Divvy Temporarily Closed for Snow

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Leah Jone on January 2, 2014 at 5:02pm

Agreed. It's always been clear that in extreme weather, Divvy would be closed. It's worth it for me for all the other times they've been open this winter.

I think it's a good call to close for the afternoon and evening.

ad said:

Divvy made it clear months ago that they had they reserved the right to suspend service temporarily "in very extreme weather."  http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2013-10-29/news/chi-city-hall-di...

How is this a surprise to anyone here now??

While a predicted lake effect snow storm that could dump up to a foot of snow (on top of the 6 inches we already have received in the past 24 hours) and up to 25 mph winds may not be "extreme" to some, it's not like they shut down for a predicted light dusting.  In fact, though we've already had more than a few snow storms, this is the first time they've shut down--suggesting they'll only do so if its predicted to be serious.  

I, for one, intend to cut them some slack.  

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Thunder Snow on January 2, 2014 at 5:04pm

This Divvy map is pretty horrifying.  Grey indicators mean "out of service."

My intention in posting this thread was merely to keep a hundred of us from heading to non-working Divvy stations at the end of the day, not to stir up outrage that bikes were briefly unavailable today. 

But, because I was curious, I tried to see what other Snow Belt bike share systems do in winter.

I found this article.  According to this, bike sharing in Toronto, Montreal & Ottawa completely shut down for the winter.  They don't even open for a nice above-freezing day in March.  Minneapolis/St. Paul not only shuts down, but removes the stations from the street, to avoid salt and plow damage, at a huge cost (roughly a quarter of the yearly budget for Minnesota Nice Ride goes toward removing and reinstalling all the stations each year, before and after winter).

Boston usually shuts down for winter, but this year, as an experiment, is leaving open a handful of stations in Cambridge.  Just Cambridge, Mass., no other area around Boston.

I have no inside knowledge as to why the shutdown today.  It could simply be CDOT not wanting a Divvy rider to get whacked by a Streets & Sans snowplow, while they stood in the street docking a bike.  I'd be very surprised if the shutdown continued tomorrow.

Compared to other North American Snow Belt cities, even if Divvy shuts a couple of times this winter, we still seem kinda hardcore.

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Duppie on January 2, 2014 at 5:08pm

Fair questions. What did the Divvy rep say when you called them to ask for an explanation? You did call them, did you?

Adam Herstein (5.5 mi) said:

Right, are they going to shut down when it's really cold too? What if there is a large political protest downtown? The criteria for when/if Divvy shuts down needs to be better explained. Why should I pay for a yearly service that can shut down at a whim?

I am not terribly inconvenienced by this one shut down. I am more concerned about further shutdowns and when/why they will occur. An ambiguous "bad weather" statement is not enough.

Jennifer on the lake said:

I wonder what they're going to do about Monday.

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Adam Herstein on January 2, 2014 at 5:21pm

Why is it that every time someone raises an issue here that they have with something, someone steps in and accuses them of being "entitled"? Such comments only serve to stifle healthy discussion.

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Julie Aberman (Hochstadter) on January 2, 2014 at 5:21pm

Yes we are lucky they stay open in winter and through other less crazy snow storms. We should feel lucky....

I assume you have to rebalance. And it's not so safe driving. I don't know either but one day isn't a make it or break for me.


Thunder Snow said:

This Divvy map is pretty horrifying.  Grey indicators mean "out of service."

My intention in posting this thread was merely to keep a hundred of us from heading to non-working Divvy stations at the end of the day, not to stir up outrage that bikes were briefly unavailable today. 

But, because I was curious, I tried to see what other Snow Belt bike share systems do in winter.

I found this article.  According to this, bike sharing in Toronto, Montreal & Ottawa completely shut down for the winter.  They don't even open for a nice above-freezing day in March.  Minneapolis/St. Paul not only shuts down, but removes the stations from the street, to avoid salt and plow damage, at a huge cost (roughly a quarter of the yearly budget for Minnesota Nice Ride goes toward removing and reinstalling all the stations each year, before and after winter).

Boston usually shuts down for winter, but this year, as an experiment, is leaving open a handful of stations in Cambridge.  Just Cambridge, Mass., no other area around Boston.

I have no inside knowledge as to why the shutdown today.  It could simply be CDOT not wanting a Divvy rider to get whacked by a Streets & Sans snowplow, while they stood in the street docking a bike.  I'd be very surprised if the shutdown continued tomorrow.

