Is LA ready for bike sharing?

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I talked to Navin Narang, the founder of Bike Nation. It’s the company that in the coming months is going to put 4,000 rental bikes on the streets of L.A. These are bikes you can rent at 400 high-tech kiosks located from downtown to Venice Beach. Narang and I discussed the details of the program and how he and his partners hope to make a handsome profit offering pedal power to Angelinos (Listen below). But not all Angelinos are ready for more bikes. Here’s what KCRW listeners had to say on Facebook.

Deana Becker I used to live in Copenhagen and one thing I really miss is riding a bike and taking GOOD public transport. If LA gets the metro functioning to a degree where it can serve more people, East to West and North to South, then it could definitely work. The driving culture would have to change as drivers and bikers both need to learn to share the road.

Jeff Thrasher as an avid cyclist, (and car owner), LA native and progressive thinker, why do I have cynical thoughts about this here? Paris? sure. Portland? Yep. LA? good luck… Hope to be proved wrong.

Christine Prettyman I agree. I personally think it’s too dangerous and one of my worst nightmares is hitting a pedestrian or cyclist. It’s just one more reason for me to stay in my suburb and not venture into L.A. Sorry!