Forum Discussion

jm's avatar
jm
Hustlin' Helper
3 years ago

Lost Booster After Using Cable Lock

Please, help me understand.

 

Why did I lose my boost?

 

I did not dock at a station, so... why, how, can it be, that my boost was removed when I did not dock the bike at a station?

 

If you do not dock a bike, and instead use the cable lock,  how can you loose your boost

JM

  • Locking an electric bike outside a station (while permitted) will end a boost, because from a system health point of view having a bike docked outside of a station is always less desirable than having it in a station, and because of that reason we have always considered parking outside of a station a non-point earning/streak breaking action.

     

    GPS is never perfect, so bikes that are outside of a station are harder to find than bikes that are inside a station, both for riders and our own staff. Additionally, when bikes are parked outside of a station, we lose operational efficiencies where we can inspect and perform battery swaps on multiple bikes at the same time because they're parked at the same location and easy to find.

  • So the difference between those two rides is that the ride that didn't break the streak was also started outside of a station, while the ride that broke the streak was started at a station.

     

    That means that from a system health perspective the first ride was neutral, since both in the before and after state there was a bike parked outside a station, while the second ride resulted in a net loss of bikes parked in a station.

     

    Note that you can get points by doing the reverse action (pick up a cable locked bike and parking it in a drop off station) since that is a move that increases the health of the system.

  • Remco's avatar
    Remco
    Bike Angels Team

    So the difference between those two rides is that the ride that didn't break the streak was also started outside of a station, while the ride that broke the streak was started at a station.

     

    That means that from a system health perspective the first ride was neutral, since both in the before and after state there was a bike parked outside a station, while the second ride resulted in a net loss of bikes parked in a station.

     

    Note that you can get points by doing the reverse action (pick up a cable locked bike and parking it in a drop off station) since that is a move that increases the health of the system.

    • T1m3Wizard's avatar
      T1m3Wizard
      Steady Solver

      Hey Remco, a follow-up question to a very old comment apparently - What do you mean by "outside of a station"? Doesn't all bikes need to be docked at a station towards the end of a ride?

      • Jess's avatar
        Jess
        Bike Angels Team

        T1m3Wizard Lyft operates Citi Bike as well as bike brands in other markets. Some markets allow 'free-docking' where riders dock bikes at places other than a station.

         

        In NYC, the system is dock-only, meaning you won't need to use the cable lock. Remco am I missing anything?

    • CarolTandava's avatar
      CarolTandava
      Steady Solver

      Can you and Jess give some more info on the cable lock system? I’ve seen the cables on bikes but don’t know anything more about it.

      • Jess's avatar
        Jess
        Bike Angels Team

        Thanks for replying Remco—And, thanks for the question, CarolTandava!

         

        You shouldn't encounter a need to use your cable lock when Angeling in NYC. 👼

    • jm's avatar
      jm
      Hustlin' Helper

      Wow!

      Finally.


      Remco!

      Remco!

      Remco!


      Silly when I think of it now, it makes so much sense.


      Much appreciated.

      Glad you're working for, well... whatever company.


      So... if I finish the month at the top of the Divvy LEADERBOARD, is there a super cool prize awaiting?


      Regards,

       

       

       

  • Jess's avatar
    Jess
    Bike Angels Team

    Hello, jm, thank you for posting this question in the community. 

     

    I hear you that losing a Streak is a surprise and frustration, especially when you don't know how it was lost! I want to support you in any way I can, so you can maintain your Streaks and perks for as long as possible. 

     

    Looking at your post, it sounds like you used the cable lock to secure the bike away from a dock. To clarify, anytime a bike is docked or locked, your ride will end, as the bikeshare system is designed to accommodate complete one-way trips.

     

    This means, when you lock your bike, you'll want to make sure it's secured to a dock using the dock's locking mechanism (or the cable lock in the event you experience an issue at the dock). Since the ride in question wasn't completed at a station, the Bike Angels rebalancing action wasn't completed, and the Streak was broken. 

     

    I hope you'll return to the community to connect with other Angels in the future. 😊  

    • jm's avatar
      jm
      Hustlin' Helper

      Thank you for helping

      But...

      Is not a ride complete when you use the cable on an electric bike to lock the bike?

      The app showed the ride in question as complete.  So I'm saying the lock worked, and the ride complete.

      Also,  this is not the first time I locked up a divvy bike out of station using the cable on an electric the bike, and my boost was never, ever, lost before.

       

      So,  the question is this..

      Does locking an electric bike outside of a station, using the attached bike cable, and as permitted by Divvy policy, make you loose your boost?

       

      Thank you

      • Remco's avatar
        Remco
        Bike Angels Team

        Locking an electric bike outside a station (while permitted) will end a boost, because from a system health point of view having a bike docked outside of a station is always less desirable than having it in a station, and because of that reason we have always considered parking outside of a station a non-point earning/streak breaking action.

         

        GPS is never perfect, so bikes that are outside of a station are harder to find than bikes that are inside a station, both for riders and our own staff. Additionally, when bikes are parked outside of a station, we lose operational efficiencies where we can inspect and perform battery swaps on multiple bikes at the same time because they're parked at the same location and easy to find.