Liam 2d ago
In today’s lesson about integrating public transport, new technologies and private providers, and accessibility in urban design, here are two pictures: one is a kerb bus stop and the other is a major pedestrian underpass
Show threadLiam 2d ago

All transport modes impose some kind of externality. Trains need marshalling yards and a permanent way, and have a really serious ongoing maintenance budget. For public modes that’s planned in: bus routes get more roadwork, stops get isolated from parking, it’s accounted for.

For *private* modes like these there’s every incentive for companies to offload the externality (parking) onto the public, and specifically the spaces of the people least likely to be able to step over a tangle of bicycles.

Show threadAdam2d ago
@liamvhogan everywhere these bikes are they are a problem. It speaks to the capture of councils by capital that they are permitted to operate like this.
Show threadLiam 2d ago
@Kels_316 it’s a typical verticality problem: the obvious solution is for *some* level of government to say, you want to operate, sure, you need to plan for dedicated parking and storage (like every bus company does). But is it Councils or the State government? Both think it’s the other one because there’s no ‘private hire electric bicycle’ powers set out in legislation yet
Show threadJustified Ancient of Moomin
@liamvhogan @Kels_316 in my LGA we have recently started an “exclusive” trial of these stupid hire bikes with Lime/Uber. They are supposed to be parked in designated “virtual” parking bays, usually on nature strips. Is this done? Fuck no. The bikes are vandalised and dumped all over footpaths
Mar 25 at 10:25pmWeb
Show threadAdam2d ago
@ThermiteBeGiants @liamvhogan where we lived in Melbs was on a major bike trail network to/from the CBD and these things were scattered everywhere and usually ended up in the river.
Show threadColin2d ago

@ThermiteBeGiants @liamvhogan @Kels_316 They should be returned to their natural habitat: The Yarra.

I loathe these abuses of public space for private profit. Instead of building better cycling infrastructure and public transport.