New York City's new bike share program Citi Bike opened for business on Monday, hoping to attract thousands of commuters to sign up and use the communal bikes for their short journeys around the city.
The bikes have been introduced amid some controversy as some New Yorkers have complained about giving up precious parking spaces for lines of bikes, and others have complained that the bikes are unsightly and ugly.
New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg has said that Citi Bike is the Big Apple's first new public transport option in 75 years. He hopes that if the scheme kicks off well then within years New York could become one of the most bike-friendly cities in the world.
For those eager to sign up and give the new Citi Bikes a ride here are some instructions on what you would need to do:
1) For the first week, Citi Bike will only allow members with year-long subscriptions to use them. A year-long subscription will set you back $95. Those interested can sign up online with a credit or debit card.
For those who do not want a year-long membership just yet, you will have to wait until June 2, from which time users will be able to sign up for a day pass (for $9.95), or for a weekly pass (for $25).
2) Those with year-long subscriptions will be given Citi Bike key fobs, which can be used to gain access to bikes.
For those on the shorter subscriptions a 5-digit number will be provided to unlock bikes via a keypad.
3) Once you've signed up, simply find a Citi Bike station – there are 330 stations already installed, with 6,000 bikes across them.
4) Find an available bike at the station, and put your fob in the slot under the panel with the red, yellow and green lights. Once you enter your valid fob, the yellow light will turn on, followed by the green light.
5) Once the green light is shown, remember to take out your fob and then pull your bike out. Already some have commented that the bikes are a little heavy and need to be pulled slightly upwards as you pull it out.
6) Safety – you should be able to adjust your seat height to your size. Also note, helmets are not provided as they are not legally required. If you decide you want to wear one, you'll have to bring your own.
Other safety notes are included between the handlebars, which read: "Yield to pedestrians, Stay off the sidewalk, Obey traffic lights, Ride with traffic."
7) The bikes are provided with three gears, which you can switch between according to whether you are going up hill or traveling on a flat or downhill surface.
8) If you have a yearly subscription you can use the Citi Bike for 45 minutes at a time maximum before having to place it back at a station. For shorter subscriptions you have just 30 minutes. If you go over those times, extra charges will be enforced.
9) Once you're done, find a station and an available slot for the Citi Bike, and place the front wheel back into the lock. Again, you may need to lift the bike a little as you push it in, and you should make sure it clicks into the locked position – a yellow light, then a green light, then no light on will notify you that the bike is locked. The penalty for a lost bike is $1,000.
