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Comic-Con International => SDCC Housing, Parking, and Transportation => Topic started by: Angel_ on May 15, 2018, 11:15:14 AM

Title: Rental bikes and scooters
Post by: Angel_ on May 15, 2018, 11:15:14 AM
I'm going to start off by saying I don't personally plan on using rental bikes or scooters.  I'm inspired to start this conversation because over the weekend Lime Scooters (https://www.limebike.com/electric-scooter) was introduced in my home city of Honolulu and it's causing quite an uproar.  They get left all over the place and it's kind of a disaster.  We've had Biki  (https://gobiki.org/)bikes for a little under a year and they haven't caused as many problems because they have designated stations to pick up and drop off.  These can be left anywhere.

As I was ranting about this on social media (and I am wont to do) a friend that lives in San Diego mentioned that there's a ton of services like this there, including the infamous Lime Scooters that are littering downtown Honolulu.  I don't at all recall anything like this last year, but maybe I wasn't paying attention.

So I'm curious, has anyone used these during the con before? Do you plan to?  It doesn't seem like it'll work in crowded places like the Gaslamp.  Where are you supposed to bike or scoot off to?  It's essentially a big traffic jam.  But perhaps if you have a hotel a mile or so from the convention center, this could be a decent alternative to a Lyft/Uber/Taxi or the Shuttle.

Additionally, do you think this will cause problems during the con?  They've only been in Honolulu for four days and I nearly tripped on a scooter on the way to my bus this morning.  They are ending up in canals and gutters.  I can see them being left on sidewalks in the Gaslamp being a hazard.
Title: Re: Rental bikes and scooters
Post by: stl_ben on May 15, 2018, 11:57:45 AM
Hard Rock has free Rental bikes for guests, I use one at least one day every year.
Title: Re: Rental bikes and scooters
Post by: Angel_ on May 15, 2018, 12:09:16 PM
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Hard Rock has free Rental bikes for guests, I use one at least one day every year.

Do you ever have trouble in the Gaslamp because of the crowds?  I had no idea they had that service.  That's pretty cool.
Title: Re: Rental bikes and scooters
Post by: stl_ben on May 15, 2018, 12:30:48 PM
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Do you ever have trouble in the Gaslamp because of the crowds?  I had no idea they had that service.  That's pretty cool.
I typically use them on Tuesday / wed before crowds.  Thursday on I'm in the convention with no need for it.
Title: Re: Rental bikes and scooters
Post by: SynXack on May 15, 2018, 01:12:29 PM
The peddle taxi's are more convenient and all over the place. They pick up and drop off any where you want to go in DT.

Disclaimer:  They are free. The ones that are there for promotion are being paid for by who ever is promoting.  They do expect tips.



I had 1 bad experience with a peddle taxi.  Out of curtesy, i ask if the fare is free to make sure we are on the same page I always confirm.  I did this one year and then when we got to our destination the guy said I owed him 20$ for the ride.  Completely denied that he said it was free before we took off.  Me and my wife were stunned.  I was saved by another peddle taxi driver who over heard us and came over and scared the guy off.  Our savior then told us that the driver was not from the area.  He's been a peddle taxi for many years and knows all the locals, and that these guys come in from out of state just to work the weekends and try to scam riders all the time.  I gave him the tip I intended to give to our driver.   
Title: Re: Rental bikes and scooters
Post by: stl_ben on May 15, 2018, 01:52:48 PM
don't think the pedicabs are all free....
Ones we have used haven't ever been.  Best bet is to ask before getting on.
Title: Re: Rental bikes and scooters
Post by: Mel on May 15, 2018, 01:56:47 PM
San Diego is overrun at the moment with the rental bikes and scooters. I'm very curious to see how crazy it gets with them during SDCC

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Title: Re: Rental bikes and scooters
Post by: SynXack on May 15, 2018, 02:05:27 PM
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don't think the pedicabs are all free....
Ones we have used haven't ever been.  Best bet is to ask before getting on.

Oh no, certainly not all of them.  It's usually pretty easy to spot the free ones though.  Usually themed like a Iron Throne from Game of Thrones or something like it.  I do definitely ask every time. 
Title: Re: Rental bikes and scooters
Post by: Vapors on May 15, 2018, 02:52:16 PM
In theory, these bikes and scooters would be a good thing and help with alternative transportation needs.  But in practice, this seems like a horrible idea.  Two bike companies just started near where I live and yea, its just a bunch of bikes sitting on a street corner.  They say they have GPS and there are methods to keep them locked, but you know these are going to be abused or worse, torn up for their parts or by random people.

I can't imagine a greater clusterfudge than of people trying to bike or scooter to the convention center while going against the crowd of pedestrians walking in the opposite direction.
Title: Re: Rental bikes and scooters
Post by: SynXack on May 15, 2018, 02:57:32 PM
DT San Diego has had the rental bikes for a couple years now.  I'm sure they are even more prevalent now then the last 2 years but I didn't see anyone using them.  Every kiosk looked full, not a single bike in use.
Title: Re: Rental bikes and scooters
Post by: justboogie on May 15, 2018, 03:06:00 PM
What a coincidence that I just learned about these rental scooters this past weekend. My wife and I went out to Santa Monica and saw many riders. The company that runs these rental scooters is Bird, started up by former executives of Uber (go figure). Bird is also present in San Francisco, Washington DC, Austin, and a few other metropolitan cities. I did more research and apparently Santa Monica is trying to file a criminal lawsuit against Bird for the same reasons mentioned above from scooter littering to rider traffic violations and accidents.

Within the city, I think they're a great idea; pay a small fee to scoot to your destination that's simply too far to walk but too close to drive. As far as SDCC, these scooters will be a complete and utter nuisance for pedestrians. There just way too much foot traffic condensed into such a small area of the Convention and Gaslamp. This is going to be a very interesting sight to see how city officials and/or SDCC organizers regulate the presence of these rental scooters.
Title: Re: Rental bikes and scooters
Post by: Vapors on May 15, 2018, 03:24:23 PM
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DT San Diego has had the rental bikes for a couple years now.  I'm sure they are even more prevalent now then the last 2 years but I didn't see anyone using them.  Every kiosk looked full, not a single bike in use.

The thing with these new bike rentals is that there is no kiosk.  They are stand alone bikes with lockable kickstands.  You download an app, input the lock code and the bike will unlock and you ride it (I believe it charges by the mile).  The pro is that there is no kiosk to which you have to return the bike to, so you can leave them anywhere.  The con is that since people can leave them anywhere, I imagine that these bikes will litter the sidewalks of busy areas and simply be a nuisance when a ton of people are walking around (like at Comic Con).
Title: Re: Rental bikes and scooters
Post by: SynXack on May 15, 2018, 03:50:11 PM
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The thing with these new bike rentals is that there is no kiosk.  They are stand alone bikes with lockable kickstands.  You download an app, input the lock code and the bike will unlock and you ride it (I believe it charges by the mile).  The pro is that there is no kiosk to which you have to return the bike to, so you can leave them anywhere.  The con is that since people can leave them anywhere, I imagine that these bikes will litter the sidewalks of busy areas and simply be a nuisance when a ton of people are walking around (like at Comic Con).

