Rented TFL Bikes

jenniewb

I have seen a few of these flying around, they look like nice Bikes. Sponsored by Barclays I thought they sounded like a good idea. But I have a few too many unanswered questions about how they work in the real world when you include fees.

If you find a problem, they seem quite expensive- the 24hour fee scares me (£150 if you do not dock the bike back in 24 hours could result in drink-drivers methinks).

Here is the initial link
http://www.tfl.gov.uk/roadusers/cycling/14808.aspx

Here is the price code link:
http://www.tfl.gov.uk/roadusers/cycling/14811.aspx

has anyone tried this yet? does anyone else see any expensive problems? I really want to try one of these out but cannot afford to at present.

(Such as:
Your running late for work, pick up a bike, find the docking station near your destination is all full and you spend ages looking for a new one,
Or you pick up a bike with a fault as the person before you didn't want to pay the fee for there being an error on the bike,
Or your injured and cannot get the bike back to a docking station....)

Savvy_Sue

Did you watch the video? that said that the docking stations would tell you where the next one was if it was full, and that you wouldn't be charged for getting there. Also it seemed as if the charge was for damage, not for if you found a fault.

They said on the radio this morning that they were heavy so quite hard work to ride.

jenniewb

Savvy_Sue wrote: »

Did you watch the video? that said that the docking stations would tell you where the next one was if it was full, and that you wouldn't be charged for getting there. Also it seemed as if the charge was for damage, not for if you found a fault.

They said on the radio this morning that they were heavy so quite hard work to ride.

Ah thanks- no speakers on my computer at the mo so wasn't able to 'see' the video- thanks for clarifying that for me:o

diable

Waste of time and money in my opinion.

powerfulone

I agree - I wondered up to one at the weekend and the £150 late return fine threw me - I mean even a parking ticket is £60 - how can they justify that level of fine?

Also the general cost isn't cheap. Yet I was reading in the Metro that in Denmark it costs 20 krona IIRC (about £2) for as long as you want, no deposit, no fines, no nothing!

AppleCore

Aren't they only in zone 1? You could actually walk most of that and it wouldn't be much use to commuters.

jenniewb

AppleCore wrote: »

Aren't they only in zone 1? You could actually walk most of that and it wouldn't be much use to commuters.

Seems like a nice idea though, I walk so much and it would be nice for example to not walk from Oxford Circus down to Waterloo (tubes = tourise back pack night mare, buses = traffic and tourist back pack nightmare,) not so sure I trust them not to make me late- if there were no parking spots yes they may tell me where else to go but theres nothing to say I wont miss my train as a result.

Just too afraid of any fees or worse, any errors where I get charged by mistake due to a technical fault, cannot risk that.

Maybe they'll lower the cost eventually, still cheaper then getting a bike though. Had mine stolen, (Two D-Locks and a cable chain, the enitre bike rack went. Big scam, nothing I would have predicted) can't afford to replace it, especially not if its just going to get stolen again. Like the TFL bike idea but may see what the media does with it first. Empty summer- I predict a field day!