Velib: A-Holes #$%^ing it Up

• Byron
• 16 years ago
• Categories: Blog

In another example of a-holes ruining it for everyone else, and another dent in my Euro Bike Utopia fantasy, the Velib bike share program is in jeopardy.

While millions of trips we’re ridden, Velib Extreme also emerged with vandals riding the bikes down steps, into metro stations, and on BMX tracks.

I remember YellowBike efforts being derailed by theft as well, even after they painted the bikes bright yellow.

Velib Stats

• 20,000 bicycles
• 1,250 stations
• Cost 400 euros each to replace
• 7,800 “disappeared”
• 11,600 vandalized
• 1,500 daily repairs
• Staff recover 20 abandoned bikes a day
• Each bike travels 10,000 km a year
• 42 million users since launch

Who’s to blame? Social decline or the end of western civilization? I don’t know, but Velib’s problems aren’t going to help bike sharing grow.

Media Coverage

• Vandalism Vexes Paris Bike-Rental System
• Thefts puncture Paris bike scheme
• Paris self-service bicycles are vandalised, stolen and sold

Updated

Velib is back in the news on NPR.

Uploaded by Jason Whittaker | more from the Bike Hugger Photostream.