That is just a horrible idea... wth
Title: Re: Rental bikes and scooters
Post by: Angel_ on May 15, 2018, 03:58:44 PM
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I did more research and apparently Santa Monica is trying to file a criminal lawsuit against Bird for the same reasons mentioned above from scooter littering to rider traffic violations and accidents.

Honolulu is PISSED OFF. (http://www.khon2.com/news/local-news/city-of-honolulu-says-new-scooter-pilot-program-operating-illegally/1179766334) It's complete mayhem in downtown, Waikiki, and Kakaako.  Complete madness.

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The thing with these new bike rentals is that there is no kiosk.  They are stand alone bikes with lockable kickstands.  You download an app, input the lock code and the bike will unlock and you ride it (I believe it charges by the mile).  The pro is that there is no kiosk to which you have to return the bike to, so you can leave them anywhere.  The con is that since people can leave them anywhere, I imagine that these bikes will litter the sidewalks of busy areas and simply be a nuisance when a ton of people are walking around (like at Comic Con).

This is exactly my fear.  The fact that someone up above said that SD has had them for a couple of years makes me think that they either had the kiosk kind, which aren't an issue really, or that I have literally just been oblivious to the disaster these things cause.  It's been four days here and it's just a mess.
Title: Re: Rental bikes and scooters
Post by: cabler30 on May 15, 2018, 04:03:51 PM
Yea, not sure they had them around san diego during the con last year. and only recently seeing news of them sometime after con ended. not sure where they are stationed or stored close to con, but it mite be a waste of time getting one if trying going on any closer to con time with all the crazy traffic when con happens at time. being so use to walking besides take a break at anytime where ever we can sit or chill at cause knowing now u gotta scan badge just to sit on stairs when con is around is kinda a pain. so i dont see or think many will try use around con area or close to while comic con is in town at time. seeing on news how users dont try store them out of way much , then it be a pain as if u gotta move to side if can just so traffic dont keep walking into them any. also seen on news that they showed anyone try go for walks and toss over cliff cause wasnt stored right and just in the way of traffic.
Title: Re: Rental bikes and scooters
Post by: Miss Kitty on May 15, 2018, 05:16:11 PM
There are 4 or 5 different companies with about 4500 bikes all over. People complain all of the time about bikes being left in the way.

If you do use one, make sure you use wipes before touching anything. Someone caught a homeless guy peeing on one.

Also check to make sure the brakes work. Some Yahoo was going around cutting brake cables. Jerkwad.

Stay classy San Diego!

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Title: Re: Rental bikes and scooters
Post by: Mel on May 15, 2018, 06:25:32 PM
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Honolulu is PISSED OFF. (http://www.khon2.com/news/local-news/city-of-honolulu-says-new-scooter-pilot-program-operating-illegally/1179766334) It's complete mayhem in downtown, Waikiki, and Kakaako.  Complete madness.

This is exactly my fear.  The fact that someone up above said that SD has had them for a couple of years makes me think that they either had the kiosk kind, which aren't an issue really, or that I have literally just been oblivious to the disaster these things cause.  It's been four days here and it's just a mess.

Correct. The ones they had before were the kiosk kind and no one used them. Within the last couple of months at last 3 companies have come in and started putting them everywhere. They are all over the place, this is way different than the ones we used to have in the kiosk. Most people b***h about them, but I think it's kinda neat. The bigger nuisance are the new motorized scooters, that work the same way without a kiosk b/c crazies that don't know what in the hell they are doing rent them and go all wild down the sidewalk at full speed.

The bikes do have GPS, the companies need to be better about hiring people to round up the randos in the the mornings though and move them to transportation centers/bus stops.
Title: Re: Rental bikes and scooters
Post by: Angel_ on May 15, 2018, 06:43:39 PM
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Correct. The ones they had before were the kiosk kind and no one used them. Within the last couple of months at last 3 companies have come in and started putting them everywhere. They are all over the place, this is way different than the ones we used to have in the kiosk. Most people b***h about them, but I think it's kinda neat. The bigger nuisance are the new motorized scooters, that work the same way without a kiosk b/c crazies that don't know what in the hell they are doing rent them and go all wild down the sidewalk at full speed.

The bikes do have GPS, the companies need to be better about hiring people to round up the randos in the the mornings though and move them to transportation centers/bus stops.

Well this certainly explains it.  it's a very recent phenomenon.  I knew I'd have seen these around the Gaslamp if they were a thing there.
Title: Re: Rental bikes and scooters
Post by: marcia29 on May 16, 2018, 06:38:20 AM
I went to several sites about the Lime scooters and other companies, and I am not encouraged that this will add more than it detracts, if lots of them are in use during SDCC.  Those who are experienced at using them may be ok, but what about newbies who try to navigate their way down to the convention center through the throngs of folk, and then drop it off near the front doors?  Hmmm....
Title: Re: Rental bikes and scooters
Post by: Chris on May 16, 2018, 09:32:11 AM
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I'm inspired to start this conversation because over the weekend Lime Scooters (https://www.limebike.com/electric-scooter) was introduced in my home city of Honolulu and it's causing quite an uproar.  They get left all over the place and it's kind of a disaster. 

They're littered all over San Diego.  The funniest one that I saw was one abandoned halfway up a big, steep hill and I could almost see back in time where the rider gave up and decided to walk the rest of the way up the hill.  :)
Title: Re: Rental bikes and scooters
Post by: jimy on May 16, 2018, 09:41:33 AM
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They're littered all over San Diego.  The funniest one that I saw was one abandoned halfway up a big, steep hill and I could almost see back in time where the rider gave up and decided to walk the rest of the way up the hill.  :)

littered and abandoned is a perfect description of most of the ones I see all over town, just doesn't seem like anyone has really thought through this concept...
Title: Re: Rental bikes and scooters
Post by: cabler30 on May 16, 2018, 10:48:55 AM
Some areas close to the center around the con time, just too much traffic to use the scooters or bike, or whatever at time. save time and money and just walk then grab a seat if can if u tire by chance.
Title: Re: Rental bikes and scooters
Post by: Angel_ on May 16, 2018, 11:03:41 AM
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I went to several sites about the Lime scooters and other companies, and I am not encouraged that this will add more than it detracts, if lots of them are in use during SDCC.  Those who are experienced at using them may be ok, but what about newbies who try to navigate their way down to the convention center through the throngs of folk, and then drop it off near the front doors?  Hmmm....

Goodness, can you imagine if someone abandons a scooter near the convention hall doors?  The sidewalk in front of the con center is so crowded.  I can barely walk there at the best of times.  This is a hazard waiting to happen.
Title: Re: Rental bikes and scooters
Post by: cabler30 on May 16, 2018, 11:14:11 AM
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Goodness, can you imagine if someone abandons a scooter near the convention hall doors?  The sidewalk in front of the con center is so crowded.  I can barely walk there at the best of times.  This is a hazard waiting to happen.

