Until last week I normally only rode a bike for leisurely fun, but now here in Spain is has become a vital lifesaving necessity. Every day I use a bike to go to school and it has turned the 45 minute journey into a quick 15 minute ride. As a result, my life is changed and I am more eager to leave the house for activities.
Mark, did you buy a bike? How are you going to get it home!?
Nope, I did not buy a bike.
Well, whose bike are you using?
Here in Seville they have a fascinating public transportation system called the Sevici bike-pass. For 25 euros a year (plus 6 euro for insurance) I am able to check out one of over 3,000 bikes around the city at one bike rack and simply return it at another bike rack that is near my destination. I can use the bikes unlimited times a day but I can only have one out at a time and if I use it for more than 30 minutes I will be charged 1 euro for every hour afterwards.
What happens if the rack is filled?
This is the only bad part about the pass. If a rack is filled you must find another station where you can lock your bike. Kind of pain, right? Well, in reality it isn’t that bad. There is normally another station close nearby and you can search for an open rack using the computer where you normally check a bike out. Also, you must remember you are still saving a lot of time and a lot of walking!
What does it look like?
;)
Here is the bike rack that is closest to my house. The tall gray rectangle on the right is the machine where I check out the bike. Also, the green path on the left is the biker’s lane. These paths are very common throughout the city.