Lakeland is getting a Bike Share business and the Museum where I work has become a partner with them to host a bike site in front of our building. We are sharing the cost with the Library, the Methodist Church (almost next door) and the Historic District, in which we are located. The City started putting the cement pad in yesterday. I can watch from my office window and took photos at several of the phases.
Bike Share allows people to rent a bicycle for 30 minutes or for all day or a week and you can drop it off at any other Bike Share site. It is a pretty neat system and we are hoping it catches on. The picture below is not from here. I think it might be from Australia, actually (from Google Images).
Here are the photos from my office window, from taking out the grass to starting to pour the cement pad. I'll do another update when the bikes get delivered!! Click on them to enlarge, if you want to see a bit more detail.
Sorry for the reflection in the last two photos. The angle of the sun caused a reflection from the vertical blinds on my adjacent window.
This Bike Share program will allow people to rent a bike to go downtown for lunch, then rent another to come back to the Museum or other Bike Share location. I just hope there won't be too much vandalism. You have to use a credit card to access a bike, but I can see kids cutting tires or getting into other mischief just because they can. We don't have any liability concerns, since it's all on Bike Share. My fingers are crossed. It's a great idea!
Have you heard of this, or does your town have something like this? I had never heard of it until a few months ago, when all of this got started.
Thanks for your visit today!! Hope your week is off to a good start! Peace & hugs.
We have a bike scheme here in London which I think was modelled on the Paris scheme. Originally it was sponsored by Barclays Bank so the bikes were blue but now Santander has taken over so the bikes are red to match their corporate image. (I don't think they changed the bikes just the branding on them.). The bike stations are mainly in central London but there were plans to extend it to the Olympic park which would work for us. My husband has used them but I prefer a bike I'm used to. They're often referred to as "Boris bikes" here after the Mayor in office when they were introduced.
ReplyDeleteThat's such a neat idea....saves on gas, pollution, and gets people exercising! It'll be interesting to see pics of the bikes, too! Happy Tuesday, Ms. Terri....HOPE you have a good one!
ReplyDeleteThat is pretty cool. No, we don't have that here. Our town is pretty small (10,000) and everything is in walking distance...one could even walk to Walmart if you want, sidewalks/bridges are not an issue here. Thanks for the smiles...have a beautiful day.
ReplyDeleteI have seen the rent a bike system on travel shows but didn't really know how it worked. Very cool.
ReplyDeleteI've never heard of it, but it sounds like a good idea.
ReplyDeleteThey have this in Chattanooga now. It's a great idea and like you, I hope that it doesn't get vandalized. Perhaps a security camera there would help?!! Also, it should accomplish a lot - - less traffic congestion & more exercise for people!
ReplyDeleteWe have the bike rental system here in Indianapolis.
ReplyDeleteAs Lynda said, we do have the bike share here, and they are all over town. I have never heard of any vandalism, or stealing, but with so many, there may be and I just dont know it. I do think it is a good idea, especially down on the river front where parking is hard to find at times. Hope it works as well in Lakeland.
ReplyDeleteVandalism is exactly what I thought when I first started reading your post. I hope that doesn't happen like it has in Madrid. As a matter of fact, the company responsible for providing the bikes in Madrid is almost bankrupt. Recenty squatters were finally evicted from a building. Guess what was found inside? Stolen bikes! Hope your day has been a good one.
ReplyDeleteI've never heard of this but I think it's great. Would like to see one in my area!
ReplyDeleteIt is very popular in DC. I think it's a GREAT idea!!
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