Bike Sharing Bedlam !

Sydney is about to get a fleet of hire bicycles to speed up inner city transport.  The advertising blitz promises that this will be a cheap and easy way to make inner city journeys but many previous attempts to get Sydney folk on two wheels failed dismally.

In theory, all you need to do is tap your credit card on the bikes " reader " to unlock it, put on the safety helmet sitting in its parcel rack - hop on and pedal away - and at a cost of just $ 1.99 for thirty minutes hire.   At journeys end, you simply use your credit card to " tap off " and lock the bike, and leave it.   The bikes are electronically tracked so the company that own them know instantly where they are located.

Of course, in reality it is not that simple.    You first need to have your credit card registered with the bike company and that involves a registration fee of $99 - which is fully refundable.   It is also imperative that your credit card account is fully operational and without restrictions, and that you understand the necessity of " tapping off " to end the hire period.    It seems inevitable that in a crowded city like Sydney there will be some parts where communication glitches are common.  People with mobile phone are well aware of that problem.

The laws in New South Wales accords bike riders equal rights with motor traffic, except that bikes are totally barred from being ridden in the road tunnel system.  Adults are not permitted to ride on footpaths - except when accompanying children - and those riding hire bikes must obey all the normal road rules that apply to all forms of traffic.   It has yet to be determined how parking police will react to deactivated hire bikes left littering footpaths and kerbside parking bays.

Some people may be reluctant to don a safety helmet that may have been previously used on unwashed heads.  There is also a size problem.  Obviously, opting for the middle ground will mean helmets too big or too small for many people - which raises both a comfort and safety issue.  Many will simply leave the helmet in the parcel rack and ride bare headed - and risk a fine from traffic police.

The main aim of this hire scheme is to provide a way of moving between points in the inner city.  To reach destinations several city blocks apart usually either means a tiring walk or the use of public transport.  Easier - and faster - to hop on a bike and pedal those distances.

That raises the question of rider competence - and that will worry many people.  It is often said that if you learn to ride a bike as a kid, you never lose that skill, but the Sydney traffic is a very dangerous place and the thought of inexperienced riders weaving in and out of traffic could be a nightmare.  It also raises the matter of rider indemnity.

When we drive a registered motor vehicle we have the protection of compulsory third party insurance - the costly " green slip " cover we need for vehicle registration.   Should a bike rider cause an accident in which someone else is seriously injured they would be personally liable for any damages awarded by a court.

That is something the wise would be advised to consider when deciding to use this new form of hire transport !