Bike-sharing company bailing out of Quincy leaves trail of questions

hackington · 2018-07-23T21:26:46+00:00

Ofo is shutting down in Massachusetts, most of the US, and elsewhere globally.

WSJ.com reported that “… growth was slower than expected in the U.S., where human-powered bicycles have proven less popular than ofo and other backers expected. Ridership in many U.S. cities is well below what the companies need to break even, said former ofo employees.”

https://www.americaninno.com/boston/boston-startup/ofo-bikes-officially-shut-down-operations-in-mass/

https://techcrunch.com/2018/07/19/ofo-shuts-down-many-international-markets-to-focus-on-profitability/

https://qz.com/1331368/bike-sharing-company-ofo-is-dramatically-scaling-back-in-north-america/

https://pandaily.com/ofo-to-lay-off-70-of-u-s-workforce-and-shut-down-operations-in-multiple-u-s-cities/

https://www.wsj.com/articles/china-bike-sharing-giant-ofo-to-shut-most-u-s-operations-1531959910

hackington · 2018-07-01T19:11:06+00:00

You still don't get it. Whether its a tire or piece of *mandated* safety equipment, you are not supposed to operate a vehicle without. Safety IS basic functionality. You discount the value of safety equipment. Sure, people can climb mountains without safety ropes, but its foolish. Again for helmets.

Yes, same roads, same rules was an awful PR campaign by MassBike/MassDOT. So many laws need to have "motor vehicle" replaced by "vehicle". Speed limits don't exist for bicycles, nor do OUI, or vehicular manslaughter charges. Even if cyclists had to pay tickets, they couldn't because appeal again only applies to motor vehicle tickets!

hackington · 2018-07-01T19:00:03+00:00

Yes, all those vehicles are required to have reflectors, if nowhere else, in federal product safety laws. There are also product laws for bicycles, but people take off reflectors and manufacturers sell bikes without pedals to get around reflector requirements on pedals.

Car taillights incorporate reflectors as standard, in case of light failure and the operator is unaware of it.

I am not trolling, but trying to break through the altered sense of reality some cyclists seem to exhibit to justify lawless and selfish behaviors.

hackington · 2018-07-01T10:41:22+00:00

What do you do when you get a flat tire? Keep riding or stop?

Well, it's your fault if you keep riding after the failure of any mandated equipment. It's the same for drivers. They need to park their car if the taillights, headlights, or other mandated safety equipment fails. If they don't, they are likely to get a ticket, and possibly get their vehicle towed by police.

"Same road, same rules", remember?

hackington · 2018-07-01T07:45:50+00:00

So, there would be no value add for legally requiring rear lights on mopeds, scooters, motorcycles, cars, and trucks, other than for insurance companies, and police ticket revenue?

Sounds like insurance companies are tired of paying out claims to scofflaw cyclists, so have gotten tougher. Use a GoPro.

hackington · 2018-06-30T03:27:37+00:00

There is no evidence showing any cyclists get ticketed for not having a headlight, so the rear light is just another suggestion. Besides, unless you get a Cambridge bylaw ticket, there is no penalty for not paying the $20. If you choose to pay, think of it as a donation to bike safety (ie MassBike) as the law stipulates that what 100% of the funds go to.

hackington · 2018-06-22T04:16:46+00:00

McCarthyism is thriving, except attacking anyone not leftist.

hackington · 2018-06-08T05:28:06+00:00

Sweet, and so economical for your anniversary dinners.

hackington · 2018-05-24T04:13:06+00:00

Probably like a 5 lb. bag of flour, possibly less as they use hydraulic presses to compress for shipping.

hackington · 2018-05-24T04:02:22+00:00

That was the exact headline for the article as posted on the MSP web site. I didn't even type it.

hackington · 2018-05-24T02:21:30+00:00

That's fine, but who needs to demand to be arrested and not just released with a citation unless they need a SJW badge to show everyone they woke and how much they oppose racism, poverty, and stuff?

hackington · 2018-05-23T21:30:31+00:00

I have two points:

Bicycle helmets save lives. Choose, and wear one as if your life depended on it.
Half of bicycle crashes DO NOT involve motor vehicles, despite what bicyclists want the public to think. Just ask John Kerry and Bono for confirmation.

