Is the Bike Angel, E-Bike System Unfair
Is the Bike Angel, E-Bike System Unfair - It's not really a question, because it is... unfair
If you’ve looked at the MoreBikes NYC stats, you’ll see eBikes dominate usage in New York, which means eBikes need to be redistributed the most.
https://www.morebikes.nyc/daily_stats/
Here’s the thing...
The Bike Angels are helping to balance the system, but we are being charged for rebalancing the most popular bikes - eBikes
If you're a Bike Angel trying to earn points, those fees eat into your rewards big time, so you're helping Lyft make the system run better... and paying them for the privilege.
Wim posted a matrix that show it clearly:
Is it worth returning an ebike/scooter to a dock? | Bike Angels
Imagine your boss offers you a salary, but says you can only shop at their own overpriced (.18 cents a minute) store to do the job.
We’re happily doing the work, but we're forced to "buy the supplies" needed to get the job done, from Lyft.
Sure, Lyft - CitiBike, Divvy, will never, ever change this, but it’s still awfully unfair.
In NYC, the bikes have to be docked, Chicago's Divvy eBikes can be left out of station, which makes it even more crucial to hunt down and pick up the abandoned, and obscurely located ebikes that are left everywhere.
We shouldn’t be punished financially for helping.
Okay, just don't move eBikes.
And although it will cut into the fun, at close to a 23% penalty in total points for the day, I may just start doing that.
Problem solved.