LJWorld.com

merrill (Anonymous) says…

aris Aims to Cut Traffic With Bikes

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By angela doland Associated Press Writer

July 15,2007 | PARIS — The City of Light wants to be the city that bikes.

Paris City Hall launched a new bicycle service Sunday, with more than 10,600 posted at 750 stations all over the city. Users can take a bike and put it back at any station around town.

The service — called Velib', a combination of the words “velo” (bike) and “liberte” (liberty) — is an initiative pushed by Socialist Mayor Bertrand Delanoe, who has made fighting traffic and pollution his No. 1 goal.

For Parisians, the bicycle service means another public transport option, in addition to the subway, buses and trams, Delanoe said.

“In the morning, you can go to work in the tram and come home by bike; it depends on the weather, it depends on your mood and on your friends,” Delanoe said at the launch.

Business was brisk the first day. Parisian Sandrine Millet checked out her local station near the Champs-Elysees avenue and discovered only four bicycles left at a stand of 27. She hopped on one of the gray three-speeds and said it was “very comfortable.”

“It's perfect for short rides, when you want to get somewhere fast, but don't have the courage to walk,” she said.

Velib' is also accessible to tourists. The service is offered in eight languages, and its machines accept foreign credit cards.

Paris is following the example of other European cities with inexpensive bicycle services, including Stockholm, Vienna, Brussels, Barcelona and Copenhagen.

Delanoe has promoted biking heavily since taking office in 2001, and the city now has 230 miles of bike lanes. Velib' is due for expansion: By the year's end, Paris says it will nearly double the number of Velib' bicycles and stations.

A yearlong pass costs $39.50, while a one-day pass costs $1.36 — and a seven-day ticket goes for $6.80. But the project is designed for short rides and has a sliding price scale — so as to keep the bikes in rotation.

The first half-hour after users pick up a bike is free, but additional half-hours cost extra. Anyone who does not know the sliding scale and goes for a long joyride is in for a surprise: A one-day pass plus a 6-hour ride costs around $55.

Paris is distributing pocket copies of road safety rules to Velib' riders — but bikers have to supply their own helmets.

merrill (Anonymous) says…

The Bikes to Schools program works with nearby schools to get bikes to students who may not otherwise have access. The program grew from the YBP Collective’s desire for more interaction with the neighborhoods immediately surrounding the 51st Street shop. To date, Bikes to Schools has donated 89 bikes at four nearby elementary schools. REI granted money for the 2006 – 2007 school years to ensure that students also get helmets, light sets and locks. The Austin Cycling Association (ACA) has pitched in to add a bike safety education component to the program. The next Bikes to Schools donation will take place December 15 at the Austin Discovery School, the day before the Open House. The school will utilize the thirty donated bikes, which are overhauled during open hours at the 51st Street shop, as part of their Environmental Fitness curriculum. As Tuesday Night Volunteer Shop Coordinator Patrick Jones points out, “Bikes to Schools gives those who regularly utilize the shop an excellent opportunity to volunteer and give back to the Project and the community.”
To ensure that all the programs go forward as planned, Yellow Bike needs used bikes of all sizes. The YBP Collective encourages everyone to stop by the Open House to see the shop and find out more about current programs. If you have a bike you’d like to donate, bring it to the Open House or to any open shop at 51st Street. To view a current schedule or for more information, see www.austinyellowbike.org .

http://www.news8austin.com/content/commu…

Informed (Anonymous) says…

merrill, your incessant posting and thread hijacking is quite tiring. Go back to L'ville, where they at least tolerate your drivel. And that's from someone who is all for more bike lanes, bike paths and better cyclist/motorist relations. Some (many?) of us just get so bloody tired of the non-stop copy and paste.

On to important stuff…

Thanks for doing this Dan. Sorry I missed it, but yesterday's stage was something else, wasn't it? I think you're right; I think the lead will change hands at least a few more times in the next week and a half.