From Uptown to Downtown and over to Deep Ellum, you can’t go far in Dallas without seeing a rental bicycle.
Free-range bike rentals are growing in popularity and communities are seeing the bikes left on sidewalks, parking lots and at times in the street. Riders can rent a bike, ride it in town and leave it where they end up.
The convenience is not having to find a specified place to return or find bikes. Most people are fans of the bikes and what they bring to the city.
“I’m very appreciative when I see people walk up to it, turn it on and get going,” Donzel Brown of Dallas said.
While many enjoy the idea they also see the bikes left in odd places and sometimes in the way.
“What if someone is trying to get into an establishment? When I'm here I put it right here out of the way so that somebody can walk up look at it [and] check it out; where it's not in an awkward place,” Brown said.
He doesn’t think the “bike clutter” should stop people from using it, but just hopes they could be mindful of where they leave bikes.
Local
The latest news from around North Texas.
VBikes, one of the most popular bike share programs in Dallas has between 700 and 800 bikes in the city. A company representative explained the bikes are equipped with GPS and if they notice a bike at a location for too long or too many bikes at a location, they can be removed.
Customers are encouraged to leave the bikes at appropriate and safe locations. VBikes welcomes business owners and residents to call the company when a bike becomes an issue.
