The City of West Hollywood is formally launching WeHo Pedals, its bike share program, with a ceremony at 11:30 a.m. today at the West Hollywood Library auto court at 625 N. San Vicente Blvd.
WeHo Pedals will offer 150 bicycles at 20 self-service stations around the city. The bicycles, bright green with yellow accents, will be available for rent 24/7.
WeHo Pedals feature GPS-enabled “Smart Bikes,” created by Social Bicycles (SoBi) and operated and maintained by CycleHop, a company that plans and operates bike share systems throughout North America. The bicycles have LED headlights and tail lights, eight gears, cargo baskets and a locking mechanism and can be locked to a WeHo Pedals bike share station for free or to any public bike rack within the service area for a nominal fee of $2 — CycleHop will collect and redistribute the bicycles daily.
The WeHo Pedals service area includes the entire City of West Hollywood and nearby areas such as Beverly Hills, The Grove and the Hollywood and Highland shopping area and Metro Red Line Station — a system map is available online.
Users can register on the WeHo Pedals website and choose from a number of payment options. Through Sept. 5 there is a discounted “founding member” riding plan available for $69 a year. It offers its users 90 minutes a day of ride time. The regular rate is $7 an hour. The tech-smart bikes can be checked out via a smartphone or a membership card or by typing a member number and pin into a keypad on the bike.
Following the noon ribbon cutting at today’s ceremony there will be a guided ride on WeHo Pedals bikes.
Karen, yes, I found it quite awful that Beverly Hills didn’t include a bike lane in their reconstruction plan for SMB. Anyone who has taken Carmelita knows what a joke of an option that is. Once again, cyclists are treated like second class citizens.
“Yikes bikes!!!” Saying no bike lanes on major roads *is* anti-bike hysteria. People bike on major roads because biking is a mode of transit and major roads are often the most efficient — and probably sometimes the safest — route. We need bike lanes to be safer on streets, and the best way to make bikes safer is with physically protected bike lanes. If you try biking to the beach from WeHo, in Beverly Hills the options are Carmelita where there’s a four-way stop (despite virtually no traffic) every block for about 21 blocks or Santa Monica Blvd, which has… Read more »
Ok Karen, here’s a new fight, excuse me, advocacy opportunity for you, “no bike lanes on Westwood Blvd or Central Ave”. No anti-bike hysteria just common sense minded people interested in logical approaches for bike safety. Very sorry to hear that your uncle was killed in a bike/auto situation. That even makes it more surprising that you continue to tilt at windmills. The character in Wizard of Oz spinning like mad with her head down also comes to mind. Please find a way to get bikes off the main thoroughfares, off sidewalks where lanes are interrupted and onto safer side… Read more »
Thanks, Randy! I appreciate your comments! “Yikes bikes!!” — You seem to be making an unfounded assumption … I do advocate for a safer bike riding network. I joined our local bike coalition after my uncle was killed by a car while biking in May 2012. I testified for bike lanes on Fairfax before the Transportation Commission and City Council multiple times, I spoke to local business owners and got them to sign on to support bike lanes, and I testified for bike lanes on La Brea. I also participated in the bike/ped plan update process and otherwise am regularly… Read more »
with all due respect
Karen, with all do respec, t you seem to be advancing arguments on the wrong case. Do you think you could contribute your wisdom and advocacy towards building a more effective and safer bike riding network?
Randy, there you go again with those assumptions. No bias! I just know where I am likely to be safe on a bike without unnecessarily playing roulette. Integrated logistics and proper scope has been lacking for folks to ride bikes safely in our metro areas. Would I want to be at risk while this expeciment sorts itself out? No, no bias just a practical POV. Pedestrians first with thoughtful and well planned bike safety along with it. Too tight space on our heavily traveled roadways does not make sense. Ride at your own risk!
Karen, very well put. And I completely agree. I don’t remember a single case where I feared a cyclist, or came close to one being in an accident with me, as a pedestrian. Whereas, I’ve had more close calls than I can count with a motorist, whether I was cycling, walking or running.
“Yikes bikes!!!,” your very name shows your bias towards cyclists. Assuredly, not all PEDESTRIANS and DRIVERS are intelligent, know their limits or are inclined to reduce their risk.
Manny, PEDESTRIANS, DRIVERS AND CYCLISTS EQUAL! Sharing the space in harmony.
It is so strange to me, Manny, that you are so fixated on the supposed danger cyclists pose to pedestrians, but seem to be so unconcerned about the dangers automobiles — and public space designs that prioritize both driving and storing them — pose to pedestrians and cyclists, not to mention our planet. I walk more than I bike and I don’t think I’ve had a single time when I was in fear due to a bicyclist. I don’t dispute that some could be more courteous, but I don’t think I’ve personally had a single incident where I thought I… Read more »
Randy….
(1) “obey signs and traffic signals” is not good enough and too generic. There is ZERO mention of the very expensive Bike Lanes.
(2) Yes, I’ve used a clipboard, a hand tally counter and a speed gun…..and yes I wish there was enforcement.
Again, I’m not complaining, I’m advocating…..and, since I haven’t told you, you have no idea who I’ve shared my concerns with.
But, from what you say, you seem like a very nice, considerate and safe-riding urban cyclist. (rare)
PEDESTRIANS FIRST!
PS Randy: Have not generalized about all bikers being irresponsible. Some are some are not but assuredly not all bikers are intelligent, know their limits or are inclined to reduce their risk.
Manny, (1), The second “ride safe” direction is “obey signs and traffic signals.” “No Bikes on the Sidewalk” signs are very clearly placed on the stretch of SMB where it is disallowed. (2), Meaning you *have* used a clipboard, when asserting your “most” statement? Or are you referring to better enforcement? My unscientific survey (spending hours working from the Starbucks patio) is that most cyclists do use the bike lane instead of the sidewalk. And no, I’m not carrying a clipboard. I also find it a little ironic that where we *do* have bike lanes, we also have the widest… Read more »