Lime Bikes Come To Medford: What To Know

MEDFORD, MA — Medford joined over a dozen communities, including its neighboring cities of Arlington, Everett and Malden, as part of the metro Boston regional bike share program last week. Regionally, the program features over a thousand bikes, with Medford getting 50 to start. The program is operated by Lime bikes.

Lime was selected following a bidding process managed by the Metropolitan Area Planning Council (MAPC). They provided a fleet of electric-assist bikes that don’t go any faster than regular bikes but do provide some additional assistance for climbing hills.

Unlike Boston, Cambridge and Somerville’s Bluebikes system, where bikes are locked into stations, the Lime bikes are dock-less so they can be picked up and dropped off anywhere within the participating communities. Rather than going to a station they are located and accessed using a smartphone app.

Here are some things to know about Lime bikes, according to the city of Medford:

Using the bikes

Visit the Lime website for instructions, policies and their user agreement. Then download the app to get started.

Parking

Because the bikes are not stored in docking stations extra responsibility is required of their users. When completing a ride, do park your bike:

• next to a bike rack or in a designated bike share parking area
• on the sidewalk within the "street furniture zone" where amenities such as benches, mailboxes and planters are placed
• along the edge of open spaces like parks, fields and plazas
• on a hard, flat, stable surface

Riders should not leave bikes where they:

• obstruct sidewalks, crosswalks, loading zones or driveways
• block access for people with disabilities
• are in the way of automobile parking spaces or bus stops
• create a safety hazard such as falling over, blocking a door or obstructing access

Where to find a bike

You can find a bike at anytime by looking at the Lime phone app. Although these locations are subject to change, Lime has identified numerous "hot spots" where they will be staging bikes based on demand so users can easily access them in popular areas. View the map of hotspots here.

Technical difficulties

If you have difficulty accessing the system, experience a mechanical problem or observe a parking issue you may contact Lime for help.

If you see a bike that is improperly parked or fallen over you may:

• contact Lime to have it picked up and relocated to a designated deployment area
  • email support@limebike.com
  • call or text 888.546.3345
• you may also log it on Medford’s See-Click-Fix system

Safety

The Lime bikes incorporate a number of safety features including all-weather drum brakes, front and rear lights that activate automatically when it’s dark outside, and a highly visible green and yellow paint scheme. They are also inspected and maintained on a regular basis.

Because they are electric-assist Massachusetts state law requires users to wear a helmet (which we recommend for all bike riders). Riders must also follow all applicable traffic laws and regulations such as signaling turns when practicable, obeying traffic signals and yielding to pedestrians in crosswalks. The Medford Bicycle Advisory Commission (MBAC) offers educational opportunities for all bike riders to learn and improve skills throughout the year.

To speak with someone from the City of Medford regarding the program, please contact Allie Fiske at afiske@medford-ma.gov or call 781-393-2454.