Reader mailbag: Have you read the Citi Bikes Rental Agreement?

[Via @danielleintheev]

An email from a reader. First, he is all (mostly!) for the bike-share program and is planning to purchase an annual pass.

Disclaimer: "I hate Citibank and it's super gross to be advertising for them."

But! "...the utility of it is really fantastic."

So. The reader was reading through the Rental Agreement that you have to agree to for the membership.

"There are a couple of things there that are pretty weird to me. First of all — and I was expecting this — they've thought of the fact that people are probably going to want to cover up the Citibank logos with something else, either to avoid being a tool to advertise Citibank or advertise something of their own."

Makes sense!

"Section 5 Prohibited Acts."

You must not dismantle, write on, or otherwise modify or deface a Citi Bike bicycle or any part of a Citi Bike bicycle in any way. You must not write on, peel, or otherwise modify or deface any sticker on a Citi Bike bicycle in any way. You must not use a Citi Bike bicycle for any advertising or similar commercial purpose. This rule does not apply to the use of the seat height adjustment feature on Citi Bike bicycles."

Reader: "Now I don't know if that prohibits my idea of using some non-destructive floppy magnet material to just cover up the logos while I'm riding, but it sounds like it could. Maybe I'm just being paranoid."

And!

"Section 21 Waivers."
...
For good and valuable consideration, the receipt and adequacy of which are hereby acknowledged, You do hereby knowingly, voluntarily, and irrevocably: (1) give Your full and unconditional consent to NYCBS and its affiliates, successors, and assigns to use at any time and from time to time, without any restriction, Your appearance and voice in photographs, videos, and other recordings, on all websites and for all press, promotional, advertising, publicity, and other commercial purposes, including all formats and media, whether now known or hereafter devised, throughout the world and in perpetuity; (2) grant to NYCBS and its affiliates, successors, and assigns (a) the right to photograph, videotape, and otherwise record Your appearance and voice, at any time and from time to time, (b) all rights, copyrights, title, and interests in the results of such photographs, videos, and other recordings, as a work for hire for copyright purposes, and (c) the right to use, reproduce, exhibit, distribute, transmit, alter, and exploit, at any time and from time to time and as NYCBS may decide in its sole discretion, the photographs, videos, and other recordings, or any component thereof, and all related merchandising, promotions, advertising, and publicity; and (3) waive, release, and discharge all Released Persons from all Claims that You have or may have for any libel, defamation, invasion of privacy, right of publicity, infringement of copyright, or violation of any right granted by You in this paragraph."

"Is that even legal???"

Thoughts? Just legal mumbo-jumbo?

Citi Bikes docking station now alongside Tompkins Square Park on East 10th Street

[Photo via @TYJK]

Oops. Sorry. I originally wrote that this was inside the Park. Nevermind!

Seems like this is better spot for a docking station... alongside the Park on East 10th Street between Avenue A and Avenue B? And for people upset about these things taking up parking spots... not really an issue here.

Here's another Citi Bikes docking station for St. Mark's Place

This morning, Shawn Chittle spotted workers installing the Citi Bikes docking station on the north side of St. Mark's Place ... just east of Second Avenue...







Early Monday morning, workers installed the docking stations on the same side of St. Mark's closer to First Avenue.

Per Citi Bikes:

• North side of St. Mark's Place near Second Avenue
This station will have 39 docks and is located in a no-parking area of the street.

• North side of St. Mark's Place near First Avenue
This station will have 31 docks and is located in a no-parking area of the street.

So 70 docks total for the block. (Perhaps we can now call this stretch Citi Bikes Place?)

And if the FDNY seemed annoyed by one docking station on this block... wait until they see this...

Reader report: Citi Bikes to arrive at the end of the month

[Photo on East 4th Street by @LinzaPinz]

As you may have noticed, Citi Bikes docking stations have been arriving here fastly and furiously the last 72 hours... during the docking station installation on East 13th Street yesterday, a supervisor type handing out flyers told EVG reader Gary the following (paraphrased):

He said that bikes will be in the end of May ... and that it is a 1-year pilot program for Manhattan and parts of Brooklyn. If it is successful, then it will roll out in the rest of the city.

