Seattle’s Missing Bicycles

By Marques Vickers

Seattle’s dockless electrical bicycle program is the largest shared urban transportation outlet in the United States. Reportedly, one quarter of all rental bikes are based within the Seattle metropolitan region. The city launched the program during the summer of 2017 following a failed pilot experiment between 2014-2016. The objectives behind this modified program remain to enable fluid mobility, reduce car congestion and emissions, and offer commuters, residents and visitors an affordable and easily accessible transportation alternative.

The absence of centralize docking stations has spread the availability of rental bikes citywide.

There remains an essential nuisance accentuated by this random placement method and the questionable locations employed by riders following the conclusion of their rental. Despite efforts to retrieve, repair, and relocate equipment to desirable reuse locations by the participating bike suppliers, a significant amount of inventory remains irreparably damaged and/or indiscriminately abandoned in isolated locations.

Photographer Marques Vickers tracks down with his camera lens some of the more distinctive and absurd landing spots. His imaginative Photoshop manipulation further accentuates some of this excess disposal disregard.

As thousands of fresh lime green, yellow and orange bikes infiltrate city sidewalks, hiking trails, beaches, drainage ditches, and even water bodies, questions abound regarding the program’s long-term sustainability and practicality. The dockless bike share program began in three major Chinese cities during 2015 and is currently proliferating throughout American and global communities.

The experiment continues as an attractive offering due to its minimally required investment by city planners. The question persists however whether this flawed but popular transportation mode is worth the accompanying inconveniences and is financially profitable.

Dockless bicycle programs have become private industry gifts to cities...with strings attached.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Marques Vickers
• Release date: Aug 4, 2020
• ISBN: 9781005384968

Marques Vickers

Visual Artist, Writer and Photographer Marques Vickers is a California native presently living in the San Francisco Bay Area and Seattle, Washington regions. He was born in 1957 and raised in Vallejo, California. He is a 1979 Business Administration graduate from Azusa Pacific University in the Los Angeles area. Following graduation, he became the Public Relations and ultimately Executive Director of the Burbank Chamber of Commerce between 1979-84. He subsequently became the Vice President of Sales for AsTRA Tours and Travel in Westwood between 1984-86. Following a one-year residence in Dijon, France where he studied at the University of Bourgogne, he began Marquis Enterprises in 1987. His company operations have included sports apparel exporting, travel and tour operations, wine brokering, publishing, rare book and collectibles reselling. He has established numerous e-commerce, barter exchange and art websites including MarquesV.com, ArtsInAmerica.com, InsiderSeriesBooks.com, DiscountVintages.com and WineScalper.com. Between 2005-2009, he relocated to the Languedoc region of southern France. He concentrated on his painting and sculptural work while restoring two 19th century stone village residences. His figurative painting, photography and sculptural works have been sold and exhibited internationally since 1986. He re-established his Pacific Coast residence in 2009 and has focused his creative productivity on writing and photography. His published works span a diverse variety of subjects including true crime, international travel, California wines, architecture, history, Southern France, Pacific Coast attractions, fiction, auctions, fine art marketing, poetry, fiction and photojournalism. He has two daughters, Charline and Caroline who presently reside in Europe.

Book preview

SEATTLE’s MISSING BICYCLES

Published by Marques Vickers at Smashwords

Copyright 2020 Marques Vickers

MARQUIS PUBLISHING

HERRON ISLAND, WASHINGTON

Seattle’s Misplaced Bikes

Dockless bicycle sharing has become a visible urban alternative to stimulate mobility within a constricted city environment.

The concept is an attempt to alleviate automobile gridlock, lower car emission levels, and enable easier accessibility. In principle, the concept is sound, needed, and increasingly prevalent within American and international population centers. The second-generation bicycle technology has introduced electric motors aiding navigation, GPS tracking systems and easier payment capabilities.

The dockless concept initially was introduced around 2015 in three metropolitan Chinese cities. Their experiences influenced the American marketing model. China plays an important role in the long-term viability of this program as the manufacturing center of the bikes. Current trade negotiations and tariff threats may ultimately influence or inhibit supply line sourcing.

From a practical standard civically, the absence of centralized docking stations, administrative infrastructure, and public financing has made the program’s premise attractive to American city planners.

Doubtlessly no American city has embraced the concept more fervently than Seattle. Seattle had its own pilot bike share program called Pronto between 2014-2016. Launched during the drizzly