Is it worth returning an ebike/scooter to a dock?

Thanks for putting this together, Wim! I've never thought through the math but visualizing it really helps.

I decided to make matching charts for those of us with Divvy for Everyone pricing ($0.05/min for bikes and $0.10/min for scooters). Here's what I found:

So here's a situation where the BA can not help redistribute because of the current fee system in place.

This scooter is surrounded by no-scooter zones. All the red areas are prohibited. If you try riding, the scooter will turn off. The only way out Is to ride it back down Randolph to Michigan Avenue.


The map may look like there are roads all around, but it's all split level streets, and these roads are all inaccessible from where the scooter is located.

If you take the scooter back on Randolph, the distance along with the Columbus Street and Michigan Avenue traffic lights, there's no way you're gonna make $$ within the allotted time frame from Wim's chart.

Now, the scooter has been there a couple days. Let's see how long it stays there.

There are situations, if Lyft would give us a break on the fees, BA could be more useful.

Wim, you opened my eyes to scooters. Something I've ignored and considered crazy, dangerous, seeing the people zip around with no protection at high speeds. No helmets, then, knowing of the number of accidents that happen in this city.

After riding e-scooters I'm 100% convinced they're dangerous, they're clunkers, they have no maneuverability, and they're so heavy, you basically are a torpedo heading in a straight line.

Still, they are an BA option when there's nothing else. But your chart shows the e-scooter has to be very, very close to the station, otherwise you're working for free.

In Chicago, there are so many no-go areas for scooters. Basically, all the places fun places

No-go in Red

you would want to go, along the lake front, along the river, all of those are no-go. So you'll often find scooters parked alongside the no-go areas, and there they will stay, because it's not worth it to take them back up to a station.

No-go in red 

Thanks for your help 

Right. Scooters are not talked about here because "traditionally" this was a Citibike board and there are no scooters in NYC.

Moving scooters never entered my mind until a couple days ago. It could be a play but already a big hit is taken out of the "profits" by moving eBikes, and as your chart shows, with scooters it will be worse. 

I do the larger number for exercise, but I'd feel a bit like a fool "working for free"

The bikes are more versatile and maneuverable, that helps reduce the time to the stations.

Just thinking out loud 

Thanks 

So... we can Bike Angels scooters also? That's not talked about 

Got it. Thanks for your help. Great chart.

Thanks 

Don't exactly understand ,  but thanks  

Also...

Distance or time?

12pts = $2.40

3pts = .60

$2.40 = 12 minutes @ .20/min (fee+tax)

.60 = 3 mins 

In a 300pts day, I could "give up" as much as 23% of my total points moving eBikes