I’m looking forward to uni-bikes because they take up half the space.
Coming off the Guandu Bridge yesterday I had a guy following me on a … unibike? Segway sort of thing without the handles? One of those hover board things that kept blowing up a year back? Spooked me because I had no idea he was there - he must have been going relatively fast to catch up with me on the bridge or coming down the ramp.
On OBikes: I saw two OBikes at the base of the Guandu Bridge a week back; yesterday there were three, so I guess they’re reproducing, which may be why New Taipei City is having issues with them. There’s one leaning against a wall (on a red line) near our apartment. I’m curious how long it’ll stay there. Or are they also capable of asexual reproduction?
They’ve been banned from.half.of.new Taipei city.which is quite unfortunate. Another foreign firm whicj doesn’t know how to.handle Taiwanese local govnernments and public perception. Just dumping their bikes en masse on scooter parking spots was a really dumb move!
They already have 1000 bikes impounded and no plans to pay to release them.yet.
I want a fire bike!
Oh wait…
How in the hell do they just open a company and dump their shit on the streets? Did they do any prior coordination with the city or new Taipei City governments or not? If they did it’s a government’s fault if they didn’t it’s their fault.
Maybe this is just another scam where they take everybody’s $900 deposit and run away.
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Has any news source identified the proper source of the problem or not or just report complaints about something without doing a real investigation?
In the near future we’ll start getting diphthong bikes, starting with the aiBikes and the euBikes.
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The company claimed some of it was due to the contractor they used putting them in inappropriate places.
But most of the issues are just scooter heads getting riled up that a bike was parked there, even though that is perfectly legal.
Very poor image management by this company, could they not learn from Uber story?
Not having a plan to get their 1000 bikes back sounds rather like they are dumping bikes though…
Legal, but if it’s a self owned bike, it’s probably not a major issue, but the oBikes are owned by a company, meaning it could lead to some fines or legal action. Curious as to how this turns out.
http://www.pma.gov.taipei/ct.asp?xItem=1033299&ctNode=13053&mp=117021
- 查依「道路交通管理處罰條例」及「道路交通安全規則」並未有電動代步車一詞，僅規範自行車包括：腳踏自行車、電動輔助自行車、電動自行車。另依「道路交通安全規則」第 131 條之規定，自行車得比照大型重型機車以外之機車停放，意即自行車（腳踏自行車、電動輔助自行車、電動自行車）可停放機車停車格內。
Direct google translate:
There is no word for electric scooter in the “Road Traffic Management Punishment Ordinance” and the “Road Traffic Safety Ordinance”. Only bicycles are included: pedal bicycles, electric assisted bicycles and electric bikes. In accordance with the provisions of Article 131 of the Road Traffic Safety Code, bicycles are parked in accordance with locomotives other than large heavy locomotives, meaning that bicycles (pedal bicycles, electric assisted bicycles and electric bikes) can be parked in locomotive parking spaces.
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Now in that London. God 'elp 'em. 
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Isn’t it improper for Muslims to ride bikes?
Not sure there’s enough market in London.
There’s a market for tossers there, you’ll fit right in.
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Apparently so. News to me, but it doesn’t surprise me.
But for the business side of obike in London.
Muslims are at least 12.4% of the London population (According to Islam in London - Wikipedia). Let’s assume that 6.2% are female. If the women are devout and all follow Islam and don’t ride bicycles, You still have 93.8 % of a potential market in London.
The tube system seems decent for getting to places, what practicality does this have in London? For riding to and from the tube?
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don’t see it going to well in the uk. even bikes that are tied down are going to be robbed or vandalised, let alone these ones.
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That was my first thought. Western cities, despite some of them having motorists who actually abide by traffic rules, are where we hear most about theft.
I’m curious as to if it’ll be successful in London. I’ve never ridden a bike in London, but from Youtube videos and friend’s accounts, there’s not many bike lanes AND most of the time you’re riding in bus lanes. Not to mention the constant rain and smog. Not sure how safe the oBikes can be in that kind of environment.
Indeed. Hence my comment.
Here you go
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I’ve read that oBikes actually don’t have a GPS device on them, nor do they have any means of transmitting their location information back to oBike server on their own.
The way that oBike location gets updated is by users turning on their phones’ bluetooth to activate a bike. When an user locks the rental bike after use, the location of their cell phone is updated to the server as the bike’s location.
Since the accuracy of phone GPS is poor without given enough time to search for the satellites, users often walk to a spot marked on their app to find no oBike there.
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There isn’t smog in London. There was in the industrial revolution. Unless you are talking from cars.
Cycling is huge in London. I wouldn’t do it because it’s dangerous. Government is investing billions into cycling infrastructure though