I took these pictures kinda documenting the apparent issue of people not following the rules and was wondering whether or not this is a people problem, or a design problem, as you often hear that a problem creates a design opportunity, or some junk like that.
-Fiets Weg? Sign at Train Station, Boxtel. Essentially, is your bike gone? Well since you were a chump and didn't park it in the racks provided, the police came around and picked up all the improperly parked bikes, and you can pick it up at the government office during normal business hours, and provide the key to verify that it is you bike. There may also be a fine or so that has to be paid, but I don't think that is mentioned in the sign here.
-Fiets nog niet weg... So, notice the cyclists, despite the sign and warnings still don't lock their bikes up in the racks like they're supposed to. I think they actually parked their bikes at the sign as a sign of defiance or spite. Or maybe just to make it a good picture.
-Vervelend Fietsers, so, notice all the bikes parked (supposedly) in front of the normal bike parking, it's really annoying if you go to park your bike, and there's a mess of bikes in the way to the bike racks. Since I get kinda pissed off at people for doing this, I don't feel bad for knocking those bikes over or outta the way. Really, I think the deal is these are the same people who would otherwise get speeding tickets all the time as they are constantly in a rush and didn't plan their time out, or they're just lazy jerks that like to make things difficult for everyone else.
-Fiets stallen, looking down the roadside aisle of the bike parking, yes, there are a lot of bikes (for a city of 30,000), and it does look full, but people don't bother trying. Looks like some people on the left tried to be stealthy by parking similarly and in line with the other bikes, like they're camouflaged. Seriously though, when I ride in, I usually spot a spot within the first 10 metres.
People are just lazy chumps, I think thats my conclusion.
5 comments:
oh, the glorious bikes!
i had to start taking the bus last week and i am still not over it.
I feel that pain. I don't like buses so much. Trains trump buses. Bikes trump trains. Bike wins.
I say, get a bike and winter tires.
But if bus runs over bike, then bus wins? What are the hand signals for this game?
As a design opportunity, how about a big carousel like at the dry cleaners that you hang your bike up on. Person thumb prints on a reader when hanging up a bike, and thumb prints again when picking up to recall it on the carousel. This way its convenient enough that the 'lazy' people don't have to go to far, and its more secure against theft.
A bike carousel would also be costly to implement, especially on a grand scale as the racks pictured here are pretty universal at most train stations I've seen so far, and are deluxe enough to incorporate lighting.
Carousel would have moving parts, motors (requiring more power), and would just be overly complex, especially once you throw in your fingerprint reader, or even a magnetic strip reader.
Simplicity is better.
a guy that works next to me has those winter tires on his bike - or more effectively, has a winter bike, since they're SO BIG (like dirt bike tires) that you need new brakes and new forks to fit them. good for him though - he's a trooper. 25 cm of snow today! yikes!!
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