Just over half of the U-bicycles that once filled Greater Victoria streets are gone, mostly thanks to thieves and vandalism.
On Sept. 30, 2017, bike-sharing company U-bicycle distributed 200 bikes across the city. Equipped with GPS and self-activating locks, the bikes had no fixed bicycle racks and could be docked anywhere.
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Eventually, the program expanded to Saanich, Esquimalt, Langford and Cowichan Bay. In November 2018, U-bicycle switched to a B次元官网网址渧irtual parking systemB次元官网网址� in Greater Victoria. The 135 B次元官网网址渧irtual parking zonesB次元官网网址� are used for the pick up and drop off of bicycles.
The virtual B次元官网网址減arking spotsB次元官网网址� are supposed organize the bikes and B次元官网网址渃ontrol the chaos,B次元官网网址� said U-Bicycle Victoria city manager Tricia Cacchione, as well as B次元官网网址渆nsure bikes arenB次元官网网址檛 being parked in inconvenient places B次元官网网址� like blocking someone in a wheelchair.B次元官网网址�
REMINDER: Starting tomorrow, November 1st, U-bicycle in Victoria will officially be implementing the new virtual parking zone system in order to make the U-bicycle experience more reliable and convenient for our riders. 鉁�
B次元官网网址� U-bicycle Canada (@Ubicycle_Canada)
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But virtual docks didnB次元官网网址檛 solve all of U-bicycleB次元官网网址檚 problems. Since they were first introduced, many of the bikes have been stolen, damaged or vandalized. In fact, only 110 U-bicycles remain on the streets of downtown Victoria.
It appears that one cyclist even B次元官网网址渄ockedB次元官网网址� a U-bicycle under the Johnson Street bridge.
| Callisto Rivers snapped a picture of a bike submerged beneath the Johnson Street bridge. |
B次元官网网址淎s a start-up company we are still dealing with the growing pains and we have come to a realization that vandalism and damage is, unfortunately, kind of just part of the process of having an accessible option for individuals,B次元官网网址� Cacchione said, adding she hopes anyone who witnesses a bike being toyed with or damaged will contact U-Bicycle.
B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檙e always essentially watching the bikes. We know which ones are missing and which ones have been taken inappropriately,B次元官网网址� she added. B次元官网网址淎ll we can do is create a dialogue and increase our community engagement.B次元官网网址�
| Robert Emmett found this U-Bicycle wheel off Douglas Street and Burnside Road. |
Cacchione said many of the bikes have been donated or recycled after having their locks tampered.
When the bike is left behind, U-Bicycle has the option to donate the bikes to an organization that refurbishes them and sends them to Uganda.
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U-bicycle has bikes in other B.C. locations including Port Moody, Port Coquitlam and Richmond.
This story was updated to reflect more current numbers provided by Victoria U-Bicycle.
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