Im guessing the staff of convention are aware or will be if this was to happen. and traffic try store any outside of the center. hope they post signs to tell anyone not to store any scooters or bikes out front since the sidewalk can fill fast at times and there no space for any of the scooters or bikes to be store for anytime. lucky they have some space u can lean against rails or sit on benches anytime. but anything portable so to speak would just waste space and all. there will be like every year just too much traffic to even try ride any at the time the con is in operation and all. good they have security while con is around then can call any cops to cite anyone if users dont think before it gets to crazy at time.
Title: Re: Rental bikes and scooters
Post by: Angel_ on May 16, 2018, 11:24:58 AM
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Im guessing the staff of convention are aware

I'm not sure they'd be aware.  This only happened in the last year so it'll be their first year dealing with this.  Unless someone with decision making power on the con staff happens to be paying attention to the news or lives downtown, how would they know?  I admire your confidence in the convention staff, but they aren't omniscient.  They learn as they go.  And if this ends up being a problem they may adjust for 2019 but may be blindsided by this in 2018.

Then again, this may not even be a problem. 130,000 con attendees may be smart this year and not do all these things that can create hazards.  Ha. 
Title: Re: Rental bikes and scooters
Post by: Transmute Jun on May 16, 2018, 11:29:00 AM
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I'm not sure they'd be aware.  This only happened in the last year so it'll be their first year dealing with this.  Unless someone with decision making power on the con staff happens to be paying attention to the news or lives downtown, how would they know?  I admire your confidence in the convention staff, but they aren't omniscient.  They learn as they go.  And if this ends up being a problem they may adjust for 2019 but may be blindsided by this in 2018.

Then again, this may not even be a problem. 130,000 con attendees may be smart this year and not do all these things that can create hazards.  Ha.

I'm not sure the security would premit a bike that close to the convention center doors themselves. They would probably tell anyone on a bike to stay on the road/sidewalk.
Title: Re: Rental bikes and scooters
Post by: Mel on May 16, 2018, 11:33:29 AM
Trust me, anyone in San Diego knows. It's been all the rage in the news with every neighborhood b***hing about them.....I don't see it being a problem really during SDCC because there's just not even the room to ride a bike or scooter, but we shall see.

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Title: Re: Rental bikes and scooters
Post by: Angel_ on May 16, 2018, 11:38:08 AM
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Trust me, anyone in San Diego knows. It's been all the rage in the news with every neighborhood b***hing about them.....I don't see it being a problem really during SDCC because there's just not even the room to ride a bike or scooter, but we shall see.

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I may be ignorant, but do the people that run the con live in San Diego?  I actually don't know.  A lot of my local cons are run by people from out of state.  Even the local fan run cons have some organizers from out of state (though not all of them, of course).  If so, then I guess they'd know if they pay attention to the news.
Title: Re: Rental bikes and scooters
Post by: alyssa on May 16, 2018, 11:43:02 AM
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I may be ignorant, but do the people that run the con live in San Diego?  I actually don't know.  A lot of my local cons are run by people from out of state.  Even the local fan run cons have some organizers from out of state (though not all of them, of course).  If so, then I guess they'd know if they pay attention to the news.
I believe a number of organizers live in SD
Plus there's been a few articles about those docless bikes in the local papers ;)
Title: Re: Rental bikes and scooters
Post by: semigeekgirl on May 16, 2018, 11:43:17 AM
I feel quite sure that Con security will feel empowered to enforce whatever 'rules' they find necessary at any given moment, lol. I assume that anyone attempting to ride or abandon a bike or scooter directly in front of the convention center will be yelled at to move it immediately.
Title: Re: Rental bikes and scooters
Post by: Mel on May 16, 2018, 11:48:25 AM
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I may be ignorant, but do the people that run the con live in San Diego?  I actually don't know.  A lot of my local cons are run by people from out of state.  Even the local fan run cons have some organizers from out of state (though not all of them, of course).  If so, then I guess they'd know if they pay attention to the news.
Yes, CCI is located in San Diego, with their offices right downtown. These things are everywhere. I just drove through downtown this morning bikes and scooters on every single corner

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Title: Re: Rental bikes and scooters
Post by: marcia29 on May 16, 2018, 11:48:47 AM
Anybody remember back in maybe 2006 or 2007, when during SDCC, at night, hundreds of cyclists took over downtown in a swarm?  The police either couldn't or chose not to stop them. It was quite a sight.  It lasted about an hour, or so. 
Title: Re: Rental bikes and scooters
Post by: Angel_ on May 16, 2018, 12:20:51 PM
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Yes, CCI is located in San Diego, with their offices right downtown. These things are everywhere. I just drove through downtown this morning bikes and scooters on every single corner

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Ah, good to know!  I wasn't quite sure.
Title: Re: Rental bikes and scooters
Post by: Chris on May 16, 2018, 01:44:25 PM
The concept of the rental bikes is a little strange to me.  I was talking with a friend about them and it really doesn't come up in life a lot where someone randomly goes, "I really wish there was a bike I could rent if there happened to be one right here, right now.  But there's not so I will take a car or walk." 

Our cities are so sprawled out at this point that planning is required. 

Maybe if someone was drunk in PB and didn't want to drive home, but I think that biking under the influence is still an offense.

Plus, to quote the movie Singles, "People love their cars."
Title: Re: Rental bikes and scooters
Post by: Mel on May 16, 2018, 04:46:18 PM
Most of the bikes have a nice basket. If I was someone without a car who normally had to use the super slow bus and hoof it everywhere, I think I'd love the bike to be able to run an errand quicker and preserve some of my time otherwise wasted. Quick grocery runs and such.

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Title: Re: Rental bikes and scooters
Post by: Chris on May 17, 2018, 06:24:38 PM
And today I saw someone using one of the bikes for the first time.  It had a little headlight and everything.  :)
Title: Re: Rental bikes and scooters
Post by: susanml10881 on May 17, 2018, 06:53:10 PM
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Honolulu is PISSED OFF. (http://www.khon2.com/news/local-news/city-of-honolulu-says-new-scooter-pilot-program-operating-illegally/1179766334) It's complete mayhem in downtown, Waikiki, and Kakaako.  Complete madness.

This is exactly my fear.  The fact that someone up above said that SD has had them for a couple of years makes me think that they either had the kiosk kind, which aren't an issue really, or that I have literally just been oblivious to the disaster these things cause.  It's been four days here and it's just a mess.

People are pissed here too. They've banned them from Coronado. They get impounded if left there. There's no laws or anything regulating them. You see them littering the streets, blocking sidewalks and doors in random places, Downtown, Balboa Park and etc.
Title: Re: Rental bikes and scooters
Post by: Chris on May 17, 2018, 07:00:15 PM
I thought I was going nuts (which is entirely possible) when they started showing up.  I was seeing green and yellow bikes everywhere.  I finally had to ask a friend, "Do you see them too?"

"I see dead people green and yellow bikes.  They're everywhere!"

