Paris Launched a Kid-Friendly Bike Share. Could the U.S. Be Next?

from YES! Magazine:


Paris Launched a Kid-Friendly Bike Share. Could the U.S. Be Next?
The city's mayor says the move will boost cycling in decades to come, creating a greener and more sociable city.

by Yessenia Funes
posted Jul 14, 2014




Mini aspiring cyclists in Paris can now be seen biking alongside their parents—or at least trying to—while rocking a red, green, or pink helmet adorned with a playful “P’tit Vélib’” logo on the side.

P’tit Vélib’, launched June 16, is an extension of Vélib’, one of the world’s largest bike-sharing services—public programs where people can cheaply and easily rent a bike for getting around the city.

Though the programs in the Chinese cities of Wuhan and Hangzhou are larger, Vélib’ is the first bike share in the world to include tiny bikes for toddlers.

The program aims to create young cyclists who will one day choose a bike lock over a car key, according to a statement by Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo. “By introducing the very young to the most eco-friendly and sociable means of transport, we are preparing for the future of Paris,” she wrote. ...................(more)

The complete piece is at: http://www.yesmagazine.org/happiness/paris-launched-a-kid-friendly-bike-share-could-the-u-s-be-next