No Lock for Boris's Bike Then as Well

You'd have thought the floppy haired Mayor of London would have learnt from the woes of his glorious leader last summer at least just a little when implementing his bike hire scheme. You'd also think that Boris Johnson avid bike rider would also have looked at the examples of the other city schemes such as Paris's Vélib. But no Boris is forgetting one thing the lock.

He thinks not having a lock will make people return the bikes they hire quicker to one of the 300-400 docking stations that will be available dotted around zone 1. But what is one needs to purchase a bottle of water, or snatch a paper all quick little dashes into a shop, all quite normal behaviour for cyclists, only to come out to find the bike gone an have to lose the whole £150 deposit.

Transport for London say providing locks will spoil the aesthetic of London.

Jenny Jones, a Green Party member of the London Assembly, said:

"Commuters and tourists will want the flexibility that a bike brings, and not
providing locks defies common sense. Part of the joy of cycling is the ability
to stop off where you want, nip into a shop, have a quick coffee and do all
those little things along your route that are more awkward when travelling by
bus, Tube or cab. The people setting up this scheme simply do not understand
cycling."

The London Cycling Campaign added:

"The lack of a lock may discourage potential riders, so TfL will need to make
sure there are sufficient convenient docking stations."

Come on Boris don't be silly. You know a lock makes sense to this scheme. Or we'll take your lock away from your bike.