Dublinbikes.ie - anyone signed up?

BrianD

The web site is live and heavily advertised on outdoor. Mind you I don't recall seeing it on the JCD displays but I'm sure it.

Anyone signed up as yet? I couldn't complete the sign up due to a technical error.

Also, looking at the map of the locations. It's a very poor distribution of the stations unless you happen to be in Dublin 1 or 2. Could they not have stations at the likes of the Phoenix Park (say the Zoo?), the Docklands or even Sandymount, The RHA in Kilmainham or even the National Museum down hear Heuston. There's not even one at Heuston Station.

The map does have an indicator for more planned stations but none shown.

Try putting in Connolly into the map search and you get an interesting result.

Cookie_Monster

BrianD wrote: »

There's not even one at Heuston Station.

Thats because it would be too busy:rolleyes:
There was concern that too many bikes would end up there due to people using them only back and forth to work.

daymobrew

BrianD wrote: »

Try putting in Connolly into the map search and you get an interesting result.

The Talbot Street "station" is quite close to Connolly, and the page you mention does say "near Connolly Station".

Coming to Dublin on the train for a meeting? Then why not hire a bike near Connolly Station and drop it off at a bike station near where your meeting is.

zagmund

Similar results for Pearse.

Tara Street works fine. Pearse Street brings you to Pearse Street, Mountmellick. Abbey Street brings you to Abbey Street, Tullow.

I think they need to tweak their mapping engine a little.

z

Colm R

Just like eflow, I am going to wait and see how this pans out before signing up and offering my credit card details. And the best place to find out how it pans out - right here on boards.ie

daheff

Cookie_Monster wrote: »

Thats because it would be too busy:rolleyes:
There was concern that too many bikes would end up there due to people using them only back and forth to work.

But isnt that the point of the scheme...to encourage people to use the bikes for commuting? Even if it just cuts part of peoples commutes to bike (instead of train then luas/bus) isnt it worthwhile?

Being the sceptic that i am i would say that the RPA/ Dublin bus probably demanded that there was no bike park at or near Heuston as they would lose a lot of fares....mine for one!!!

BrianD

I don't think it was to encourage commuting. I think the idea was that there are workers who drive into the city on the basis that they might occasionally use the car during work hours - quick errand etc. The idea is that they would hop on a bike instead.

thirtythirty

I'd rather have a small cavalry under my right foot thanks.

Also, you think anyone will take you seriously if you turn up to a meeting on one of those!?

And lastly, aside from it costing almost nothing more than the bikes, it is actively encouraging people to not take bus/train, when they are going to be running anyway, thus reducing revenues and risking jobs. This last point is a bit of a stretch i know, but valid if half the city start cycling round like a bunch of loved up hippies

noelfirl

The supposed reason for no bikes at Heuston or far from the city centre is that to maintain a natural flow of bikes from each station to station, they have to be within several hundred metres of one another. For the moment, the initial system is to cover the centre and test the water for usage, then expand the network of stations outwards in all direction if there is sufficient usage.

patrickmooney

I have signed up (I think), gave my CC details, hit submit and got a error 404 page. I emailed them, got a weird response "Your application was/not successful". Not a great start.

richardjjd

Failed twice to sign up (both times, "technical error" was given as the reason). Dropped them an email and got a response within a couple of hours. Turned out that in the county box you can't use spaces (so Dublin 1 should be entered as Dublin1). It says that you shouldn't include spaces and I ignored it, so I've no-one to blame but myself!

BrianD

richardjjd wrote: »

Failed twice to sign up (both times, "technical error" was given as the reason). Dropped them an email and got a response within a couple of hours. Turned out that in the county box you can't use spaces (so Dublin 1 should be entered as Dublin1). It says that you shouldn't include spaces and I ignored it, so I've no-one to blame but myself!

Same response that I got. Though, I didn't note the instruction about spaces and the form doesn't stop you moving to the CC stage. I assumed the problem was with either my card or their payment system.

The e-mail address that my response came from was "no-reply dublinbikes" which isn't the best customer service address that I have ever heard of! In fairness, the e-mail was friendly and helpful and offered to call me if I gave a contact number. However, I'm not sure how I was going to reply to noreply@dublinbikes.ie !

Jip

spottyelephant wrote: »

Also, you think anyone will take you seriously if you turn up to a meeting on one of those!?

What, you'd cycle into the conference room or something ? How will they know ? And if they do care, people like yourself I assume, they're pretty small minded.

thirtythirty

Jip wrote: »

What, you'd cycle into the conference room or something ? How will they know ? And if they do care, people like yourself I assume, they're pretty small minded.

Lol, no i just dont think they're particularly.. aesthetically pleasing, and definately not suited to the corporate world. Weekends? Sure, maybe. Well i'd prob use my own bike, but i'd have no problem with using it for a casual jaunt around town.

MyDublin

spottyelephant wrote: »

Lol, no i just dont think they're particularly.. aesthetically pleasing, and definately not suited to the corporate world. Weekends? Sure, maybe. Well i'd prob use my own bike, but i'd have no problem with using it for a casual jaunt around town.