Meanwhile, check out the Citi Bike site for how it all works here ... and their FAQs.

[Updated] And here is the Citi Bikes docking station on East 13th Street at Avenue A

On the south side of the street just east of the Avenue... photos via EVG reader Gary.





Now just 49,764 Citi Bikes post remain for the week...

Updated 3:03

Final product, via @danielleintheev ...

Uh-oh — FDNY discovers the Citi Bikes docking stations

This afternoon at the new Citi Bikes docking station on St. Mark's Place just west of First Avenue... Per Jose Garcia: "The fire department just discovered that the new Citi Bikes are smack dab in the middle of the firelane. They seemed very unhappy."

Breaking: Citi Bikes docking station arrives on East Ninth Street and Avenue C

They ... are... everywhere... now... can't keep ... up.. with ... all ... the ... docking.. stations... arriving...

Thanks to to EVG reader Greg for this shot.

Updated:

Ah! Per @TYJK, the docking station is now parked on the north side of East Ninth Street... across from 9th Street Espresso...



And whatever happened to the bike guy here...? Also! Probably would have still been room for the Mystery Camper...

Updated:



Another shot of the final product via Bobby Williams...

[Updated] 'Street Safety Managers' back on the East Village streets

This is becoming a common sight now weekday mornings... the presence of so-called Street Safety Managers.

To refresh your memory, per a DOT news release:

New York City Department of Transportation (DOT) Commissioner Janette Sadik-Khan today announced that DOT Street Safety Managers (SSM) are assigned to key bike and pedestrian corridors and bridge paths in Manhattan to help enhance safety among pedestrians, cyclists and motorists, further enhancing street safety as bike ridership grows, as DOT starts enforcement of commercial cycling laws and in advance of the 6,000-bike launch of the Citi Bike system.

EVG reader John took these photos... he chatted with the manager on duty this morning on Second Avenue at East 11th Street.

Per John: "They alternatively show a stop or wrong way sign to the bike lane as the lights change ... and he thinks the 'worst' corridor is 20-30s & Broadway."

And!

"He seemed pretty upbeat about being in the rain, shrug. Not too many bikes around now but they seemed to obey the sign."



And here's a shot on First Avenue at East Ninth Street from 10:30 a.m. via EVG regular Derek Berg...

[Updated] Making way for the Citi Bikes docking station on East Second Street

The docking stations for the Citi Bikes bike share continue to pop up around the neighborhood... We've heard a few stories where cars were towed from areas where the docking stations were going in — despite the lack of warning via No Parking signs. (Gothamist has more about this here.)

These signs are up on East Second Street just east of Avenue, as EVG reader Mark White points out...

Per Mark, the signs are "taped facing straight out to the street, not at an angle for drivers POV. As you can see, they are not easy to spot and on a congested block where where is never any parking as it is, I'm sure they will be angrily torn down in no time."





And the Citi Bikes drama continues...

Updated 1:01 p.m.

As predicted, Mark notes that someone ripped off part of the No Parking notice ...

Citi Bike docking station magically arrives overnight on E. 2nd. St.

Ah! @BennyPack reports that a Citi Bikes docking station was there waiting this morning on the southeast corner of Avenue C and Second Street. Anyone else wake up to a docking station in front of their building or street?

Pre Citi-Bike launch, DOT introduces 'Street Safety Managers' to the streets

Early yesterday morning, we noticed a group of DOT employees congregating outside the Bean on First Avenue and East Ninth Street...

A DOT news release offers up an explanation:

Managers complement commercial cycling education and enforcement efforts, come in advance of May Citi Bike launch
New York City Department of Transportation (DOT) Commissioner Janette Sadik-Khan today announced that DOT Street Safety Managers (SSM) are assigned to key bike and pedestrian corridors and bridge paths in Manhattan to help enhance safety among pedestrians, cyclists and motorists, further enhancing street safety as bike ridership grows, as DOT starts enforcement of commercial cycling laws and in advance of the 6,000-bike launch of the Citi Bike system. The SSMs will monitor locations with dense pedestrian and cyclist activity to reinforce existing traffic rules, advising bike riders to ride in the direction of traffic, yield to pedestrians and stop at traffic signals; instructing pedestrians to await traffic signals on the curb and not stand in bike paths; and discouraging cars from parking illegally in bike lanes. Shifts of four SSMs will be assigned to different locations in Manhattan weekdays during the morning and afternoon rush hours from April through October.

