scrap metal and lithium ion batteries.
But we do have CCTV on every inch of central London. Less so in Lewisham …
Saw someone trying to do just that with a FreeBike yesterday - it was giving the wannabe thief a run for their money though, actively slamming on the brakes and giving off a very shrill noise at the same time.
They’re seriously heavy to lift, so the guy ended up just dumping it after a few yards.
Not sure it’d contend with a more organised operation with a few electric skills and a van though.
They should build in high voltage electric shocks to deter people.
I have had a number of issues with Lime. Many bikes in poor condition, incorrectly applied fines despite parking correctly, and rude treatment from their customer support team. Would not recommend
Terribly dangerous these things left willy nilly all over our pedestrianised areas and pavements. We had one left a few times immediately in front of the post box opposite our house, such that you couldn’t actually reach the letterbox. The postman had to lift the heavy bike out of the way to empty the box.
Pavements are for people and these things can be a real danger for the frail or sight limited.
I wonder if that’s the one that’s been sat at the end of Wood Vale for a week
I actually wish these were allowed in our area, ideally I’d prefer to be connected to the Santander Cycle scheme, but failing that Lime would do in the interim. It’s currently a No Locking Zone at the moment though
I don’t want to buy a bike but using one for a short cycle would be amazing.
