Recently, the University of South Alabama (my school) has started a "green" project with the release of JagBikes. The JagBikes are set out in newly built bike racks around campus for students to use to get to class. As of now, it is simply an alternative to using the JagTran system.
When I first heard about the idea, I was super excited. I had a love/hate relationship with the JagTran system, and I wanted a faster way to get to class. Plus, I hadn't ridden a bike in a while.
Now that this project is implemented, IT CAN GO TO HELL! I mean really, it can go straight to purgatory. There are WAY more cons than pros to this. Hopefully all will be corrected by next week, but for now I'll just name off a few of the things that seriously made me wanna kick people in the face:
For one, there's the fact that TOO MANY PEOPLE DON'T KNOW why the bikes are out. I heard so many people ask "Hey, what's up with these bikes?" The speculations are even worse. "I heard you had to rent these bikes to use them, but people just get on them and ride them." (<---I can take advantage of people like that.) The answer is everywhere, people... it's in the Vanguard (the student newspaper for those who don't know-- "*gasp!* We have a school newspaper?!")... there's practically a BILLBOARD on the school website!! I promise, you won't burst into flames if you just READ!!! You're gonna spend 4 years doing it here anyway...
South was supposed to have 500 bikes made. I'm not entirely sure how many have been put out at the moment. But I AM pretty sure that half of them are now out of commission. Handle bars are sliding, pedals are left all over campus... just so many issues in a matter of 2 days. I'm told that the 500 bikes were made in 4 weeks at the most, so the issues may be a result of rushed assembly. But with the way these reckless college students handle them, I honestly doubt that's the case.
As indicated above, I am well aware that these bikes have issues. Is that any reason to abandon them in the middle of the sidewalk? NOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!! Not only is that extremely dangerous for other bikers, it shows how incredibly lazy you are. I know bikes don't care where you are when they break down, but at least be considerate of the other people that use the sidewalk. And to the people who leave perfectly good bikes anywhere they feel like it, TO HELL WITH YOU TOO!!
I also have a place in my burn book for the people who hop on a JagBike who don't really have the skill to ride a bike. Traffic is already dangerous as it is. We don't need you making it worse. Stick to the JagTran.
And I'm tired of the people complaining about the people not using the bikes to go to class. STFU!!! Do you always use your car to go to class?? Do you always use the JAGTRAN to go to class?? NO! take the stick out of your ass and CTFD.
I don't see a very bright future for these bikes. They can take them away for all I care. I've gone most of my life without a bike anyway *shrugs*.
