I’ve recently started using LimeBike and I have to say - it’s been a fun, fast, and super convenient way to get around the city. Whether I’m heading to work, meeting friends or just cruising for fun, the scooters are always a great option.
The app is easy to use: just scan, unlock, and ride. The scooters are usually in good condition and I love how eco-friendly and quiet they are compared to cars. It’s especially handy for short distances - much faster than walking, and no need to deal with traffic or parking.
One thing I appreciate is the pricing - it’s affordable if you’re just hopping from one place to another. Plus the battery levels are shown in the app, so I can always pick one with a full charge.
If I had to mention one downside, it would be that sometimes it takes a few minutes to find a scooter nearby, especially in less busy areas. But overall Lime has made city travel a lot more fun and flexible for me.
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I really like the idea of Lime Bike but the execution in Dallas has really shown some of the downsides of this kind of product. I saw Lime Bikes left everywhere; sometimes there would be half a dozen on their side in a parking lot of a restaurant or on a sidewalk. This got so bad in Dallas that places like Highland Park ended up outlawing them altogether https://www.dallasnews.com/news/.... I really like this idea but I just wish that trusting the users to place bikes in reasonable locations was better enforced.
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@geoffwithaj Ditto here in Alameda, where they're often left in the middle of sidewalks, in doorways, taking up bike racks (they have their own locking mechanisms and don't need to be locked to a rack, so they're just taking up spots of someone who needs it), etc. They seem to be getting a lot of use, but they're quite a nuisance, as well. LimeBike has also been completely unresponsive to questions on social media and via email. I also recall that on the first day of the launch they dropped a dozen of these things right into the places where scooter/motorcycle drivers park their bikes at the local ferry, inconveniencing everyone using other responsible modes of transportation. It just showed the company had no inclination to do even the smallest bit of research before dropping their product on the city.
Something that frustrates me about this is that many people see LimeBike as a "public resource" – as evidenced by local FB group discussions ad nauseam – either not realizing or not caring that this is a private company that owns and makes money on these bikes. So many people responded to complaints about blocked sidewalks by saying "it's not LimeBike's fault." Well, whose is it, then? They own the bikes, so they're responsible for how they're used.
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@geoffwithaj Same situation in South San Francisco. I've used them several times and the entire experience is pretty seamless and convenient, but seeing bikes thrown into ditches and littering the sidewalks is pretty depressing.
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@geoffwithaj Live in Dallas as well and to add to this. All the other bike sharing brands doing the same. Just poor execution. Piles of bikes everywhere.
