Articles
Originally published on Tuesday, 3rd April 2007
I Want to Ride My Bicycle
Much as I love my car, Ken's congestion charge and NCP car park prices have almost killed the joy in joy-riding.
The alternative? The tube is full of guitar-playing buskers and the buses full of hoodies. So what's a girl to do?
The OYBike System might just be the ticket. A bit like a biking version of Streetcar or Zipcar, simply register for free on their site - oybike.com - with an initial usage credit of £10 and head off to pick up a bike from one of hundreds of locations.
Once you've got there you simply call their call centre, get given a code (also sent to you by text message - ideal if you are numerically illiterate like me) unlock your bike and cycle away. When you've finished with the bike, simply lock it back up at any OYBike station, send them back the new code and the hire period is finished.
And if your bike isn't there when you get back, oh well! With an annual theft and damage waiver of £10, it's a hell of a lot cheaper than replacing your own.
May not be Copenhagen, but for now, it's a start.
OYBike System - bike rental station network
Now over 40 stations across London
