Velib'

One thing I've really enjoyed about Paris is fairly new to the city: the Velib' system. Velib' was introduced this June (or early July) by Mayor Betrand Delanoë as an alternative public transportation system in an attempt to reduce city traffic and pollution. It is, essentially, a nearly free public bike exchange. (Velib' comes from velo, bicycle, and libre, free, or libert&eaccute;, liberty.)

How does Velib' work? Funny you should ask. The Velib' system consists of numerous stations situated throughout Paris. Each station includes generally 8 to 25 specially designed bicycles parked at electronic docking stations and linked to a computer terminal that facilitates checking out bikes, finding nearby stations, and getting information. You check out a bike by signing up (with a bank or credit card) for a day-, week-, or year-long pass (1, 5, and 29 Euro respectively) at a terminal and then choosing a bike to check out with your pass. Once you free the bike from its dock, you can ride it anywhere in the city for half an hour before you have to return it to any available dock at any other station. If you're late, you get charged an incrementally increasing fee. If you never return the bike, you have two disadvantages: the bikes are distinctive so everyone will know that you stole one, and you'll be charged 150 Euro for your failure to return it.

Today I needed to go to Shakespeare & Co Bookstore before meeting V and some friends for rehearsal (more on that another time), so I grabbed a Velib' bike and took off north. The bikes are not particularly light and only have three speeds, but you can still get going fairly well with them if you push. And as long as you know (more or less) where you're going, you can make pretty good time. (If you don't, it's easy to get lost; Paris is not easy to navigate without a map.) It only took me about fifteen minutes to go the distance I needed, which was fine with me because it left me time to window shop (faire du lêche-vitrine, or to "window-lick" in French) a bit.

I've been thinking about Velib' a lot lately. I like the system--it has its quirks, but it's neat and clever and accessible. The bikes are already needing a bit of repair, but in general they're sturdy and versatile, equipped with head and tail lights, carrying basket, lock, bell, mud guards, and easily adjustable comfy seat. They're much cheaper than cars and they encourage greater commuter activity. They've been invaluable during the recent strikes (la/les grève;/s). And they create far less pollution than automobiles. Their short range is perfect for city commuting--you can typically get across half the city within your 30-minute free window, and then you can walk or wait for ten minutes to go further. Or if you really need it, you can take the metro, which in Paris is extremely efficient as long as the workers aren't protesting something.

According to Wikipedia, there are similar schemes active in a number of European cities. I'd really like to see this idea take hold in the US, though. I think it would be perfect for a lot of dense cities--New York (provided the bikes aren't stolen or vandalized), Boston, Washington, Seattle, all would be good candidates. Even smaller cities (either Portland, New Haven, etc.) could make good use of such a setup. It would reduce pollution, free up space in the streets by diminishing automobile traffic, and give people a much needed opportunity for exercise without having to buy, store, and protect their own bicycles. Has anyone run into US cities that do such a thing?