Yeah, I've gone nuts.  Someone please call my mom to let her know....
Title: Re: Rental bikes and scooters
Post by: cabler30 on May 17, 2018, 07:06:16 PM
If not said already, they need to hire somebody who can use a truck to use a gps or tracker to collect any after a time or they will just be parked anywhere cause the user just cares to get from a to b and not try park the ride out of the way somehow. so if the program is not fixed due to all the flaws or negative outlook of things then the whole idea may go bust within a year or 2 if nothing is fixed.
Title: Re: Rental bikes and scooters
Post by: Car_Low on May 18, 2018, 02:01:54 AM
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If not said already, they need to hire somebody who can use a truck to use a gps or tracker to collect any after a time or they will just be parked anywhere cause the user just cares to get from a to b and not try park the ride out of the way somehow. so if the program is not fixed due to all the flaws or negative outlook of things then the whole idea may go bust within a year or 2 if nothing is fixed.

They normally do as they have to redistribute the bikes as they tend to concentrate in certain areas just a few bikes get left around here and there.  Seen some crazy pictures of bikes being left around but from my experience its not too bad. I feel a lot of the backlash is just NIMBYism. Coronado who banned the bikes is also the same community that wanted to ban bike lanes as a whole.
Title: Re: Rental bikes and scooters
Post by: Mel on May 18, 2018, 06:59:14 AM
I work on a college campus and most of the bike racks there have a few. I decided to use one on my lunch break to just putter around and ride a bike for the first time in at least a decade. It was a lot of fun!! I also realized I'm pretty out of shape when I hit and inclines ahahahaha I'm in the camp of "they are cool and I like having them around" The whole "eyesore" and "nuisance" complaints just make me roll my eyes and are always coming from the more affluent neighborhoods, naturally. People have been using them a LOT. You do see them abandoned on hills often and I found out why yesterday LOL
Title: Re: Rental bikes and scooters
Post by: alyssa on May 18, 2018, 07:10:11 AM
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Maybe if someone was drunk in PB and didn't want to drive home, but I think that biking under the influence is still an offense.

not really an Offense due to the relative inability to kill someone else with a bike.
now there has been a case of DWI while on a lawnmower...

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I work on a college campus and most of the bike racks there have a few. I decided to use one on my lunch break to just putter around and ride a bike for the first time in at least a decade. It was a lot of fun!! I also realized I'm pretty out of shape when I hit and inclines ahahahaha I'm in the camp of "they are cool and I like having them around" The whole "eyesore" and "nuisance" complaints just make me roll my eyes and are always coming from the more affluent neighborhoods, naturally. People have been using them a LOT. You do see them abandoned on hills often and I found out why yesterday LOL

LOL

if the companies were better run- and could stay ahead of the daily migration into congested areas of the cities - the businesses model makes a lot of sense from an urban planing move.
Title: Re: Rental bikes and scooters
Post by: Mel on May 18, 2018, 07:58:51 AM
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not really an Offense due to the relative inability to kill someone else with a bike.
now there has been a case of DWI while on a lawnmower...

LOL

if the companies were better run- and could stay ahead of the daily migration into congested areas of the cities - the businesses model makes a lot of sense from an urban planing move.

I think they are getting better. In the mornings when I come in to work I see the guys in trucks with them putting them back at the bike racks around campus and the other morning when I was downtown after dropping Jes off, they were one or 2 to each corner parked nicely and out of the main sidewalk. I think the initial uproar got them more on the ball about hiring people to round them up overnight and redistribute them back to transportation centers and high foot traffic areas.
Title: Re: Rental bikes and scooters
Post by: cabler30 on May 18, 2018, 02:42:05 PM
Yea, im guessing they see the news and get calls. so they hiring help to collect and restore any to get on better terms with the city and all.
Title: Re: Rental bikes and scooters
Post by: susanml10881 on May 20, 2018, 05:54:04 PM
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They normally do as they have to redistribute the bikes as they tend to concentrate in certain areas just a few bikes get left around here and there.  Seen some crazy pictures of bikes being left around but from my experience its not too bad. I feel a lot of the backlash is just NIMBYism. Coronado who banned the bikes is also the same community that wanted to ban bike lanes as a whole.

Doesn't seem like they do this enough though, picking up their bikes. The scooter companies are more responsive it seems.
Title: Re: Rental bikes and scooters
Post by: chocolateshake on May 20, 2018, 06:34:49 PM
These things are all over the place.  Like ALL OVER THE PLACE.  In San Francisco they consider them liter and are looking to outlaw them.  I can see that.  Here I've seen them park nicely but I've also seen them lying in the middle of the street stripped except for the frame.  I don't know the names of the companies but the ones I've seen are the silver bikes with Discover card advertising, green bikes, yellow bikes and the Bird electric scooters.
Title: Re: Rental bikes and scooters
Post by: cabler30 on May 20, 2018, 07:13:51 PM
Yea, i can see whoever uses the bikes and leaving frame is like getting for parts and just leave frame cause not need any i guessing. guess they only can track frame with coding or trackers on it and so parts are taken off for use other bikes and frame left anywhere but cant tell who took parts if cant track parts any. i guess it one way to get a new free tire if cant afford to buy and so just take parts to resale or trade for anything at anytime.
Title: Re: Rental bikes and scooters
Post by: comicconfamily on May 21, 2018, 09:21:28 AM
Last year, when we were in the line for the Laika exhibit, I saw someone using one of the bikes for the first time. The person had friends already in the line (in front of us) and she rode the bike there to catch up with them. At some point she left -- which I assumed was to return the bike -- and she came back on foot. She wasn't gone long, so I just thought the bike racks for returning were everywhere around downtown. Are they? Now I'm wondering if she ditched it around the corner or something.
Title: Re: Rental bikes and scooters
Post by: jimy on May 21, 2018, 09:25:52 AM
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Last year, when we were in the line for the Laika exhibit, I saw someone using one of the bikes for the first time. The person had friends already in the line (in front of us) and she rode the bike there to catch up with them. At some point she left -- which I assumed was to return the bike -- and she came back on foot. She wasn't gone long, so I just thought the bike racks for returning were everywhere around downtown. Are they? Now I'm wondering if she ditched it around the corner or something.

Seems like only the "Discover Card"-bikes actually have racks, for the others (bright GREEN and YELLOW), you can leave them where ever and that's where you'll find them... where ever.
Title: Re: Rental bikes and scooters
Post by: cabler30 on May 21, 2018, 10:40:37 AM
If some have racks to store the bikes and some dont, then i guess they gotta get a permit or something that says at what location they can be stored at anytime. but if just anywhere and people get mad at the bikes, then i not be shocked if they strip the bike for parts or just toss it over cliffs as seen on news or even toss in dumpster if they fit lol just to show they not happy where anyone leaves a bike lol.
Title: Re: Rental bikes and scooters
Post by: Angel_ on May 21, 2018, 11:15:51 AM
Honolulu just banned them (https://www.seattletimes.com/nation-world/rental-scooter-company-suspends-honolulu-service/). LOL.  That lasted for ONE WEEK.  Won't affect San Diego obviously but I'm laughing pretty hard.
Title: Re: Rental bikes and scooters
Post by: cabler30 on May 21, 2018, 11:26:06 AM
Read some of article and guessing it was a test run if only lasted a short time. alot u can discover as u try new stuff and sometime it dont always go as u expect sometimes. so basically some states will have them and some wont for one reason or another.
Title: Re: Rental bikes and scooters
Post by: Angel_ on May 21, 2018, 12:41:24 PM
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Read some of article and guessing it was a test run if only lasted a short time. alot u can discover as u try new stuff and sometime it dont always go as u expect sometimes. so basically some states will have them and some wont for one reason or another.

