OVO Bike Scheme Blog
Cat Mann, Active Lifestyle Officer, Strathclyde Sport.
A car at the mechanics, and a child that had already been picked up from nursery, had left me only needing to worry about getting myself home from work one Thursday evening. The abnormally hot weather made me distinctly unenthusiastic about getting on the peak time bus and I, somewhat jokingly (a very bad joke for an active lifestyle officer!) said to a colleague,
“Is it bad if I just got an uber?”. “Why don’t you just cycle” she replied.
Why don’t I just cycle, I said to myself…. A hasty re download of the Next Bike app emboldened me, and off I went. My first rental was not hugely successful, I couldn’t find the lock initially and as soon as I got on it was abundantly clear I had a flat tyre (note to self, check tyres before renting next time!). This failure deflated me a bit and I found myself thinking are OVO Bikes just good in theory? Anyway, I gave myself one more attempt, this time at a stand at the St Enoch's centre. A much newer looking bike and a lock that unlocked automatically made things much smoother. I was off! As I cycled down the River Clyde, I had zero regrets about choosing this way to get home.
Coming off the River I joined the South City Way. A 3k stretch of fully segregated cycle paths that joins the Southside to the City Centre. I have gone past the South City way hundreds of times, but this was my first time using it. I was wildly impressed. Given my hasty decision to cycle I didn’t have any head gear, was on a heavy rental bike, and on top of that I haven’t cycled in a built-up area for a couple of years now. I felt completely safe. The infrastructure feels very secure. As a cyclist it was like I was on my own road and never at the mercy of sympathetic drivers. Not only this but I was seeing Glasgow from a whole new perspective, spotting new flats, new cafes, and new areas that I hadn’t seen before. What’s better than Glasgow in the sunshine?
I left the South City Way at the end of Victoria Road (building work for a continued cycle path around Queen's Park is in progress). I entered Queen's Park and eventually dropped off my bike at Langside Cross. Drop off was a breeze. I got a summary of my ride as well as the overall cost. I enjoyed it so much I went home and immediately signed back up to the scheme with the Strathclyde University discount. And the next morning, I set off on a bike once again. With the unlimited free 60-minute rides I was setting my self up for a cost-free journey to work, and what’s more I was excited to do it.
My morning ride was even better. Much more confident now, I knew where I was going and what I was doing. The sun was shining and there was just enough breeze to keep me cool. I stopped briefly crossing the Victoria Bridge to enjoy the view. The cycle route took me all the way into the Merchant’s City, and I dropped the bike off at Candleriggs (I didn’t fancy attempting the hill up to Strathclyde Sport). This also ensured I stayed on a cycle path the entire way. I thoroughly enjoyed the whole experience. Now, would I have enjoyed it so much in the wind and rain? Probably not. But for now, with the lighter days and warmer weather, I am a convert.
