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Velib' -- Paris on two wheels

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#1 of 14 Posted Oct-31 9:44 AM

From 4merCL Posts 106 Last Nov-15
To All [Msg # 31481.1 ]

This story in today's NYT on a self-serve bicycle rental program in Paris that is popular with tourists.

Are there any who have used it?

Best regards, 4merCL

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#2 of 14 Posted Oct-31 11:12 AM

From BevL (France) Posts 947 Last 3:34 AM
To 4merCL [Msg # 31481.2 31481.1 ]

Saw the article this morning - and was a little surprised by some of the statistics they cited. I've never used the velib myself. (Honestly, you have to be slightly suicidal to want to ride a bicycle in the middle of Paris IMO.) But I have seen them being ridden in the city, and they are immensely popular.

There has been some publicity here about the rather high rate of damage to the bikes - and the team assigned to travel around Paris checking the condition of the bikes in the stands, and to retrieve lost or abandoned velibs. Whether it's actually the "disenchanted" kids from the banlieux that are trashing them is possibly still open to question. (How are they getting into the center of Paris, after all, since one of their very legitimate complaints is that transit service from the "troubled" suburbs ranges from non-existant to impossible to use?)

But Paris is not the only city in France that has velibs these days. It would be interesting to hear how the other cities are managing.
Cheers,
Bev

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#3 of 14 Posted Oct-31 12:07 PM

From GretchenB-SFO Posts 1667 Last Nov-20
To BevL (France) [Msg # 31481.3 31481.2 ]

San Francisco has an active bicycle culture, and a Bicycle Coalition that has, over several years, got the City to install bike lanes on many major streets. For more than 25 years, there have been bike rental places near Golden Gate Park, and I notice that there are now rental places in other parts of town ... and there is a bike rack on the front of most buses, for those who need help getting up the hills!

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#4 of 14 Posted Oct-31 1:01 PM

From Hugh Wyn Griffith [FL] Posts 250 Last 11:23 AM
To 4merCL [Msg # 31481.4 31481.1 ]

I haven't read that article but I've seen a recent report (Budget Travel?) about a US tourist problem with these in that the pay meters only take intelligent cards with a microchip in them and not the current US cards commonly only with a magnetic stripe. The writer was unable to use the bike because they could not pay for it!

I see the my UK Bank ATM/Debit card has a chip in it and they are vaunting all sorts of new security they can offer to customer.

Hugh

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#5 of 14 Posted Oct-31 2:13 PM

From 4merCL Posts 106 Last Nov-15
To Hugh Wyn Griffith [FL] [Msg # 31481.5 31481.4 ]

>> I see the my UK Bank ATM/Debit card has a chip in it and they are vaunting all sorts of new security they can offer to customer. <<

Can you tell whether your card interfaces by means of a "contact pad" [for lack of knowing whether is an official term] or by means of RFID (Radio Frequency IDentification)? The latter technology is often used for inventory control/loss prevention of merchandise whose price point justifies the cost of the RFID tagging.

Best regards, 4merCL

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#6 of 14 Posted Oct-31 2:25 PM

From Hugh Wyn Griffith [FL] Posts 250 Last 11:23 AM
To 4merCL [Msg # 31481.6 31481.5 ]

No I can't. It is pretty thin and it's hard to know whether a fancy pad on the face is like the holograms on the back or whether they are contact points.

Hugh

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#7 of 14 Posted Oct-31 5:48 PM

From BevL (France) Posts 947 Last 3:34 AM
To Hugh Wyn Griffith [FL] [Msg # 31481.7 31481.4 ]

>>I see the my UK Bank ATM/Debit card has a chip in it and they are vaunting all sorts of new security they can offer to customer.

I wonder if the chips are compatible between countries. I've seen some cards in the US with chips, but have heard that the chip is either incompatible or in the wrong place on the card for it to work in the French credit card readers.

We've had the chips in the cards here for ages (well, at least 20 years or so) and it's rare that you sign a slip anymore when paying with a credit card. Usually you just enter your PIN (which I assume you have to do when renting a velib).