No it wasn't a test run.  They came here to set up long term and the city shut them down.  The article makes it seem like it was their choice to shut down, but the city essentially forced it with their classification of the devices.  It was not a test run and I'm not sure how you got that from the article tbh.
Title: Re: Rental bikes and scooters
Post by: SamTurtledove on May 21, 2018, 01:39:59 PM
May just be business talk.  Now Lime says it was a pilot program (in their online petition https://p2a.co/O8Bn7Yt ) Their  "test run" in Charlotte seems to have opened the door for other ride share companies.

Did Hawaii send a Cease and Desist order to Lime? 
Title: Re: Rental bikes and scooters
Post by: Angel_ on May 21, 2018, 01:53:35 PM
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Did Hawaii send a Cease and Desist order to Lime?

No.  What they did was classify them as mopeds, which can't be stored on sidewalks.  They'd get fined over $1,000 for each offense, which means each time a rider isn't aware of this rule Lime got dinged for it.  Additionally, if the rider road it on a sidewalk, THEY would be fined over $1,000 or put in jail for 30 days.  Lime could continue operating under these conditions but there's no way they'd be financially feasible or have many customers left when they all wind up in jail or broke.  So... they were forced into closing up shop basically.
Title: Re: Rental bikes and scooters
Post by: semigeekgirl on May 21, 2018, 01:56:35 PM
The Atlantic has an interesting article today about who's actually charging the Bird scooters. It's LA-centric but still informative;

https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2018/05/charging-electric-scooters-is-a-cutthroat-business/560747/
Title: Re: Rental bikes and scooters
Post by: cabler30 on May 21, 2018, 02:02:01 PM
From what i read of comments, the company i guess never gave an example as to how they be used or stored. so as they was being used then the state saw one view of it and connected the use to another version. not sure how much time or how they showed a demo any to have not permitted the service to have started to begin with in the first place. that why i thought was a test run if it was shut down so fast after it started. like most times i see on news they say and show how a service was gonna be done so the city or cities have a better idea and then give permission for it to be allowed at anytime.
Title: Re: Rental bikes and scooters
Post by: semigeekgirl on May 21, 2018, 02:08:32 PM
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like most times i see on news they say and show how a service was gonna be done so the city or cities have a better idea and then give permission for it to be allowed at anytime.

Not with a lot of these new, app-based services. Their philosophy seems to be "better to ask forgiveness than permission". It was the same with Uber and Lyft - in a lot of cities, they just started operating, since there was no city ordinance specifically prohibiting ride-sharing services. A lot of cities then had to pass new statutes regulating the practice as a reaction to it already happening. It was definitely not all planned in advance.
Title: Re: Rental bikes and scooters
Post by: cabler30 on May 21, 2018, 02:14:09 PM
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The Atlantic has an interesting article today about who's actually charging the Bird scooters. It's LA-centric but still informative;

https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2018/05/charging-electric-scooters-is-a-cutthroat-business/560747/

From what i read , they find ways to make some extra bank for charging and caring for the rides. also the xtra bank helps pay for power use to charge them over nite anytime and rest used for other wants or needs.
Title: Re: Rental bikes and scooters
Post by: SamTurtledove on May 21, 2018, 03:32:56 PM
May be a good way to pay for parking and hotel too!

Quote
Lime

https://web.limebike.com/juicer?TrucksFoT


Bird

https://www.bird.co/charger



San Diego Bird scooters


http://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/columnists/diane-bell/sd-me-bell-20180210-story.html

Quote
"As for the future, VanderZanden stressed that this is a pilot program.
“Right now we are still testing. We’re not committing to expanding or keeping the scooters in San Diego.”
Title: Re: Rental bikes and scooters
Post by: Vapors on May 21, 2018, 04:06:03 PM
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May be a good way to pay for parking and hotel too!


San Diego Bird scooters


http://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/columnists/diane-bell/sd-me-bell-20180210-story.html

So they are outsourcing charging their products now?  That's...weird.  I don't know what else to say about that, it just sounds so weird to have a company ask random people, "please keep our products working."
Title: Re: Rental bikes and scooters
Post by: semigeekgirl on May 21, 2018, 04:11:33 PM
[member=1220]Vapors[/member] It's the gig economy. Basically everything is outsourced except the app itself. :/
Title: Re: Rental bikes and scooters
Post by: chocolateshake on May 21, 2018, 05:13:53 PM
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Not with a lot of these new, app-based services. Their philosophy seems to be "better to ask forgiveness than permission".

That's an understatement when it comes to Bird.  They didn't even bother to get the proper business license.  It doesn't get any more basic than that.  How they were able to get even a penny of venture funding without that speaks to the demise of any due diligence on the part of VCs.  Even back in the wild dot com days, it wasn't this lax.

http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-bird-scooters-20180215-story.html
Title: Re: Rental bikes and scooters
Post by: chocolateshake on May 21, 2018, 05:15:48 PM
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So they are outsourcing charging their products now?  That's...weird.  I don't know what else to say about that, it just sounds so weird to have a company ask random people, "please keep our products working."

You can sign up to be a charger for Bird right on their website.  Just like you can sign up to be a Uber driver right on the Uber website.
Title: Re: Rental bikes and scooters
Post by: chocolateshake on May 21, 2018, 05:18:30 PM
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[member=1220]Vapors[/member] It's the gig economy. Basically everything is outsourced except the app itself. :/

Also known as the sharing economy.  Just the other day, I was thinking about all this.  Leaving aside any derogatory connotations due to 20th century history, it's communism in it's purest sense.  People don't own things, everyone shares.
Title: Re: Rental bikes and scooters
Post by: chocolateshake on May 21, 2018, 05:22:19 PM
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Are they? Now I'm wondering if she ditched it around the corner or something.

The first time I saw a Bird scooter, it was leaning against somebody's trash can on trash day in a residential neighborhood.  I thought it was someone throwing away a scooter and I thought it said "free" on it until I got close enough to see it said "Bird".  I had to google it.
Title: Re: Rental bikes and scooters
Post by: SamTurtledove on May 21, 2018, 05:30:58 PM
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That's an understatement when it comes to Bird.  They didn't even bother to get the proper business license.  It doesn't get any more basic than that.  How they were able to get even a penny of venture funding without that speaks to the demise of any due diligence on the part of VCs.  Even back in the wild dot com days, it wasn't this lax.

http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-bird-scooters-20180215-story.html

Just heard the radio interview with Lime!

http://hawaiipublicradio.org/post/electric-scooter-rentals-run-afoul-city

Similar, their research told them they didn't need anything in Hawaii.  The interviewer mentioned a C&D letter, not sure if the reclassification to moped came later,  two days ago.
Title: Re: Rental bikes and scooters
Post by: Angel_ on May 21, 2018, 05:34:28 PM
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Just heard the radio interview with Lime!

http://hawaiipublicradio.org/post/electric-scooter-rentals-run-afoul-city

Similar, their research told them they didn't need anything in Hawaii.  The interviewer mentioned a C&D letter, not sure if the reclassification to moped came later,  two days ago.

