im in paris now and i have to say that the velib system works amazingly well. the idea isn't just to have people ride bikes everywhere all the time, its more to encourage people to use them instead of motor vehicles for short trips, hence them being free for the first half hour of use. from my perspective as a visitor, it has made the city much more accessible, and reduced my need for public transportation/taxis. i imagine it would be great for philadelphia or any city, although id really need to see the cost breakdown for operating the system.

Do they include helmets with the rentals, so do you have to bring your own?

we always worry about what we can't do or be....

why don't we try it. Eventually, your gas prices will go up to the point that you'll want this...why not get it in place before that happens.

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Hey All,
In fact, a whole group of people... myself included... are actively trying to get a bike sharing program just like Velib working. We're calling it Philacycle, and have been working on it for the last two years.

If you're interested in the program, or think you'd like to help out, please shoot me an email: dan@philacycle.org

We're also about to launch a brand new website, http://philacycle.org

Cheers!
Dan Delaney

Great idea! I'd use it. Then I wouldn't worry about my own bike getting stolen.

I wholeheartedly support this program .... I hope that it is inclusive in that it can be set up for residents and tourists.

I can ask folks in the Passyunk Square area about what they would think of it, but I think it would be a welcome addition to the area. Also might make it easier for tourists to bike out to get their cheesesteak fix and then bike off an ounce or so of Whiz on the ride back to hotel land.

Be sure to make the bikes real ugly to discourage theft and yet be a branding concept.

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"All of this will not be finished in the first one hundred days, nor will it be finished in the first one thousand days, nor in the life of this administration, nor even perhaps in our lifetime on this planet. But let us begin."

~John F. Kennedy

Also there is the 'yellow bikes' program in certain areas... free yellow bikes (or otherwise similarly painted) bikes are put out all over the place.. if you see one of these bikes you can just take it.. ride where you need to go, and leave the bike there, unlocked, for someone else to pick up.

No hassle with rental fees.. bikes provided by donations, sponsorships, rebuilding old bikes on a volunteer basis, etc.