HELMET USE UNPOPULAR
In its publicity, the city government placed some emphasis on the wearing of helmets for cyclists using the public bicycles. In fact, few cyclists seem willing to avail themselves of this service. Although helmets are provided, "people don't like to wear them in the hot weather," Chen said. "The attendants said that it was difficult to enforce, and might lead to arguments."
That many of the attendants have no knowledge of bicycles or cycling safety seems only to reinforce the low status of cycling in Taiwan.
Although Niu said that the Bureau of Transportation is in favor of "green transportation," Chen suggested that the city government as a whole "is really against bicycle transport." The laying out of cycleways around Taipei has generally come up against higher priority traffic considerations, and the condition of the Tachia riverside park cycleway, one of the largest areas for cycling, suffers from lack of management and construction litter.
"But at least there are fewer cars [than on the road]," Chen said. Certainly things are a good deal safer than on Binjiang Road outside the park with its traffic of heavy trucks. But the fact that large sections of the park are used for parking still means that inexperienced cyclists sometimes have to contend with cars as they venture onto the roads that connect different parts of the bicycle path.
"We have to make do with what we can get," Chen said.
The initiative has thus far proved quite popular. During the first day of the project, a Sunday, there were 500 rentals at the Tachia location. The following Sunday, this figure rose to 900 and reached 1,100 on the day of the Mid-Autumn Festival on Sept. 12. The Tachia section has 150 bikes available, and 50 more are to be added next week to meet demand.
"So far, we have not had any major problems with damage," Chen said. "The deposit and the fine are enough to keep people in line."
Project organizers hope the damage caused by public indifference to the cycling project is finally behind them. Niu also admonished residents to remember that the project's future relies on community spirit. "If people go on destroying bikes the way they did last time," he said, "nobody will donate bikes in future."
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