I saw stories pop up starting yesterday about the moped classification.  So maybe slightly after or about the same time.
Title: Re: Rental bikes and scooters
Post by: SamTurtledove on May 21, 2018, 06:50:12 PM
From http://www.kitv.com/story/38218707/city-cracks-down-on-lime-scooters

Timeline for first contact with Hawaii.  Hawaii gave Lime a letter on May 9, Lime deployed anyway on May 11. Second letter was the moped decision.

However...

Quote
Councilmember Trevor Ozawa says he disagrees with the Mayor's approach and, while LimeBike could have handled its launch better, it's "premature" for the city to issue fines.
He and Councilmember Ann Kobayashi drafted a resolution Thursday asking "the City and County of Honolulu that the City Administration through its Department of Transportation Services is urged to implement a pilot project for dockless, multimodal transportation services in the urban core; and... the pilot project is requested to run for a minimum of one year and shall, at a minimum, include dockless, shared-use scooters, and may include dockless shared-use bicycles."

Title: Re: Rental bikes and scooters
Post by: Angel_ on May 21, 2018, 06:53:07 PM
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From http://www.kitv.com/story/38218707/city-cracks-down-on-lime-scooters

Timeline for first contact with Hawaii.  Hawaii gave Lime a letter on May 9, Lime deployed anyway on May 11. Second letter was the moped decision.

However...

Ozawa blocked my friend on Twitter for asking him about that quote.  Something hinky is going on with that guy. 
Title: Re: Rental bikes and scooters
Post by: SamTurtledove on May 21, 2018, 07:11:45 PM
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Ozawa blocked my friend on Twitter for asking him about that quote.  Something hinky is going on with that guy.
!!! Is that Ozawa in the video?


http://www.khon2.com/news/local-news/wake-up-2day/electric-scooter-ride-share-program-launches-in-honolulu/1178580399

"We just launched a pilot program with.."


Quote
The councilmember says Lime understands that the city will be holding them to a high standard with a tight leash. He adds that Lime knows regulations will be coming in the future.
Title: Re: Rental bikes and scooters
Post by: Vapors on May 21, 2018, 07:28:10 PM
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You can sign up to be a charger for Bird right on their website.  Just like you can sign up to be a Uber driver right on the Uber website.

Well sure, but in that case you provide your car to use as a taxi service (or in Airbnb's case, your home as a hotel) so that you can connect with other people.  You get a cut since you provided something and the company takes its commission for establishing the connection.  But in this case, the company is asking you to maintain service for their products.  You have no ownership of the scooter, you simply provide them a service, which the company should be providing on their own.  It's like a taxi or bus company asking people to fill up their vehicles with gas and they'll reimburse you.

Really wacky there.  I wonder if there's some higher utility rates from residential vs retail/commercial vs industrial.  Seems like it would be cheaper for them to charge their own scooters.
Title: Re: Rental bikes and scooters
Post by: semigeekgirl on May 21, 2018, 07:48:06 PM
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Really wacky there.  I wonder if there's some higher utility rates from residential vs retail/commercial vs industrial.  Seems like it would be cheaper for them to charge their own scooters.

I think it's not the electricity cost but everything else. If they maintained their own charging station in Brentwood/Santa Monica, for instance, they'd have to rent a space for it, and rent is astronomical there. Plus they'd have to have real employees onsite (meaning they'd have to pay payroll tax, unemployment insurance, and in the City of Santa Monica, six days of sick leave per year). That all together makes it much cheaper to just pay random people to charge them at home.
Title: Re: Rental bikes and scooters
Post by: Angel_ on May 22, 2018, 11:06:36 AM
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!!! Is that Ozawa in the video?


http://www.khon2.com/news/local-news/wake-up-2day/electric-scooter-ride-share-program-launches-in-honolulu/1178580399

"We just launched a pilot program with.."

That's him!  The Twitter blocking sketchy councilman.
Title: Re: Rental bikes and scooters
Post by: chocolateshake on May 23, 2018, 11:01:49 AM
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Ozawa blocked my friend on Twitter for asking him about that quote.  Something hinky is going on with that guy.

Your friend needs to tell Ozawa that it's illegal for public officials to block people on Twitter. Not just against Twitter policy, it's against the law for a public official to block the public. It was reaffirmed just today in court.

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2018/05/23/trump-cannot-block-critical-twitter-users-federal-court-rules/637454002

http://www.slate.com/blogs/future_tense/2017/07/28/federal_court_rules_public_officials_cannot_block_social_media_users.html
Title: Re: Rental bikes and scooters
Post by: cabler30 on May 23, 2018, 11:17:37 AM
If they blocking then i guess then cant handle being in office and reading or hearing what the public has to say about what they doing as if those in office always have the right answer to anything without getting input from the outside at anytime. i try see things from both sides so i try be neutral on things like seeing from the outside in and all. so if they block then it time they resign from office if cant handle the publics input at anytime.
Title: Re: Rental bikes and scooters
Post by: Angel_ on May 23, 2018, 01:23:01 PM
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Your friend needs to tell Ozawa that it's illegal for public officials to block people on Twitter. Not just against Twitter policy, it's against the law for a public official to block the public. It was reaffirmed just today in court.

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2018/05/23/trump-cannot-block-critical-twitter-users-federal-court-rules/637454002

http://www.slate.com/blogs/future_tense/2017/07/28/federal_court_rules_public_officials_cannot_block_social_media_users.html

Oh I'm so glad I'm not a public official. I have over 5,000+ people blocked on Twitter. I'm... opinionated.  And that attracts trolls.
Title: Re: Rental bikes and scooters
Post by: SamTurtledove on July 15, 2018, 03:36:26 PM
San Diego Comic-Con 2018: You can only leave dockless bikes, scooters at these four places

https://twitter.com/sdut/status/1017832052622704640

Quote
San Diego Comic-Con: You can only leave dockless bikes, scooters at these four places http://dlvr.it/QbSg9k

(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DiAQ2wYVAAEwLt7.jpg)

from  San Diego Union-Tribune  (http://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/opinion/the-conversation/sd-sdcc-san-diego-comic-con-dockless-bikes-rules-20180712-htmlstory.html)

(https://www.friendsofcc.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.trbimg.com%2Fimg-5b47f07d%2Fturbine%2Fsd-1531441273-mynqf7j7gi-snap-image&hash=1389029349f3a8d269176fb692b9f638a37a5996)

Quote
Here are the four designated areas for dockless bike and e-scooter rentals:

    On the grassy corner of First Avenue and Harbor Drive
    On the grassy corner of Fifth Avenue and Harbor Drive
    Area adjacent to the pedestrian bridge stairs next to Petco Park
    Area adjacent to the public walkway in Embarcadero Marina Park North (behind Seaport Village) in the grass area


from  San Diego Police Department  (https://twitter.com/SanDiegoPD/status/1014280142179295232)

Quote
Want to ride a motorized 🛴 scooter? Know the rules before you ride. Use this link for more rules pertaining to alternative vehicles https://bit.ly/2KLhg8n  We want everyone to enjoy their experience safely in #AmericasFinestCity Please retweet and share with your friends.

