Hacker News Reader

Comment by dbreunig | Hacker News Reader

This article is asinine.

Not once does the "journalist" mention the absurd price of NYC's program (up to $77 for 4 hours) vs. the $2 she pays in Paris.

Further, let's not forget the safer bike lanes or areas in European cities. Getting hit while riding in NYC is not an 'if', it's a 'when.' The number of cycling deaths here are absurd. I'd hate to see the figures if we actively discouraged helmet use.

The NYT should be embarrassed they ran this piece.

View on HN

That's a very deceptive description of the pricing. In particular, you can't take a 4 hour ride in Paris for $2 either. A quick glance at the pricing suggests the NY system is about 2-3 times more expensive (presumably because it isn't as heavily subsidized).

You can take a 4 hour ride in Paris for 2$. One day ticket is 1,70 €, first 30 minutes are free, you have to pay if your trip is more than 30 minutes or you can just take another bike for free, that will reset the countdown. Not really handy but most trips are < 30 minutes. By the way the annual fee for unlimited 30 minutes rides is only 29 € Source : velib user here.

But that's how the NYC system is too. You get some low rate for the day and as many 30 minute rides as you want. dbreunig was quoting some ridiculously high number for a 4 hour NYC ride that only applies if you keep the same bike out the whole time.

In their defense, the Times did print a piece last week about an increase in traffic fatalities:

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/09/27/nyregion/in-reversal-new-y...

Agreed, though, that cyling in NYC can be incredibly dangerous. Every serious cyclist treats an accident as a "when", as you mention. And in my own experience (6 mile Manhattan commute, mostly on the Hudson), I could be in 3-5 accidents per week if not for extreme paranoia. I would not give up my helmet, irrespective of the legal situation.

Reply on news.ycombinator.com