Theft and Vandalism Threaten One of World's Largest Bike-Share Systems
With 12,000 docking stations, Paris' expansive Velib system is the envy of cities across the world. But last year it lost 9,000 bikes to theft or vandalism. Its admirable ambition is threatening the functionality of the entire system.
"According to figures unearthed by Le Monde last week, 9,000 bikes from Paris' Vélib' bike-share system were damaged or stolen last year," reports Feargus O’Sullivan. "Even with ongoing repairs and replacements making up some of the shortfall, Paris bike-share numbers have dwindled sharply.""
"Various reasons have been given for the wave of thefts," he explains. "Some have floated the idea that poor kids are hitting back at what they see as mainly Bobo bike-share users. Others have insisted that teens are simply bent on wanton destruction, while it’s also been noted that a minority of thieves are people stealing bikes to ride home on when they’re drunk."
"Whatever the reasons, the huge losses are causing a rethink of the scheme’s scope."
Published on Thursday, September 26, 2013 in
- Is There a Perfect Density?
- Six States Considered Laws to Make it Legal to Run Over Protestors This Year
- Aurora Rising
- The Most Effective Way to Reduce Employee Driving
- Corridors Are the Secret to Improving Transit in Small Cities
- When Men Control the Debate About the Future of Cities
- Five Big Ideas About the Future of Transportation and Land Use in Los Angeles
- The 'Steady Decline' of Suburban America
- Trump's Infrastructure Plan Slow to Materialize Despite New Executive Order, Flow Chart
- Congestion Pricing Finds New Life in New York City
- Trafalgar Square Shows How to Reuse Pedestals Where Statues Once Stood
- Copenhagen's Post-Industrial Adaptive Reuse
- The Trump Administration's Assault on Diversity Spreads to Housing Vouchers
- Night Mayors Come to America
- Friday Eye Candy: An Infographic for Every Transit Mode
- Is the Era of the 'Free' Freeway Coming to an End?
- A Montana College Town's Beer Economy
- High-Speed Rail Takes Steps Forward in Houston, Though Challenges Remain
- L.A. County Pilot Project Will Pay Homeowners to Add Granny Flats
- Ventra-Divvy Integration in the Works, Says Transportation Commissioner
