BIXI - Going Without a Car

As a disclaimer, I must say that I am a biker. It is “biker” in the Schwinn-pedal-power-style and not the Harley-Davidson variety (although one can wish). I find that often a bicycle is more efficient than a car, especially during the city rush hours. Of course, the savings on fuel and parking are enormous.

It seems that a major Canadian city is attempting to become very bicycle friendly. Montreal is starting a bicycle program called BIXI - a combination of ‘bicycle’ and ‘taxi’:

“They’ve now got an official name - BIXI, combining bike and taxi - and, just in time for Car-Free Day today, a public profile.

The 40 first prototypes of Montreal’s new self-serve, quick-trip rental bicycles will be wheeled around the city for demonstration purposes starting today, Mayor Gérald Tremblay told reporters yesterday.”

link: It’s a bike, it’s a taxi, it’s a self-serve BIXI

It is a terrific idea for the city to move toward ‘greener’ transportation. However, there is one major drawback. As a person who has bicycled on city streets for years, I can attest to the fact that drivers simply do not see you. They may look directly at a bicyclist but it doesn’t seem to register that there is a pedal power vehicle there.

The city of Montreal drivers will have a period of adjustment and learning really to see the people on bicycles. Meanwhile, the operative word is “helmets“.

Catherine Forsythe