The companies are both very responsive to questions about bicycles in different neighborhoods. This is a pilot so there is room to work things out, for instance as far as bike parking. Readers with comments related to RantWoman's observations and opinions below are urged to get in touch with the companies involved. However, if one comes across a heavy hard to lift bicycle in one's path and does not know which company it belongs to, consider tweeting a photo to @seattledot or emailing and letting them sort it out.
The longer version:
Were sidewalks in many parts of Seattle not already cluttered enough with A-boards, trash cans, tree wells, shopping carts in random states of functionality, and other impediments, hazards and random charming additions to urban life? Apparently not because now we get to add new "dockless" bike shares. "Dockless" means that unlike the ill-fated Pronto, the new bikes do not need their own racks. Instead they can be left anywhere, preferably in or near existing bike racks. Currently there are two main specimens, Lime green and yellow bikes from LimeBike and orange ones operated by Spin.
Both companies show up robustly in search results, so RantWoman thanks her readers for patience if she skips hyperlinking.
RantWoman's first few direct experiences with the new companies have been brightly colored bicycles knocked over in the middle of sidewalks. Ambassador thwack the white cane has managed not to go all Percussive Pedagogy on the offending vehicles mostly because RantWoman has managed to get around them without incident. But with the prospect of 1000 more bikes on the streets and sidewalks of Seattle soon, RantWoman needs to weigh in.
Slowly it dawned on RantWoman that indeed she needs to pay more attention to the new bike shares. RantWoman also has many friends who are avid bicyclists, social media groupies who have a variety of perspectives, and other groupies who have some of the same concerns RantWoman does. Mainly: what are good options for parking the bikes where they can be found easily, do not block the sidewalk in their upright position and cannot easily be knocked over?
Remember Pronto? The big racks full of heavy bikes that could be checked out, ridden from one destination to another and then left for the next rider? RantWoman did not meticulously track why Pronto failed, but Seattle is a big biking town. RantWoman is not at all surprised that someone else is trying again. In fact two companies are currently deploying bikes and apps to support their use in many parts of Seattle. RantWoman is going to let the companies introduce themselves in their own words.
Spin has arrived.
https://www.spin.pm/
So has Limebike:
https://www.limebike.com/#lime
They both also have apps.
The funding:
RantWoman is vaguely interested in this which is why this link is included
https://www.crunchbase.com/organization/limebike#/entity
RantWoman presents pictures with comments. RantWoman apologizes for no alt-text and is not going into technical difficulties.
Spin bike, pretty decent parking job but RantWoman cannot tell whether the wheel juts out past the end of the building. This area is also near the Lighthouse for the Blind . RantWoman is not a super expert on landmarks for #whitecane users and might think to ask some Orientation and Mobility instructurs about the pros and cons of this parking job.
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| Spin Bike at corner of a building |
A lo
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| Well parked Bike |
Below: A lovely bus stop. RantWoman suggests parking the bikes either behind the bus shelter or along the fence. RantWoman emphatically does NOT suggest parking the bike next to the light pole unless on the back side off the main sidewalk.
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| A bus stop |
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