London launches their Bixi system

As London launches its version of the Bixi, a Guardian writer comes here to check out how it works (with a link to Da Gryptions’ immortal anthem). The Gazette notices that London has 6000 bikes, 1000 more than in Montreal – but it’s a much bigger and more populous city, so that’s not unreasonable. (BBC says it has 5,000 bikes now and plans to ramp up to 6,000 later. Either way, all the bikes were made in Canada.)

It’s also a nice irony that our lack of a helmet law is one of the things that has contributed to Bixi’s popularity: in Melbourne, you’re fined if you aren’t wearing one, no matter what you’re riding, so their Bixi-type system isn’t thriving. It’s the sort of thing that flourishes on spontaneity.

It’s less of a nice irony that we end up paying more for our Bixi because we can’t benefit from it five months a year. Also, users want more Bixis.