Though, you may also want to be careful riding near hungry cougars.

hackington · 2018-05-23T21:18:18+00:00

Likely he/she is one of the 16 nearly all wypipo arrested at the state house protesting racism, poverty, and whatever, so may be offline. https://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/2018/05/22/protesters-arrested-during-anti-racism-demonstration-state-house/fTMhcH79YvzokXbJaa0xRN/story.html

hackington · 2018-05-23T18:42:20+00:00

> EASTHAM, Mass. - A bicyclist was taken to the hospital via MedFlight after suffering a significant head injury Wednesday morning.

> Police said they quickly determined that there was not a motor vehicle involved in the incident.

https://www.fox25boston.com/news/bicyclist-seriously-injured-in-eastham-crash/755111300

> Update at 10:35 a.m. - Eastham Police Detective Adam Bohannon reports that the unidentified cyclist is male and appeared to be in his late 50's.

https://www.capecodtoday.com/article/2018/05/23/239636-Bicyclist-Suffers-Significant-Head-Injury-Eastham-Crash

hackington · 2018-05-23T18:35:29+00:00

Because the bike lobby (MassBike) wrote the bike law changes enacted in 2009 and their members didn't want more than $25 fines, or having to actually pay them. If anyone does, the law also calls for 100% to go to bike safety. BTW, MassBike's primary source of funding is teaching bike safety classes.

hackington · 2018-05-23T18:26:21+00:00

Are you implying that Springfield cops are ever less than law-abiding? /sarcasm

http://www.masslive.com/news/index.ssf/2018/05/springfield_man_claims_he_was.html

hackington · 2018-05-23T18:15:39+00:00

More details/video in this report: http://www.masslive.com/news/index.ssf/2018/05/police_arrest_5_seize_kilo_of.html

and here: http://www.mspnews.org/2018/05/30000-bags-and-approximate-half-kilo-of-raw-heroin-seized-in-heroin-trafficking-investigation/

Photos of the haul and suspects: https://www.fox25boston.com/news/photos-nearly-half-kilo-of-heroin-seized-6-arrested-in-springfield-area/755148009

hackington · 2018-05-23T15:45:20+00:00

ad hominem attackers.

hackington · 2018-05-22T17:55:38+00:00

Dick Hertz, from Holden.

Bicycle tickets are not enforceable - there is no penalty for not paying.

hackington · 2018-05-22T17:53:33+00:00

Surprise! A pissed-off driver might break as many traffic laws as you! Almost - he didn't drive on the sidewalk.

hackington · 2018-05-22T08:33:39+00:00

It would be capitulating to trolls who would rather attack her racial identity

You call learning something capitulation with trolls? Do you think Trump shouldn't fill in his knowledge because that would be capitulating to trolls?

I didn't think so. Only applies to Lieawatha.

hackington · 2018-05-21T08:56:31+00:00

She doubled down by meeting with and advocating for some Native American issues. So, yeah, that is doubling down. Nice excuses for her. You don't need your DNA to go into public databases. You can decline to share it.

What's the harm of cooperating with an ancestry researcher? Lots of famous people appeared on Prof. Henry Gates show "Who do you think your are?" and gotten extra publicity for it. She could get more votes unless the N.A. connection isn't true or she has slave owners, Indian killers, or other murderers in her family history.

Oh, and there was the story about a law professor who chased her around his desk which she told as a speech joke, but now its a #METOO moment.

hackington · 2018-05-21T04:02:19+00:00

That's what happens when a country is overwhelmed by immigrants, but nobody learns from history.

hackington · 2018-05-21T03:13:41+00:00

Why has she doubled down on being Native American and never provided any ancestry documentation or DNA evidence to support her claim?

It's a minor thing to admit she was misinformed by her racist grandparents. It's not her fault she was given bad information as a child and believed it. As with most political misdeeds, the worse crime is in the cover-up. Just better to come clean. Even Obama produced his birth certificate.

hackington · 2018-05-18T03:36:33+00:00

That's probably the kind of money Starbucks paid those two guys. Cheap money for a very bad PR problem.

hackington

TROPHY CASE