Why We Can't Have Nice Things

The Nice Ride kiosks are going in all over downtown and uptown for the roll-out this week. Although the program is not even launched yet, one of the kiosks in Lyn-Lake has already been vandalized.

No, I am not kidding.

This sucks. This is why programs like this often don't work. Nice Ride is a good idea, and it might actually accomplish some traffic calming and make biking more accessible to people that don't regularly ride a bike. I was a Nice Ride skeptic but became a supporter over the past few months - in fact, I plan to wear my snazzy Nice Ride bike socks on Thursday to the big Bike/Walk week event.

I hope they catch the scoundrels that did this and make them clean up the mess (alternatively, I would settle for blinding with bleach). Hopefully this kind of crap won't continue, but I worry that vandalism, rather than theft or low usage, compromises the Nice Ride program. Let's hope it doesn't come down to adopt-a-kiosk at some point.

I plan to buy a Nice Ride subscription (or whatever they call it) and take these things out on a spin now and then. There is going to be a kiosk right outside my office, so while it won't be more convenient that just going to my bike and un-locking, it will be a novel experience and will help to support the program. I'll probably have some interesting adventures on these yellow beasts as well.