The BorisBike flow asymmetry problem solved
 

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?

tom

--
Imagine a city where graffiti wasn't illegal, a city where everybody
could draw wherever they liked. Where every street was awash with a
million colours and little phrases. Where standing at a bus stop was never
boring. A city that felt like a living breathing thing which belonged to
everybody, not just the estate agents and barons of big business. Imagine
a city like that and stop leaning against the wall - it's wet. -- Banksy

The BorisBike flow asymmetry problem solved
 

In message . li, Tom
Anderson writes

And does anyone else think that trailer looks like it folds open?

Yes - it was shown in the open position on BBC TV London News a couple
of days ago, and I'm pretty sure that each side was shown folded down.

At a guess, I'd say that the A and B markings are something to do with
keeping the load evenly balanced, as it is only a single-axled trailer.
--
Paul Terry

The BorisBike flow asymmetry problem solved
 

On 2010\08\13 15:30, Paul Terry wrote:
In message . li, Tom
Anderson writes

And does anyone else think that trailer looks like it folds open?

Yes - it was shown in the open position on BBC TV London News a couple
of days ago, and I'm pretty sure that each side was shown folded down.

At a guess, I'd say that the A and B markings are something to do with
keeping the load evenly balanced, as it is only a single-axled trailer.

You're a genius!

The BorisBike flow asymmetry problem solved
 

In message . li, at
14:46:36 on Fri, 13 Aug 2010, Tom Anderson
remarked:
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.

I hope I didn't give the impression I'd seen a lorry doing this (in
Lausanne I expect). The bloke had an SUV or pickup truck at the front,
but a very similar trailer at the back.
--
Roland Perry

The BorisBike flow asymmetry problem solved
 

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...)

The BorisBike flow asymmetry problem solved
 

On 2010\08\13 16:31, Mizter T wrote:

Oh, and I'm now resigned to the fact that in many quarters at least
they will be known as 'Boris bikes'...

I prefer Boricycles.

The BorisBike flow asymmetry problem solved
 

In article . li,
(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?

They seem to be using a standard trailer design whose sides fold down, but
there seem to be shorter versions than that in your photo as well. I saw
one in Bellgrove St the other morning. They are using little vans, I think
both to carry bikes and tow trailers, as well.

--
Colin Rosenstiel

The BorisBike flow asymmetry problem solved
 

In article . li, Tom
Anderson writes

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/

I'm sure last week I saw some guys loading boris bikes into the back of
a Europcar rental van, I assumed for redistribution among docking
stations.
--
congokid
Eating out in London? Read my tips...
http://congokid.com

The BorisBike flow asymmetry problem solved
 

On Fri, 13 Aug 2010 14:46:36 +0100, Tom Anderson
wrote:

So, not a lorry, as some had feared. But a hatchback with a trailer.

Cheaper, probably, as the driver need only have a pre-97 car licence
(or have just done a trailer test) and not an HGV/LGV one.

Neil
--
Neil Williams in Milton Keynes, UK
To reply put my first name before the at.

The BorisBike flow asymmetry problem solved
 

On 13/08/2010 16:31, Mizter T wrote:

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?

I wonder how many people (apart from the sort who hang around transport
newsgroups) look at a yellow light on a stick and know who Hore-Belisha was?

--
Arthur Figgis Surrey, UK