Spokies

[CuatrodeMayo]

Interesting...

[BBatesokc]

I think some of the confusion is that there are debit only cards and visa logo'd debit cards that work anywhere Visa is accepted.

[Pete]

But I think virtually all debit cards these days are associated with credit card companies.

Aren't the pretty much one and the same?

[catch22]

I think you are fine as long as your debit card can be run as credit. Most banks allow the choice of debit (pin) or credit when checking out, I assume the bike racks automatically run it as credit. I'll run by my ATM tomorrow and see if a large amount of money was "held"

[catch22]

And I hope not because I have a $740 purchase to make on Thursday....boo

[Just the facts]

You only need the credit card to sign up. You don't need it to rent the actual bike. You will get a membership card in the mail that you use to checkout a bike. So defrost the credit card, sign up on-line, and put the credit card back in the freezer.

[BBatesokc]

But I think virtually all debit cards these days are associated with credit card companies.

Aren't the pretty much one and the same?

Several banks (including Bank of America) offer ATM only Debit cards. Those must be associated with a password/key.

[Pete]

I have the standard-issue BofA ATM card and it has the Visa logo on it.

It came with the basic, free checking account and I never asked for a special ATM card. I can only use it up to the amount currently available in my checking account.

I think the Visa logo just means you can use it wherever Visa is accepted, not that it itself is a credit card.


And that is the card I use for pretty much everything, including car rentals and hotels that require a temporary hold.

[windowphobe]

But I think virtually all debit cards these days are associated with credit card companies. Aren't the pretty much one and the same?

For the most part, though there are some that don't bear a credit-card logo.

And there's the BOk check card, which works like a Visa, and only like a Visa: if you tell the little terminal it's a debit card, it will be declined, but if you swipe it again and say it's a credit card, it will work just fine. (Others may be like this, but this is the one with which I have had experience in the past.)

[catch22]

I did not sign up... I walked up to the bike rack and rented with no sign ups....

[CuatrodeMayo]

Did you buy a $5 one-day membership?

[catch22]

I wasn't prompted to. I just selected a bike, inserted my card. It gave me a receipt and told me to pull the bike off the rack.

[Spartan]

You only need the credit card to sign up. You don't need it to rent the actual bike. You will get a membership card in the mail that you use to checkout a bike. So defrost the credit card, sign up on-line, and put the credit card back in the freezer.

I think you're confusing bikeshare kiosks with gym memberships.

Nonetheless, this is good news. I think we were all thrown off by the credit-only.

[UrbanNebraska]

Not sure if it works the same, but here you will end up paying much more per month by not becoming a member if you use the program with any regularity. For instance you pay $42 for a year long membership, but swiping your card only grants you a 24 hour pass that charges over $5 just to take the bike off the rack. Both charge after their first hour off the rack. If I were to use them only 8 times in a year I would have paid a annual membership fee. FWIW

[Spartan]

Our membership fee is $75 AND you get charged for check outs over 30 minutes on top of that.

[UrbanNebraska]

Our membership fee is $75 AND you get charged for check outs over 30 minutes on top of that.

Just thought I would share as I know a few of first time users here were turned off to the program because of unexpected bills. Obviously they were uninformed, but I think there is some foreign territory with bike share for most people.

[lindsey]

Does anyone know if and when the station on 2nd Street will be going in?

[Pete]

Does anyone know if and when the station on 2nd Street will be going in?

They have all the approvals, I think they are just waiting for some construction to wrap up at Level.

[lindsey]

They have all the approvals, I think they are just waiting for some construction to wrap up at Level.

So no date is set?

[Pete]

I'm sure it will be soon as they have just started installing the racks around downtown and midtown.

If you want to talk to the program manager, call Jeff at 405-235-3500.

And if you do, please share what you learn.

[lindsey]

As I have found every time I've called - no real answer. Jeff wasn't in though...waiting for "them" to pour the concrete. She was unsure of who "they" were - I asked was it LEVEL or the City of OKC and she said maybe the City. She also said probably a couple more weeks on the 2nd Street (Deep Deuce) location.

[BBatesokc]

When I was out jogging this morning I finally took a look at the Spokies racks up close and personal.

This is the one in Midtown next to McNellie's.



Pretty cool. One thing I noticed though is that the rack was already 100% full at 8:30am. Not so cool if you arrived thinking you could turn your bike in to avoid charges and/or avoid having to carry a heavy lock and cable with you.

I did see 4 other people (1 couple and 2 singles) out riding them (from other racks obviously) while I was out.

[Pete]

Yeah, I wondered about how they were going to level out the number of bikes at the various locations. I'm sure there will be some places where the racks fill...

I'm sure it's a bit of a learning process for the people running the program, as they will probably just have to monitor usage patterns and make adjustments.

[Pete]

Yeah, I wondered about how they were going to level out the number of bikes at the various locations. I'm sure there will be some places where the racks fill...

I'm sure it's a bit of a learning process for the people running the program, as they will probably just have to monitor usage patterns and make adjustments.



I had a thought the other day... If I owned a business in the central core area I'd procure a bike rack with user-programmable combinations or a take-a-key setup like they have for lockers at the train station.

Not everybody caries a bike lock and this might encourage people to patronize your establishment.

[Garin]

This is a big waste of money in my opinion.