Pals, for the longest time, I’ve craved to have an e-bike between my thighs. I’m sick of being sardined in a bus, sitting near a driver that refuses to wear a mask. I want to feel the wind on my skin, go zoomies, and flirt with death as an Uber tries to bump me with his rearview mirror. Doing so would legit cut my commute down by a whopping 30 minutes.
Therefore, in theory, I should be simping hard for the City of Sydney’s new e-bike initiative. However, I instead have some huge reservations. Why? Well, let’s take off the brakes and put the pedal to the eco-friendly metal.
What Is the City of Sydney’s New E-Bike Scheme?
The City of Sydney is collaborating with Transport for NSW and some other providers to give 160 people an opportunity to test ride an e-bike for four weeks. If these folks are a fan of their bikes, then they can continue to hire them out. Otherwise, these machines can be returned free of charge. To be eligible for this program, you must be someone who’s over 18 that lives in Green Square, parts of Alexandria, Waterloo, Beaconsfield, Zetland, and Rosebery.
The Lord Mayor Clover Moore gave themselves a pat on the back for starting this initiative. “E-bikes offer a different type of ride and can be helpful for families with children, or workers who don’t have time to change before they get into the office,” declared Moore. “We’re excited to offer Green Square locals an alternative way of exploring our city.”
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So, What’s Wrong With This New E-Bike Initiative?
I don’t live in the snazziest of neighbourhoods. All of the bogans own staffies, nobody drinks kombucha, and the streets are decorated with abandoned mattresses. Don’t get me wrong, I love it there, but it’s no pantheon like the Green Square library.
I also live literally one street away from one of the fancy neighbourhoods listed above. A place where the people are richer. A place where their public amenities, like their parks, are so much nicer. They even get extra buses, they’re practically getting chauffeured to work. It’s hard to feel like this new e-bike scheme is an extension of this publicly funded wealth disparity.
Seriously, why can’t I rent out one of these e-bikes? Why is my suburb holding me back from greatness? Is Moore afraid that I’m going to knick the bike and sell it on Gumtree? Again, I’m only one street away, what makes me unworthy of such a scheme? It just isn’t fair Sydney, it just isn’t fair.
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