I joined Capital Bikeshare (CB), and although it was freezing cold today, I popped my CB cherry. CB is like zip car for bikes. There are 110 stations around the city and in Arlington, VA, containing 1,100 bikes. Members can insert their keychain toggle and take a bike for a spin and return it to any station you want, as long as there is a space available. The first 30 minutes are free. Up to an an hour cost $1.50. The next half hour cost is another $3 and the next half adds $6 (for a total of $10.50). Each additional half hour escalates the price to ridiculous amounts. They emphasize it is designed for people to make short trips around the city.
I got my keychain toggle last night in the mail, so on the way home from work tonight, I decided to go for a spin even though it was barely 40 degrees. I inserted my toggle and saw the light turn green, indicating that I should have been able to release the bike from its dock. I pulled and nothing happened. I tried again. I tried another bike. I was having no luck. Finally, I got one loose and off I went for a very short ride.
The reason I joined is to be able to ride home from work. It is about a 7 mile trip. There is a station near where I work and a station near Eastern Market Metro, near where I live. I'm hoping I can make it in less than 30 minutes... about the same time it takes to ride the subway. It seems like a fun way to get a little extra exercise. I am hoping it gets warmer soon.
3 comments:
Very cool, one advantage of being metro.
The trick for getting the bikes out of the rack is to lift up the seat and pull the bike back. If that doesn't work, try lifting at the handlebars and pulling back.
Sounds like an ingenious -- if pricey -- idea.
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