Tel Aviv is preparing to launch a bike-sharing program, joining over 200 cities in the world that already operate such systems.
The pessimists and optimists will continue to disagree about the ultimate outcome of the amazing wave of protests sweeping through the Middle East (including bicycle-riding protestors in Cairo), but here’s one revolution everyone can applaud: New bike-sharing schemes are being inaugurated in Doha and Tel Aviv to ease urban congestion and reduce pollution.
Amidst reports of growing revolutionary fervor in Qatar (at least on Facebook, if not in the streets), a pilot program of bike rentals was recently launched in Doha. Initially, the bikes will be rented for 30-minute periods at no charge. “The idea is to eventually make the country bicycle-friendly with separate cycling lanes,” Qatar Cycling Federation president Sheikh Khalid bin Ali al-Thani told Gulf Times at the launch.
Bike stations are also being installed in Tel Aviv, which is slated to inaugurate its Tel-Ofan bike-sharing system next month. The first stage of the project will include 75 stations and 750 bicycles. Environmental organizations and transportation planners are enthusiastic about the program, but worry that the city lacks an appropriate infrastructure of bike paths.
:: Gulf Times
:: TheMarker (in Hebrew)
Image via The Bike-Sharing Blog
Read more about bicycles in Tel Aviv:
Greenie Wants YOU to Become a Bicycle Courier in Tel Aviv
Israel Becomes A Nation of Pedalers (Cycling Freaks)
Tel Aviv Cafes Offer Great Cappucinos and Free Bike Rentals
Bike Sharing Down to a Science
And for something completely different::
Egyptian Man Takes Biking To A Whole New Level… Under Water
Author: Ira Moskowitz
When his kids were small, Ira would point to litter on the ground and tell them: “That makes me angry!” He still gets angry about pollution, waste and abusive treatment of our world, but is encouraged by the growing awareness of environmental issues and has been following the latest developments in cleantech with great interest. Ira grew up in the green hills of western Massachusetts and moved to Israel in the early 1980s after completing an MA in Middle Eastern Studies. He has worked as a software developer and journalist, and translates works of Hebrew fiction and non-fiction to English. Ira is trying to age gracefully, but refuses to surrender his youthful belief in the potential for change, including a collaborative future for the peoples of the Middle East. To contact Ira, email ira (at) greenprophet (dot) com.
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