Coca-Cola Bikes

54kroc

pwurple wrote: »

I guess I've always lived in a city, so it's even a bit weird to me that people don't know how cycling to someplace works. The vast majority of my friends cycled or walked to school most days. Hope my kids will too, once they are big enough.

You know people that don't know how cycling works? How strange.

clerk

munstermagic11 wrote: »

I'm in Carrigtwohill, so would love to see nearby towns get something as well when heading for the city; the Glounthaune route is a pothole-fest, and the dual carriageway is a 120km danger-fest.

l know a good few people that cycle regularly for leisure and fitness but you mention above a "120km danger-fest", personally l think cycling in the hard shoulder on a 120km road is madness. Driving out the road from the City towards say Youghal on a Saturday you'd pass loads of cyclists. Every so often the hard shoulder goes as there is a slip lane and they have to cut across the slip lane to the next section. Seems incredibly dangerous to me.

Knasher

clerk wrote: »

Seems incredibly dangerous to me.

Yeah I'd have to agree. On the slower roads that I cycle on, it happens all the time that some idiot decides that because he is turning left off a road, I must also be turning left. I've taken to moving into the centre of the road during certain stretches, just to stop people overtaking me and then immediately turning left into me. I'd hate to see that same situation, but sped up to 120kph.

That being said, you don't often hear of accidents from all this, so maybe it isn't quite as dangerous as it first sounds?

pwurple

54kroc wrote: »

I don't work in the city so I was just genuinely curious.

54kroc wrote: »

You know people that don't know how cycling works? How strange.

Yeah. You!

It's pretty good though. You pedal, it goes, you arrive.

Corholio

munstermagic11 wrote: »

Based solely on the stats (and speaking with friends of mine who been there), Amsterdam gets a lot less rain.

My point about the increased rainfall, the hills of Cork, and our low level of cycling numbers; is that it's adds to the difficulty of getting people in Cork to transfer to a bike.
It not impossible, and the bike scheme is a great way to help.
Hope that we continue to see improvements in this area.
I'm in Carrigtwohill, so would love to see nearby towns get something as well when heading for the city; the Glounthaune route is a pothole-fest, and the dual carriageway is a 120km danger-fest.

Cycling from near Carrigtwohill?? I live near there and wouldn't cycle to the city from there in a million years. It works in the city because it's very localised and city based.

Subpopulus

munstermagic11 wrote: »

But when I did cycle to CIT, I suffered number colds as a result (particularly compared to when I drove when I returned later in life).

That's quite surprising. I've cycled for about 7 years now, and the last time I was so sick as to have to miss college and stay in bed was in 2009, which incidentally, was one year when I wasn't cycling. So I put my good health down to cycling.

Dutch researchers have show that workers who cycle miss less days than non-cycling workers.
http://www.fietsberaad.nl/index.cfm?lang=en&section=nieuws&mode=newsArticle&repository=Cycling+more++reduces+absenteeism

namloc1980

munstermagic11 wrote: »

But when I did cycle to CIT, I suffered number colds as a result (particularly compared to when I drove when I returned later in life).

Isn't that a huge myth that being out in cold/rain causes illness?

54kroc

pwurple wrote: »

Yeah. You!

It's pretty good though. You pedal, it goes, you arrive.

I do know honestly, I have cycled since I was a child and competitively up until I was around 24.
I wasn't trying to be pissy with my earlier posts, I was just wondering if people had the option to grab a shower if they wanted, I do realise most would not need one.

j8wk2feszrnpao

Corholio wrote: »

Cycling from near Carrigtwohill?? I live near there and wouldn't cycle to the city from there in a million years.

Me neither, unless the infrastructure was in place.

j8wk2feszrnpao

Subpopulus wrote: »

That's quite surprising.

I'm happy that you were not affected, wish I had your good luck/health.

j8wk2feszrnpao

namloc1980 wrote: »

Isn't that a huge myth that being out in cold/rain causes illness?

Not that I'm aware.
As far as I know, in cold weather your nose gets colder, which produces a more suitable environment for the virus to inhabit. Upon getting in from the cold, you nose reheats, and you begin to inhale the virus. It was explained to me by a doctor a few years back; I'll let others who are more well informed judge if he was just passing the myth off on me.

Either way, staying dry/warm led to a lot less colds and throat infections for me; for whatever that anecdotal evidence is worth.

I8A4RE

Approximately 2500 people have signed up, paying a deposit of €150 each. Who is making money from the total deposit amount and or the interest accrued?

Subpopulus

No-one. It's not a deposit and it's not taken out of your account. Basically, when you sign up you simply allow the bike management firm to take that amount of your account should anything get broken.

Subpopulus

Wait a sec. I just scrolled up just now and saw that you asked the very same question already and it was answered in post 65. Did you not see that or are you just being obtuse?

namloc1980

I8A4RE wrote: »

Approximately 2500 people have signed up, paying a deposit of €150 each. Who is making money from the total deposit amount and or the interest accrued?

I heard it's gone into a special fund so the Lord Mayor can do a round the world trip on a pink elephant. True story.

I8A4RE

Subpopulus wrote: »

Wait a sec. I just scrolled up just now and saw that you asked the very same question already and it was answered in post 65. Did you not see that or are you just being obtuse?

Did'nt look back at previous messages, dont have the time

Deub

I8A4RE wrote: »

Did'nt look back at previous messages, dont have the time

But you have the time to write the same question again...

The bike scheme is a great initiative. I don't see how people can be against it. If you don't like cycling, don't use it. They removed few parking spaces so I don't get how it will be more difficult to park.