(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DhNyaDjU8AAJ8Ri.jpg)

Title: Re: Rental bikes and scooters
Post by: chocolateshake on July 15, 2018, 06:23:13 PM
I hope they ban electric scooters in the gaslamp during comic-con.  People aren't supposed to ride them on the sidewalk but of course they do.  It's enough of a hazard normally, when the streets are packed it's going to be carnage.  It would be one thing if they were experienced riders but many of the scooter riders are tourists that have never been on one before in their lives.
Title: Re: Rental bikes and scooters
Post by: Chris on July 16, 2018, 10:32:20 AM
I saw ton of scooters being used downtown yesterday.
Title: Re: Rental bikes and scooters
Post by: Jim Watari on July 16, 2018, 03:40:00 PM
Yup soon there will be a bad crash, its bound to happen. People rushing to get to a panel, wham.
Title: Re: Rental bikes and scooters
Post by: stl_ben on July 16, 2018, 03:41:34 PM
How strict is that helmet required rule?
Title: Re: Rental bikes and scooters
Post by: marcia29 on July 16, 2018, 05:16:19 PM
Today, I was down at the convention center for my volunteer assignment and must have seen a hundred zip by on scooters, and only 1 had a helmet. All were riding on the sidewalk.   :(
Title: Re: Rental bikes and scooters
Post by: chocolateshake on July 16, 2018, 05:19:52 PM
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How strict is that helmet required rule?

The law requires it.  How strictly is it enforced?  Never in my experience.  I've been riding electric scooters for over 20 years.  The only time I've been stop by a cop was so that he could ask me what I was riding because he wanted one.  This was years ago before electric scooters became so popular.
Title: Re: Rental bikes and scooters
Post by: susanml10881 on July 16, 2018, 05:36:24 PM
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How strict is that helmet required rule?

I saw on the news they were starting to ticket people. Before that they weren't. I think they were cracking down on the scooters and stuff though. https://www.kusi.com/police-issue-costly-tickets-for-scooter-riders-without-helmets-on-san-diego-boardwalks/
Title: Re: Rental bikes and scooters
Post by: Vapors on July 18, 2018, 12:33:23 AM
Went to downtown today with my mom and saw dozens of people riding these scooters, almost all on the sidewalk and no helmets. What surprised me was the large age-diverse people riding them. It’s not just kids or young adults but I saw a pair of elderly ladies putting along and several middle aged couples. It was find today since the sidewalks were pretty barren but I can’t belive these things are going to make any headway on crowded sidewalks unless they start to try to barrel through people.
Title: Rental bikes and scooters
Post by: alyssa on July 18, 2018, 03:54:39 AM
I've been riding the scooters for the past week- on adv of 1- to $3.50 per ride. I enjoy and use them almost on a daily basis.
I to see a lot of folks riding on the sidewalk.

I can mountain bike & ride a bike in the city.

if you feel the urge to try one, go slow around pedestrians & road bumps, treat it like riding a scooter, obey the traffic laws and ride in the street. Also a trick i learned in figure skating, keep the knees bent like a spring. This enables a bit more stability and flexibility when going over bumps
But he most important thing is to drive defensively
Title: Re: Rental bikes and scooters
Post by: vegasndn on July 18, 2018, 04:59:38 AM
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I've been riding the scooters for the past week- on adv of 1- to $3.50 per ride. I enjoy and use them almost on a daily basis.
I to see a lot of folks riding on the sidewalk.

I can mountain bike & ride a bike in the city.

if you feel the urge to try one, go slow around pedestrians & road bumps, treat it like riding a scooter, obey the traffic laws and ride in the street. Also a trick i learned in figure skating, keep the knees bent like a spring. This enables a bit more stability and flexibility when going over bumps
Go Alyssa. That
is cool, remember to wear a helmet.



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro
Title: Re: Rental bikes and scooters
Post by: debster on July 18, 2018, 05:55:56 AM
If anyone wants to try one, I saw this next to a bunch of scooters (not sure if this is actually legitimate):

(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20180718/7538a6dd22c41bbba0a36be6a8e506ca.jpg)


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Title: Re: Rental bikes and scooters
Post by: stl_ben on July 18, 2018, 06:47:52 AM
We rode them yesterday band had a blast. No helmet and in the sidewalk like every other person we saw using them.
Title: Re: Rental bikes and scooters
Post by: chocolateshake on July 18, 2018, 08:08:58 AM
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We rode them yesterday band had a blast. No helmet and in the sidewalk like every other person we saw using them.

$100 ticket if the cops stop you.  Supposedly they are cracking down for comic-con.  The trolley cops step up enforcement big time yesterday compared to normal.  Last Friday I didn't get my ticket checked at all.  Yesterday I got checked twice, I saw a team of two lead away a ticket violator and a team of 5 checking tickets.  1 person actually doing the checking and the 4 others guarding him which IMO was a bit excessive.
Title: Re: Rental bikes and scooters
Post by: stl_ben on July 18, 2018, 08:44:11 AM
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$100 ticket if the cops stop you.  Supposedly they are cracking down for comic-con.  The trolley cops step up enforcement big time yesterday compared to normal.  Last Friday I didn't get my ticket checked at all.  Yesterday I got checked twice, I saw a team of two lead away a ticket violator and a team of 5 checking tickets.  1 person actually doing the checking and the 4 others guarding him which IMO was a bit excessive.
yesterday we rode by multiple cops and actually right across the side wall of the big police station...
Title: Re: Rental bikes and scooters
Post by: SamTurtledove on July 19, 2018, 05:13:48 PM
Yep. Bird this close.

(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20180720/0379d158e9ac3b13940f78200f1c28ae.jpg)
Title: Re: Rental bikes and scooters
Post by: marcia29 on July 26, 2018, 05:06:02 AM
Walking scooters through the pedestrian areas was ok...I did see a few who tried to get into the walkers only areas riding them.  So...glad they were stopped. 
Title: Re: Rental bikes and scooters
Post by: dolphina on July 26, 2018, 09:42:21 AM
I wish I would have tried the scooters, they looked fun but I had broke my toe the day I left for SDCC and I was afraid of breaking something else. Next time I will use the bike instead of my car if I am going to CVS for just a couple of items. The parking in the parking lot right behind the CVS was $60 for 0-5 hrs, WTH!! So next time, I will bicycle. LOL
Title: Re: Rental bikes and scooters
Post by: BenEatsRice on July 26, 2018, 09:19:31 PM
TL;DR - Scooters are fun! Great in the mornings but hard to find later into the day. In the evenings, you might be searching for some time before giving up and taking an uber/lyft. Also, bike's are terrible for long uphill rides.
----------
I now have a love/hate relationship with these bikes/scooters. I'm local to San Diego and have never liked the look of the bikes strewn around the city. However, during Comic-Con week, I decided to try them out for the first time as I hadn't purchased parking close to the convention center.