I have seen these bikes in Paris and lots of people using them were wearing suits and had their briefcase in the front basket so they were obviously using them to get between meetings. Anyway once you get to the nearest station to your meeting you will have to park the bike and nobody is going to see you arrive (thought you might be just that little bit wind swept and interesting!)

monument

I tried. But got the error mentioned above

A very friendly rep got back to me, by email first, then by phone. Even rang me back when I rang them. But their solution did not work, I was told they'd get back to me. They did soon after by phone, when a different rep tried to blame it on my side. Phoned my credit card company and they confirmed there were no problems showing on their system, no such request was sent to them and was blocked or refused. So, gave up.

That was Friday. Without contacting them again, today I got an email saying:

Dear Cian
Thank you for your patience in relation to the above matter.

Our website is experiencing some technical difficulties when using credit cards from certain providers during the dublinbikes subscription process.

We aim to have these technical difficulties resolved within the next week.

We will contact you at this time to let know that this issue has been resolved.

Many thanks,




Regards

dublinbikes team
T. 1850 777 070
For more information visit www.dublinbikes.ie


Please do NOT reply to this mail directly, contact us via www.dublinbikes.ie Replies to this e-mail will not be responded to or read.

Scruff

On my way home from work i was reminded of why this more than likely wont be a success. At 6pm on St.Andrew Street at the bottom of Grafton Street,in the broad light of day at one of the busiest spots in the city were a group of young scum bags jumping on a couple of bikes trying to break the locks of bikes opposite O'Neills pub.
This city has just too much scum bags and not enough garda on patrol for this scheme to work. pity.

shaymousse

Would sign up if they were in Heuston.

congo_90

They look good but can someone confirm 2 things since the website is pretty crap:

1. Do you have to sign up or can you just approach said terminal with a card?

2. The 3 day ticket. Is that a calender day (buy on monday, expires wednesday) or is it like a 3 day dublin bus rambler (non consecutive)

monument

Scruff wrote: »

On my way home from work i was reminded of why this more than likely wont be a success. At 6pm on St.Andrew Street at the bottom of Grafton Street,in the broad light of day at one of the busiest spots in the city were a group of young scum bags jumping on a couple of bikes trying to break the locks of bikes opposite O'Neills pub.
This city has just too much scum bags and not enough garda on patrol for this scheme to work. pity.

Did you ring the garda?

congo_90 wrote: »

They look good but can someone confirm 2 things since the website is pretty crap:

1. Do you have to sign up or can you just approach said terminal with a card?

You can use credit cards with some stations.

On this list, stations marked with ** are have credit card terminals.

2. The 3 day ticket. Is that a calender day (buy on monday, expires wednesday) or is it like a 3 day dublin bus rambler (non consecutive)

It's calender day / consecutive.

The three-day tickets are aimed at tourists.

lostexpectation

so why do some have credit card sations and some don't?

darkman2

Hmmm Paris ran into big trouble with this scheme earlier this year.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/7881079.stm

Most of the bikes were stolen or vandalised. The question now is how likely is it that this scheme in Dublin will be abandoned within months when the local gurriers get their hands on them:rolleyes:

monument

lostexpectation wrote: »

so why do some have credit card sations and some don't?

I'm guessing it's to cut down on cost of installation and maintenance?

darkman2 wrote: »

Hmmm Paris ran into big trouble with this scheme earlier this year.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/7881079.stm

Most of the bikes were stolen or vandalised. The question now is how likely is it that this scheme in Dublin will be abandoned within months when the local gurriers get their hands on them:rolleyes:

This has been pointed out again and again on this board: The deal done between the JC Decaux, the company who is to run the system, and Dublin City Council takes into account of the level of vandalism and theft which happened in Paris.

Under the deal, JC Decaux replace or fix the bikes, and pays for such.

Also, the city of Paris still sees it as a success -- based on it's usage and how it has driven growth in cycling in general (more people went out and bought new bikes and cycled their old ones).

BendiBus

I've just signed up without any problems.

Nice pdf transaction confirmation saved to my desktop.

My subscriber number is in the 1800s. Is that an indication of the number of subscribers to date? Or maybe they started at number 1800? :pac:

BrianD

My card arrived today along with the T&C's.

daveyboy_1ie

BendiBus wrote: »

I've just signed up without any problems.

Nice pdf transaction confirmation saved to my desktop.

My subscriber number is in the 1800s. Is that an indication of the number of subscribers to date? Or maybe they started at number 1800? :pac:

They started at subscriber number 1, thats definite. not a bad return considering there are still two weeks till the scheme starts

qbasic

The iphone app (when released) will come in handy, should save you cycling to a drop off only to find its full.

http://fusio.net/dublinbikesapp/

gar32

Seen the machine today with the cover off. 13th at 11am is the kick off. I am wondering will there be a que at the stations?

daveyboy_1ie

Well is everyone ready for the big launch on Sunday? I wonder how many are going to try this scheme out in the first week next week to get around City Centre?

monument

daveyboy_1ie wrote: »

They started at subscriber number 1, thats definite.

IF they started at 1 and went upwards from there without skipping, there's a just under 2400 subscribers as of an hour or two when I registered.

Paparazzo

spottyelephant wrote: »

Lol, no i just dont think they're particularly.. aesthetically pleasing, and definately not suited to the corporate world. Weekends? Sure, maybe. Well i'd prob use my own bike, but i'd have no problem with using it for a casual jaunt around town.

That's good. Considering that's exactly what they're designed for!