You’ve probably read the news. It appears that Vancouver will finally catch up to cities like Toronto, Ottawa, New York and LA, and many other modern cities around the world, with our very own public bike share program. It’s been eight long years of promises, speculation, and spinning our wheels, so I’ll believe it when I see it.
According to the City, we really will actually see the bike share program roll into our streets this spring. You can apparently expect 1,500 bikes at 150 solar-powered stations, positioned every two to three blocks throughout downtown. Stations will stretch into the West Side as far south as 16th Avenue, as far east as Main, and west to Arbutus. If all goes well, those boundaries will be expanded west to MacDonald and east to Commercial. The date for the first 1,000 bikes is June 15, 2016, expanding to the full 1,500 bikes by July 15, 2016.
Critics want to jam on the brakes, citing cost (the city will spend $5 million over five years and absorb a loss of parking meter revenue wherever the stations go in) and harmful impacts on the bike rental industry. But come on, even the crotchetiest critic has to admit it: a bike shares looks great on any city.
Bike shares are health-conscious, sophisticated, and sexy. When done right, they are conceptually aimed at both locals and tourists alike to hop on the bikes for handy A-to-B rides. I’ve employed the bike shares in both Toronto and Montreal, and loved the freedom these simple, easy bikes provide, despite being slightly freaked out that they didn’t come with helmets (but even that felt somewhat old-school liberating).
You may have read the many reasons why Vancouver hasn’t hopped onto the bike share phenomenon sooner. It’s convoluted and messy, but it mostly involves a previous potential bike share partner wiping out into bankruptcy. That left a lot of cities that had struck deals with that company forced to take over their bike shares and deal with the financial fall-out. Because of our various delays, we actually managed to avoid all of that.
Vancouver has finally found a willing and supposedly stable partner, but the helmet thing remained an issue. Our helmet law has always been one of the big roadblocks for a public bike share program in Vancouver. As mentioned, bike shares in most if not all other major cities – even New York - don’t provide helmets. There was a rumour as recently as 2013 that the Vancouver bike share stations would be equipped with massive helmet vending machines, which would have been ridiculous.
A much simpler solution has been agreed upon: all 1,500 Vancouver bikes will come with a helmet, at no added cost, waitin’ for your noggin in the front basket. And how about this added perk for urban cyclists who care about such things (ie. people from Yaletown): these helmets come complete with a hygienic disposable liner! (I play filthy beer league hockey and have two kids under three – I stopped caring about catching your cooties long ago).
The bikes will also supposedly come with a cable lock for stopovers between stations, something other bikes shares I’ve used never had. Take it from me: keeping an eye on your unlocked rental bike propped up outside a brewery can be constant source of stress when you have to check on it every two minutes.
The proposed fee for Vancouver’s bike share is $2.50 per half hour (or a one way ride) or a $20 monthly fee for unlimited rides. After eight years of waiting, I still won’t actually believe we have a bike share until I see it with my own eyes, but if and when the bikes do roll out, count me in as a pedal pusher. Let’s strap on those hygiene helmets and enjoy the ride, finally!