Trip #1:
Thursday I got dropped off on Harbor drive (two miles south of downtown) and walked to the convention center. That night I took the trolley to my closest stop and still had about 10 miles to get home. I popped open the Lime app to see if there were any scooters around. There was one a couple blocks away in a shady part of town. I walked over only to discover there was nothing there. Another popped up near a strip mall in the area. Got there and couldn't find it, but it appeared to be showing up on the map what looked to be "inside" of a store. Looked in the back door and sure enough it was in the office of a locked business, plugged into the wall. I spoke up to a couple of workers in the store and said "are you gonna use that scooter?" They said yes, one of their employees was going to take it home later that night. Seemed a bit sketchy/unfair, but I wasn't going to get into an argument over it. No more scooters in the area so I started walking home. Oh, there's a bike if I walk over this way a half mile...nope, handlebar grips were stolen and spider webs all over it. Finally found one after walking 1.5 more miles around. Hopped on, threw my backpack in the basket, and rode my way home about 8 more miles on a slight uphill the entire way <uggh>. Worst choice ever, but I was committed to it for some reason. I didn't want to give in and grab an Uber/Lyft for $20. Instead I took 1.5 hours to ride home on a $3 bike rental. Never will I do that again. Discovered about 4 miles in that I could adjust the seat to a higher position for my height (6'1). Not high enough, but at least it stretched my legs out a bit more. When I finally got home, I drank 3 full glasses of water straight up and sat in front of the fan with my shirt off for 45 minutes to cool down. Woke up with legs cramping in the middle of the night and was also sore in the morning. Fun story though, right?  :o

Trips #2 & 3:
Friday I drove in and parked at the Zoo. I knew people left scooters in that parking lot so I could grab one and head in. It was awesome! Early morning with not many people around. The wind blowing smoothly over my shaved head  :D. This is what I've been waiting for. Got down to the convention center and parked it behind The Good Place setup. The perfect trip. Decided to check out Hall H line that morning (@ 8:30AM) and to my surprise, I got in!! My trip back to the zoo was just as good with no issues. I was pleasantly surprised by how great it was.

Trips #4 & 5:
Saturday I parked on the west side of Balboa Park to be a bit closer than the zoo and took a scooter in. Finding scooters in the mornings was easy. They seem to be everywhere and are all fully charged. Had another smooth ride to the convention center, made a mid-morning scooter trip back to my car to drop some stuff off before a Conan taping, then back down to Spreckles for the show. However, at the end of the day, when I wanted head back to my car, all the batteries on these scooters were dead or the scooters themselves were nowhere to be found. I had both the Lime and Bird apps open while searching for something with a charge. I would spot one a half mile away, make the trek, and discover it was nowhere to be found. I kept doing this for what seemed to feel like 2-3 miles and decided to get an Uber/Lyft because my feet were killing me.

In the end: The bike was not fun. The only situation I could see myself taking a bike again would be a long downhill trek or on a flat ride along a boardwalk, but in that case, I would rather walk and browse the stores/sites. I did enjoy riding the scooters! I just wish there were more of them charged and available in the latter part of the days. I would definitely ride the scooters again because they are so much fun.
Title: Re: Rental bikes and scooters
Post by: marcia29 on July 27, 2018, 03:56:52 AM
[member=4801]BenEatsRice[/member] - Loved your tome on bikes and scooters!  Really gave me some super insight into something totally out of my comfort zone.  Those riding the scooters particularly seemed to be having a great time...but if the battery runs out...ouch!
Title: Re: Rental bikes and scooters
Post by: vegasndn on July 27, 2018, 05:48:27 AM
After the swag swap dinner we wanted to rent 3 scooters to get back to the Omni but no luck. I saw a lady driving around in something looking like a go cart with 4 scooters on her ride asking people if they wanted a tour of downtown, she was charging for the tour and you had to rent the scooter she had stashed Next couple scooters had no juice left in battery or there was something wrong with them. Another a guy took off with one right as we got near it and last one in front of Marriott that had kids playing on it without activation. After that we just walked back to room.


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Title: Re: Rental bikes and scooters
Post by: chocolateshake on July 27, 2018, 08:58:36 AM
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Looked in the back door and sure enough it was in the office of a locked business, plugged into the wall.

That's how they get charged.  The companies don't send people around to pick them up and charge them, the companies pays random people to charge them.  Just like a rider looking for a scooter can pull up their locations on the app, chargers can pull up the locations of scooters to go get them and charge them.  Instead of paying to ride them, chargers get paid by the company to charge them.
Title: Re: Rental bikes and scooters
Post by: BenEatsRice on July 27, 2018, 09:01:46 AM
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That's how they get charged.  The companies don't send people around to pick them up and charge them, the companies pays random people to charge them.  Just like a rider looking for a scooter can pull up their locations on the app, chargers can pull up the locations of scooters to go get them and charge them.  Instead of paying to ride them, chargers get paid by the company to charge them.
When people pick them up for charging, it takes them off the app map. This guy was locking it up so he had a ride home later. I sent a message to Lime about it and they weren’t too sympathetic.
Title: Re: Rental bikes and scooters
Post by: chocolateshake on July 27, 2018, 09:08:23 AM
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[member=4801]BenEatsRice[/member] - Loved your tome on bikes and scooters!  Really gave me some super insight into something totally out of my comfort zone.  Those riding the scooters particularly seemed to be having a great time...but if the battery runs out...ouch!

I've been riding electric scooters for a couple of decades.  They are fun.  The beauty is that if they run out of power, you can just use them as non-motorized kick scooters.  These rentals are easy to do that with since they are so low to the ground.  Some non-motorized scooters are the same size.  Some of the scooters I've had are about the size of a small motorcycle or the full suspended ones are about a foot further off the ground than is comfortably to kick them down the road.
Title: Re: Rental bikes and scooters
Post by: marcia29 on July 27, 2018, 10:14:40 AM
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...The beauty is that if they run out of power, you can just use them as non-motorized kick scooters. ...

...Ahh....that makes it much less intimidating for me.  If it runs out of power, go Flintstone style!
Title: Re: Rental bikes and scooters
Post by: alyssa on July 27, 2018, 10:52:34 AM
yeah, later on in the day the lime scooters were hard to find and locate-- and if i could they were usually out of service

I could hardly ever get the bird app to work-
Title: Re: Rental bikes and scooters
Post by: Pyramid on July 28, 2018, 08:14:04 PM
I had a total blast riding the Lime scooters and getting back and for from theHBF to Seaport Village was a breeze.  We spent close $30 on Lime scooters over our six days. 
Title: Re: Rental bikes and scooters
Post by: chocolateshake on August 15, 2018, 11:48:15 AM
So what happens to all those rental bikes you see in the middle of the street and in the bushes?  This happens.

(https://mediaassets.10news.com/photo/2018/08/15/ofo_rideshare_bikes_scrap_yard_1534341143354_94990850_ver1.0_900_675.jpg)