On Aug 13, 2:46Â*pm, Tom Anderson wrote:
Afternoon all,
We've wondered aloud about what happens if there is an asymmetric flow of
BorisBikes from one station to another, and how the resulting surplus and
deficit of cycles is resolved.
We need wonder no longer. I have obtained photographic evidence of what i
believe to be the compensatory mechanism:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/twic/4887369973/
So, not a lorry, as some had feared. But a hatchback with a trailer.
If you look at the full-size version:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/twic/4887369973/sizes/o/
You can see that each bike slot has a letter, either A or B, printed above
it. Any ideas why?
And does anyone else think that trailer looks like it folds open?
Good work Tom - I've not seen one yet.
The sides of the trailer have to fold open I think, yes. No idea about
the A and B markings though (but if I was designing something like
this I'd probably include various pointless things just to befuddle
people).
There's this gent Oliver O'Brien who gets to play with maps all day -
spatial analysis research at UCL is apparently his excuse - anyhow,
he's done some interesting things by taking the docking station data
and creating a visualisation that, er, illustrates how the system is
being used.
The visualisation is he
http://oobrien.com/vis/bikes/
A blog post explaining it is he
http://oliverobrien.co.uk/2010/08/lo...visualisation/
And a blog post with a video showing how it panned out over 24 hours
(Weds 11) is he
http://oliverobrien.co.uk/2010/08/24...ire-movements/
And his "SupraGeography (A monumental folly)" blog (from which the
above links come) certainly seems worthy of a bookmark:
http://oliverobrien.co.uk/
He also links to BBC London's transport correspondent Tom Edwards and
a piece about the scheme (one of many) on his Mind The Gap blog,
replete with embedded videos (and interviews) etc - haven't watched
any of them yet, but the freeze-frame on the first video appears to
show a hire bike recirculator arrangement with traction provided by a
tractor type arrangement as favoured by park keepers (or at least
'council park chiefs').
Oh, and last thing - there was a story in the Standard last week about
plans for possible expansion of the scheme, to mainline rail termini
and also out east a bit (one can imagine the inevitable keenness to
get them out as far as the Olympic Park):
http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/standa...e-23863904-.do
I did note this para though...
---quote---
The Standard has learned that Transport for London's board — which is
chaired by the Mayor — is due to decide next month whether to invest
an extra £81.7 million in the cycle hire scheme. The spending is not
sure to be approved because of the state of TfL's finances.
---/quote---
....which certainly suggests it ain't a done deal - the spending review
is coming up this autumn and TfL seems likely to take quite a hit -
however perhaps this story was a way of Bozza flying a kite and trying
to attract the attention of his fellow blue overlords in central
government so that they don't totally kill off his ambitions.
Oh, and I'm now resigned to the fact that in many quarters at least
they will be known as 'Boris bikes'...
Not sure if that's an improvement over 'Barclays bikes', which seems
to be the other contender. Whatever, what's in a name? (Well, 25
million quid of sponsorship and/or the success of a political career
by the sounds of it...)