Dockless Bikes Invasion

The new Uber Jump brand dockless bikes have swept the Santa Monica streets, offering citizens a quick, easy way to go short distances without having to worry about keeping track of your own bike. You can’t miss the bright red bikes sitting on almost every block in the city. Despite some controversy over the use of these bikes, I think that they are and will be great for the city moving forward.Using them is very simple. You go on the Uber app, select a bike nearby and then enter the pin provided when you arrive to your bike. The pedal assist makes it much easier to go up slopes and gets you to your destination without the hassle of finding a bike lock. The steering mechanics are nothing short of that of a real racing bike, and the basket that hangs off the front is great for bags and other items.Now why is this so much better than using one of the Santa Monica Breezeway (aka the Hulu) bikes that the city offers? Although the Jump bikes are a whopping three whole cents per minute more, they can be placed anywhere you want when you are finished using them. The Breezeway bikes must be locked to one of the designated lock stations, which are never in neighborhoods so you can’t take one from school directly to your house. Although they sometimes block sidewalks in crowded areas, the Jump bikes are used so often that a blockage is not even there for long. Jump does also offer - along with Bird, Lime and Lyft - electric scooters. Hold on though, the law says you must be 18 years old and have a driver's license to ride a scooter. All you need to ride the bike is the app, no restrictions whatsoever. Also, the bikes are cheaper than the scooters, giving you the first five minutes for one dollar as opposed to the scooters one dollar activation fee and then 15 cents per minute right away. Oh and another thing, the bikes go much faster than the scooters, getting you to your destination much, much quicker.Along with the previously mentioned benefits of Jump bikes, you can also reserve a bike up to half an hour in advance of using it, and find it without difficulty as there is a clear map with direction on how to get to your bike. I recommend everyone make the switch from the painful hassle of using scooters and Breezeways to the wonderful Jump bikes!