I used to have a real time of it when I went to France from Germany to do my grocery shopping. Germany didn't have the cards with chips, and so you couldn't use the credit card gas pumps in France. (At least the card readers in the grocery stores had a space where you could "swipe" your card to have it read the magnetic stripe.)
Cheers,
Bev

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#8 of 14 Posted Oct-31 6:18 PM

From Hugh Wyn Griffith [FL] Posts 250 Last 11:23 AM
To BevL (France) [Msg # 31481.8 31481.7 ]

One would hope they are compatible within the EEC at least and that since the banks credit card companies are more international than political organization <s> that they do have an international standard that is being observed.

I don't think the article said more than the US card had no chip so .....

Hugh

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#9 of 14 Posted Nov-1 2:02 AM

From BevL (France) Posts 947 Last 3:34 AM
To Hugh Wyn Griffith [FL] [Msg # 31481.9 31481.8 ]

>>One would hope they are compatible within the EEC at least and that since the banks credit card companies are more international than political organization <s> that they do have an international standard that is being observed.

Ah, but you underestimate political pride! According to everything I have ever heard, the chip on the credit card was invented here in France. It has been used here for ages and if other countries want to use a chip, that's fine, but we're not changing our chip to satisfy them.

It does appear, however, that the chips on my UK debit and credit cards are the same configuration as on my French carte bleue and that they are in the same position on the card. My US card doesn't have a chip, but last time I saw one with a chip, it was considerably different in size, shape and position from the French standard.
Cheers,
Bev

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#10 of 14 Posted Nov-1 11:20 AM

From GretchenB-SFO Posts 1667 Last Nov-20
To BevL (France) [Msg # 31481.10 31481.7 ]

used to have a real time of it when I went to France from Germany to do my grocery shopping. Germany didn't have the cards with chips, and so you couldn't use the credit card gas pumps in France. (At least the card readers in the grocery stores had a space where you could "swipe" your card to have it read the magnetic stripe.)

Last time I was in Amsterdam, I noticed that all parking meters are paid with a tiny "smart card;" I don't know if these would work for meters elsewhere in Europe.

We just got cards for parking meters, but they are a prepaid, "credit-card" type, with a magnetic strip. Old technology, but it sure beats carrying around $20 worth of quarters!

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#11 of 14 Posted Nov-1 11:52 AM

From BevL (France) Posts 947 Last 3:34 AM
To GretchenB-SFO [Msg # 31481.11 31481.10 ]

Haven't been to Amsterdam in quite a while now (hm, should plan a trip soon!) but several years ago the Dutch were really into using those electronic purse cards which were, I think, combined with the credit cards. You could load up an e-purse with 50€ and then spend it down on small purchases, including I think parking meters.

We got those a few years later, but the fees involved seemed rather high for the convenience - and ultimately very few merchants accepted the e-purse payments. Most just went ahead and got the equipment to take regular carte bleue (i.e. credit card) payments. I noticed on my latest leaflet with bank changes, they don't even mention the e-purse thing anymore.

But in Paris, there is a system of parking cards with chips in them that you load up with a certain amount and then just run off as you use the parking meters. (I think the meters used to take the e-purse cards, but no one seems to have bothered with them here.)
Cheers,
Bev

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#12 of 14 Posted Nov-1 12:32 PM

From Hugh Wyn Griffith [FL] Posts 250 Last 11:23 AM
To BevL (France) [Msg # 31481.12 31481.9 ]

And I am sure we can count on the USA not above all to adopt French chips ..... <g> We can't even confirm on cell phones ....

Hugh

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#13 of 14 Posted Nov-2 9:25 AM

From Dave Brand Posts 7 Last Nov-20
To BevL (France) [Msg # 31481.13 31481.7 ]

>>It does appear, however, that the chips on my UK debit and credit cards are the same configuration as on my French carte bleue and that they are in the same position on the card.<<

We've used our UK "Chip & PIN" cards in France, Belgium & Spain with no problems.
Dave Brand

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#14 of 14 Posted Nov-2 11:15 AM

From GretchenB-SFO Posts 1667 Last Nov-20
To BevL (France) [Msg # 31481.14 31481.11 ]

But in Paris, there is a system of parking cards with chips in them that you load up with a certain amount and then just run off as you use the parking meters

I guess that's something like what we have here now...they are available in $20 or $50 increments and have come in very handy!