“Our streets have never been safer and we’re educating everyone on how to use them safely, and enforcing against those who don’t,” said Commissioner Sadik-Khan. “With more people out in the warm weather we’re committed to doing even more to get out the message that safety is the rule of the road.”

EVG reader @malusbrutus passed along this photo from yesterday at Second Avenue and East Ninth Street ...



He notes that the DOT personnel are not issuing citations, rather just offering warnings.

Also!

"In related news, police officers regularly stand on the north side of 14th street and 1st avenue to ticket cyclists who break traffic laws on their morning commute."

Updated:

The bike haters at the Post has a piece on this today.

Taxpayers are forking over cash so a small army of city DOT employees can baby-sit rogue cyclists, reminding them of the basic rules of the road so they don’t pedal into pedestrians.

Read more, including some local reaction, here.

In the midnight hour: Citi Bikes docking stations arrive near Union Square

At the strike of midnight (or close enough) @sandwichboarder noted the arrival of another Citi Bike docking station ... this time on Broadway near East 14th Street...



Didn't know about the late-night docking action. So be warned. You may wake up with one on your sidewalk. At least if you live around here.

Citi Bikes docking stations arrive at NYU

Via EVG reader Jeffrey Borenstein...

[Updated] Citi Bike docking station arrives on Lafayette Street

Right alongside the Puck Building... per EVG reader Clint Smeltzer.

And look for them to arrive closer to the East Village (here) very soon...

Updated 2:10 p.m.

Docking station... now docked! Two more photos from Clint...





And: "[A]s I was walking away another truck load of them drove by and continued up Lafayette."

Meanwhile in London, the Barclays Cycle Hire

Well, with all that talk about Citi Bikes coming here soon, probably ... here's a dispatch from EVG London Correspondent Dave on 7th from a few weeks ago...



"A well-worn program here in London. Must say they are everywhere, and fairly innocuous. It's been quite cold, so I don't think many people have been riding much. I've been told they are quite popular for commuters to the point that there are sometimes arguments over trying to grab the last spot in a corral. But, there always seems to be another corral nearby."





The Barclays Cycle Hire launched in July 2010.

Coming soon

Yesterday, we took a look at the new Citi Bikes... coming soon to streets near you... that prompted a reader to share some photos from a recent trip to the Brooklyn Navy Yard ...

"[S]aw rack after rack of Citi Bikes, set up and ready to go. They were sprinkled all over the property. Seemed like a form of beta testing to me."

Expect to see these here in early May...















Think any East Village business owner will protest these like this guy did in Tribeca?

Let's take a closer look at the Citi Bike

You may have seen the reports Wednesday where the Department of Transportation said that more than 5,000 people have registered in the first two days for the bike-share program that launches, probably, in early May. Annual memberships cost $95, and riders can use bikes for up to 45 minutes without an extra charge. (Anyone buy a membership?)

Meanwhile! If you haven't already done this, you can learn more about the bikes at the Citibike website.



Among the bike's features:

• Integrated Shifter & Handlebars
The integrated 3-speed shifter lets you shift
gears with a flick of the wrist. Upright bars
give you greater visibility and comfort.



• Protective Rack
The strong, protective frame & elastic strap let you secure a
wide range of bags.



• Chain Guard & No-Spray Fenders
Front & rear fenders keep
you dry in the rain, while a
chain guard keeps grease
off your pants.

What do you think now? Aside from the fact that No-Spray Fenders would be an awesome band name.

Oh, and here's where you will be able to find the docking stations around the East Village. Here.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Here are your East Village bike share locations, probably

Report: Citi Bike share back on track for a May debut, probably definitely

The East Village is in the 1st rollout phase of the bike-share program this May, probably for sure

Here are your updated East Village bike share locations, probably

This past weekend, Citi Bike relaunched its website, as Streetsblog first noted. Membership sign-up isn’t available yet, they point out. But! The next Citi Bike demonstration is scheduled for April 21 (Earth Day) at Union Square.

