Tuesday, July 29, 2014

CitiBike App shows misleading graphics

Has this happened to you?  The CitiBike app shows pin graphic with a little dark blue at the bottom, indicating that there are a few bikes at a station.  You walk there, only to discover that the graphic was wrong - the app knew that the station had 0 bikes (confirmed when you tap the pin) but was displaying the pin with a dark blue tip anyway.

The dark blue tip on the pin suggests that there are a few bikes at the CitiBike station, but tapping it reveals that the station is empty


The harsh reality: the station is empty

Is it so hard for the app not do display misleading graphics?

10 Days and counting: 8 CitiBikes stuck at West 52nd St. & 8th Ave. station

Since at least July 20, the north end of the CitiBike station at West 52nd St. and 8th Ave. has been down and bikes parked there can't be released.  In the past 10 days, the number of bikes stuck at the station has increased to 8.


At one point, the past weekend, the number of broken/stuck bikes at this station had ballooned to 12 until 6 of the broken bikes were removed by Monday.

12 broken bikes July 27 at 3:30pm



Friday, July 25, 2014

6 days and counting: CitiBike Station at West 52nd St. and 8th Ave. is still partially down

As of Friday night, CitiBike has still not attended to the station at 8th Ave. and West 52nd St., where 6 bikes are locked in place.


Friday, July 25 at 10am: Empty CitiBike station at West 54th St. and 9th Ave.

The CitiBike station at W54th St. and 9th Ave. in Hell's Kitchen is empty yet again at the end of morning rush.


Thursday, July 24, 2014

5 days and counting: CitiBike station in Hell's Kitchen still partially down

After over 5 days, the northern portion of the CitiBike station at West 52nd St. and 8th Ave. is still down, holding captive 6 bikes.  Note that the other two bikes at the station at 9:45am were broken and the lucky woman pictured got the last functioning bike.

Perhaps CitiBike wants this station to stay broken to sustain the illusion that there are plenty of CitiBikes in Hell's Kitchen?


Wednesday, July 23, 2014

4 days and counting - CitiBike station at 8th Ave. and 52nd partially broken

The northern portion of the W52nd and 8th Ave. station has been broken since at least Sunday, July 20.  The docks are non-responsive to keys (no LED lights up), rendering the 6 (likely usable) CitiBikes captive.  In the last day, more broken bikes have been parked here, so as of this morning, there are 10 unusable CitiBikes at this station.

Do doubt if this was a station one block east on Broadway, it would have been attended to days ago.  CitiBike doesn't really care about Hell's Kitchen.


Tuesday, July 22, 2014

Tuesday, July 22 at 9:45am: Partially broken station at 52nd and 8th Ave. - 6 CitiBikes held hostage

The station at 8th Ave. at 52nd St. has been partially broken since at least Sunday.  The northern portion of the station is non-responsive - the LEDs don't light up when you insert a key into the dock.  The result is 6 CitiBikes locked into place.  If you stand near the station, you will see CitiBike member after CitiBike member try to release the bikes and finally give up and walk away in frustration.




Tuesday, July 22 at 9:40am: The Haves and Have Nots in Midtown West and Hell's Kitchen

Empty stations in Hell's Kitchen west of 8th Ave., nearly full stations along Broadway.



Sunday, July 20, 2014

Sunday, July 20 at 1:45pm: No CitiBikes

A beautiful Sunday for a bike ride but no CitiBikes at the W54 & 9th station.

Friday, July 18, 2014

Friday, July 11, 2014

UPDATE: CitiBike graveyard at W38 St./8th Ave grows

Yesterday there were 6 red light CitiBikes at West 38th St. and 8th Ave. This morning there are 8 at the east end of the station. Is it some sort of contagion affecting bikes here?


UPDATE July 11: The sad, broken bikes have been removed!  Hopefully they will have a fast convalescence and soon be back on the street, but most likely not parked at a station in Hell's Kitchen :(

Thursday, July 10, 2014

Thursday, July 10 at 10am: No CitiBikes at 54/9

Back to normal!  No CitiBikes at West 54 and 9th Ave. 


For the past couple of days there have been 3 red light specials parked at that station:


Wednesday, July 9, 2014

W38th St and 8th Ave: where CitiBikes go to die

Since yesterday at least six broken CitiBikes have been residing at the West 38th st. and 8th ave station.


I suppose it's better than yesterday when the entire station was down in the morning and bikes couldn't be docked or removed:


Wrongheaded CitiBike rebalancing continues unabated in Midtown/Hell's Kitchen

This morning at 9:30am, I saw a rebalancer - the same guy pictured here - with his precious cargo of 4 CitiBikes riding up Broadway (going opposite the designated direction).  He rode by the Broadway/51st St. station but would have added bikes there except the station was full.  He continued up Broadway and I am pretty certain he added his bikes to the Broadway/53rd St. station:


This is just so wrongheaded because that station was already 3/4 full, with 30+ bikes.  Meanwhile, one avenue block west, the 8th Ave./52nd St station was empty (I know because I walked by it) and the CitiBike app showed the 9th Ave/54 and 9th Ave/52 stations were empty.

It's clear that the powers that be at CitiBike have targeted Broadway for rebalancing, perhaps to get tourists to pony up for the more lucrative $10 day passes, and are ignoring the members who live in Hell's Kitchen.

Here is a snapshot of the Haves (red means full) and Have Nots (blue means empty). The highlighted circle is the Broadway/51st. station.






Thursday, July 3, 2014

Tuesday, July 2 at 9:50am: 4 red light specials at West 54th and 9th Ave.

I thought I had seen a mirage - 4 bikes at the W54 and 9 Citibike station - but it turned out to be 4 red lights.