Compared to other North American Snow Belt cities, even if Divvy shuts a couple of times this winter, we still seem kinda hardcore.

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Rich S on January 2, 2014 at 5:27pm

So compared to other cities the grass is greener on our side of the fence. 

Thunder Snow said:

This Divvy map is pretty horrifying.  Grey indicators mean "out of service."

My intention in posting this thread was merely to keep a hundred of us from heading to non-working Divvy stations at the end of the day, not to stir up outrage that bikes were briefly unavailable today. 

But, because I was curious, I tried to see what other Snow Belt bike share systems do in winter.

I found this article.  According to this, bike sharing in Toronto, Montreal & Ottawa completely shut down for the winter.  They don't even open for a nice above-freezing day in March.  Minneapolis/St. Paul not only shuts down, but removes the stations from the street, to avoid salt and plow damage, at a huge cost (roughly a quarter of the yearly budget for Minnesota Nice Ride goes toward removing and reinstalling all the stations each year, before and after winter).

Boston usually shuts down for winter, but this year, as an experiment, is leaving open a handful of stations in Cambridge.  Just Cambridge, Mass., no other area around Boston.

I have no inside knowledge as to why the shutdown today.  It could simply be CDOT not wanting a Divvy rider to get whacked by a Streets & Sans snowplow, while they stood in the street docking a bike.  I'd be very surprised if the shutdown continued tomorrow.

Compared to other North American Snow Belt cities, even if Divvy shuts a couple of times this winter, we still seem kinda hardcore.

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Alex Z on January 2, 2014 at 5:31pm

Because you don't simply "raise an issue," you whine.

Adam Herstein (5.5 mi) said:

Why is it that every time someone raises an issue here that they have with something, someone steps in and accuses them of being "entitled"? Such comments only serve to stifle healthy discussion.

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Mike Zumwalt on January 2, 2014 at 5:42pm

Mike Zumwalt on October 14, 2013 at 6:00pm                   Delete

 "I wonder what they are going to do with/about frozen bikes in the winter or how many people will use them and how they will handle."

 

 Today:Any bets on how many days until the bike lanes are clear? I know it JUST stopped snowing but I could barely walk on the sidewalk much less think about riding.

 

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by El Dorado on January 2, 2014 at 5:51pm

The city of Chicago is not giving out overtime to any of the salt drivers. I don't feel safe driving my beater of a car. I was planning on using Divvy during harsh weather like this. The Divvy bikes are built like tanks and could easily do this weather.

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by h' Zerocats on January 2, 2014 at 7:08pm

Relative to this gem of a "discussion," I see two reasons:

1) The Chainlink has both "utility" and recreational/sport cyclists under its tent.

The latter "have" to hang their bikes in the garage for the winter. It's no secret that athletes get depressed and cranky when they're less active.

2) Again, The Chainlink has both "utility" and recreational/sport cyclists under its roof.

The latter group does not understand the struggle of the former to have their mode of transportation recognized as being important enough to warrant government investment and resources.  To them, it's just a "sport" and anyone speaking up for elevated status is "entitled."

They are in a different universe than we are.

Please whine extra loud for all the cyclists who think bike advocacy is silly, since we have to carry them on our backs.

Adam Herstein (5.5 mi) said:

Why is it that every time someone raises an issue here that they have with something, someone steps in and accuses them of being "entitled"? Such comments only serve to stifle healthy discussion.

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Eli on January 2, 2014 at 7:09pm

I found this article.  According to this, bike sharing in Toronto, Montreal & Ottawa completely shut down for the winter.

It looks like this article is mistaken regarding Toronto--the system runs year round.

The biggest US snow belt bike share system, of course, is New York's, which also will run year round.

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by h' Zerocats on January 2, 2014 at 7:14pm

Regarding the closure- I am in the camp of agreeing that they really didn't give much of an explanation.

As someone who has to clear a lot more snow than the rest of you, my guess is that there was simply no way to keep up with the snow burying the stations. In some ways the current snow was worse than Feb 2011, when we got a bunch of snow dumped on us in about 10 hours-- it snowed for almost two days straight with barely a break. Clearing snow before it's stopped snowing is a fool's errand.

• ▶ Reply

• ‹ Previous
• 1
• 2
• 3
• 4
• 5
• 6
• …
• 20
• Next ›
• Page