In the meantime, workers are installing bike-docking stations in Brooklyn... and you can expect some here soon enough.

And the Citi Bike site now has updated information on the planned docking stations when the program finally rolls out next month.

Here are the planned East Village locations. (It's very possible that I missed one from the interactive map, which you can find here.) A modified list from the last time that we took a look.

• North side of East 14th Street near Avenue B
This station will have 33 docks and is located on the sidewalk.

• South side of East 11th Street near First Avenue
This station will have 35 docks and is located in the parking lane of the street.

• South side of East 11th Street near Second Avenue
This station will have 39 docks and is located in the parking lane of the street.

• East side of Lafayette Street near E 8th Street
This station will have 55 docks and is located in a no-parking area of the street.

• East 7th Street near Cooper Square
This station will have 42 docks and is located in a public park or plaza.

• North side of St. Mark's Place near Second Avenue
This station will have 39 docks and is located in a no-parking area of the street.

• North side of St. Mark's Place near First Avenue
This station will have 31 docks and is located in a no-parking area of the street.

• North side of East 7th Street near Avenue A
This station will have 35 docks and is located in the parking lane of the street.

• South side of East 6th Street near Avenue B
This station will have 27 docks and is located in the parking lane of the street.

• South side of East 10th Street near Avenue A
This station will have 36 docks and is located on the sidewalk.

• South side of East 13th Street near Avenue A
This station will have 39 docks and is located in the parking lane of the street.

• North side of East 9th Street near Avenue C
This station will have 38 docks and is located in the parking lane of the street.

• East side of Avenue D near East 11th Street
This station will have 24 docks and is located in a NYCHA (public housing) development

• East side of Avenue D near East 8th Street
This station will have 24 docks and is located in a NYCHA (public housing) development

• South side of East 5th Street near Avenue C
This station will have 31 docks and is located in the parking lane of the street

• South side of East 6th Street near Avenue D
This station will have 23 docks and is located on the sidewalk.

• East side of Avenue D near East 3rd Street
This station will have 23 docks and is located on the sidewalk.

• South side of East 2nd Street near Avenue C
This station will have 31 docks and is located in the parking lane of the street.

• North side of East 2nd Street near Avenue B
This station will have 37 docks and is located in the parking lane of the street.

• South side of East 2nd Street near Second Avenue
This station will have 31 docks and is located in the parking lane of the street.

• South side of East 3rd Street near First Avenue
This station will have 31 docks and is located in the parking lane of the street.

• South side of East 2nd Street near Second Avenue
This station will have 31 docks and is located in the parking lane of the street.

• South side of East 4th Street near Second Avenue
This station will have 39 docks and is located in the parking lane of the street.

Reactions?

Previously on EV Grieve:
Here are your East Village bike share locations, probably

Report: Citi Bike share back on track for a May debut, probably definitely

The East Village is in the 1st rollout phase of the bike-share program this May, probably for sure

Under the Williamsburg Bridge: Bloomberg's robot army or bike-share docking stations?

Oh, it's a photo of the docking stations for the city's bike-share program... stored for now under the Williamsburg Bridge before hitting the streets this spring ... The photo is from Saturday night via @finitor, who really wanted these to be Bloomberg's secret robot army.

Meanwhile, the photo reminded @lehrblogger of a scene from a movie ...



Previously on EV Grieve:
Here are your East Village bike share locations, probably

Report: Citi Bike share back on track for a May debut, probably definitely

The East Village is in the 1st rollout phase of the bike-share program this May, probably for sure

Breaking! (Sort of!): Here come the bike-share docking stations

Breaking! (Sort of!): Here come the bike-share docking stations

EVG reader Rob notes the arrival this morning of more self-service docking stations for the city's bike-share program... stored for now under the Williamsburg Bridge...



...they'll be coming soon to a sidewalk near you...

Previously on EV Grieve:
Here are your East Village bike share locations, probably

Report: Citi Bike share back on track for a May debut, probably definitely

The East Village is in the 1st rollout phase of the bike-share program this May, probably for sure