I8A4RE

I cycle a lot just to state the fact. Why should bikes take predominance over car park spaces, where more spaces could be provided for disabled parking.

TheChizler

I8A4RE wrote: »

I cycle a lot just to state the fact. Why should bikes take predominance over car park spaces, where more spaces could be provided for disabled parking.

Is there a need for more disabled parking spaces in town? I've never heard of a lack of spaces, I've heard of a lack of spaces not occupied by illegally parked cars all right.

Bacchus

I8A4RE wrote: »

I cycle a lot just to state the fact. Why should bikes take predominance over car park spaces, where more spaces could be provided for disabled parking.

More available parking stations encourages people to cycle in the city. Cycling is a healthy activity. Cycling does not contribute to pollution or use diesel/petrol like cars do. Cycling is a cheaper way to get around the city than taxi/bus. More people cycling will reduce the number of cars driving around the city which will reduce the traffic congestion in the city. Those reasons seem plenty to me to allow a few bike stations take precedence over street parking. As a bonus reason, on a personal level, when on a city break I love when cities have these schemes so I can cycle around - so IMO, it's good for tourism too.

BTW, the only problem with the special needs parking space in the city is the scumbags who park in them without a permit. I've never had a problem finding a free space though when I've needed one.

mire

I8A4RE wrote: »

I cycle a lot just to state the fact. Why should bikes take predominance over car park spaces, where more spaces could be provided for disabled parking.

Do bikes 'take predominance over car park spaces'? Don't think so. And far from it. Cork city centre has more car parking spaces than the demand requires. There are also many non-car users, who should be accommodated. Your disabled car parking point is an odd one. Surely, if you want increased numbers of disabled car parking spaces, this means simply reducing car parking spaces?

There's another point though; we are on the way to be Europe's fattest state. Part of the reason for that is because we seem to want to drive as clsoe as possible to everywhere we go. Any measures aimed at discouraging that mindset and that behaviour is to be welcomed, including, yes, removing car parking spaces, and encouraging people to walk a few metres from their car park to shops, work, school.

namloc1980

I8A4RE wrote: »

I cycle a lot just to state the fact. Why should bikes take predominance over car park spaces, where more spaces could be provided for disabled parking.

I would suspect of the available space in the city, spaces for cars outweigh spaces for the bike stations by a factor of a few hundred I would say conservatively. Hardly predominance but certainly a bit of hyperbole.

mire

Bacchus wrote: »

More available parking stations encourages people to cycle in the city. Cycling is a healthy activity. Cycling does not contribute to pollution or use diesel/petrol like cars do. Cycling is a cheaper way to get around the city than taxi/bus. More people cycling will reduce the number of cars driving around the city which will reduce the traffic congestion in the city. Those reasons seem plenty to me to allow a few bike stations take precedence over street parking. As a bonus reason, on a personal level, when on a city break I love when cities have these schemes so I can cycle around - so IMO, it's good for tourism too.

BTW, the only problem with the special needs parking space in the city is the scumbags who park in them without a permit. I've never had a problem finding a free space though when I've needed one.

An ironic point in relation to your last point is that some people who have weight-related health issues [which reduces mobility and accessibility] are having to seek disabled parking permits, allowing them to park closer to work. The system therefore is being forced to make unhealthy behavioural patterns even more unhealthy.

Bacchus

mire wrote: »

An ironic point in relation to your last point is that some people who have weight-related health issues [which reduces mobility and accessibility] are having to seek disabled parking permits, allowing them to park closer to work. The system therefore is being forced to make unhealthy behavioural patterns even more unhealthy.

I agree, overweight people are ones that should be walking more! However, there are people out there that have weight problems due to some underlying medical condition. I think it would be unfair to lump them in the same category (not that I think you are... I'm just clarifying that in case someone jumps down my throat).

Everyone else though, IMO, got themselves into their situation and have a personal responsibility to improve their own health and not use the government/council as a crutch for every aspect of their lives. Not only would it serve to continue the weight spiral in their lives it would impact the lives of people who legitimately need those spaces.

Anyway, I've digressed from the thread, this could go way off topic quickly

Back to the bikes!

mire

Bacchus wrote: »

I agree, overweight people are ones that should be walking more! However, there are people out there that have weight problems due to some underlying medical condition. I think it would be unfair to lump them in the same category (not that I think you are... I'm just clarifying that in case someone jumps down my throat).

Everyone else though, IMO, got themselves into their situation and have a personal responsibility to improve their own health and not use the government/council as a crutch for every aspect of their lives. Not only would it serve to continue the weight spiral in their lives it would impact the lives of people who legitimately need those spaces.

Anyway, I've digressed from the thread, this could go way off topic quickly

Back to the bikes!

Good points all round,

One other point in relation to the whole bike debate. They're just bikes. Some of the criticism is way over the top. People really need to develop some persepctive on this. Cycling isn't some new-fangles nanny-state invention. Look, there were probably more people cycling in Cork City one hundred years ago than there are now.

cgcsb

I8A4RE wrote: »

I cycle a lot just to state the fact. Why should bikes take predominance over car park spaces, where more spaces could be provided for disabled parking.

Because it is transport policy to discourage car use and encourage cycling, walking and public transport.

Milly33

jes his still going on a about it..Time to get over it I8A4RE that or as someone mentioned take the time to read the thread you started properly and get over it

Jentle Grenade

A good few of the bikes by the Mercy today were faulty. Pretty irritating when you have to keep returning and reporting the fault! When I returned 20 minutes later though the truck was there to haul the faulty bikes off. Very efficient!