Today I tried to use Lime scooters for a lunchtime trip from R&T Park station to University Plaza.
Although the app had loaded and worked perfectly for me yesterday to register and set up my credit card, today as I approached the pilot area from Phillip St it immediately crashed upon opening several times in a row. I almost gave up, but tried one last time once I got to the Laurel trail and then it worked and I was able to unlock a scooter for a ride to the plaza. I locked it on the Laurel trail by one of the University Plaza ION crossings and went for a haircut. About 25 minutes later I was back, but when I tried to unlock the very same scooter the app said "Failed to unlock / This bike is currently under maintenance. Please find another bike nearby on the map and contact us if you need help." I tried the next scooter, and the next, but all 8 or so in this area of the trail failed to unlock in similar fashion. Walking dejectedly back to the R&T Park stop I tried 8 more in another location, 8 in another, 5 in the next, and then finally at the south corner of Columbia I got one that worked again. After crossing the tracks to the R&T Park station platform I got a popup informing me to return to the pilot area, despite the ION platform and the small bit of trail connecting to Factory Square's parking lot from the north end of the platform being included in the pilot per the Lime app's very own interactive map. I locked my scooter up with the rest at the Factory Square ION crossing then carried on with my day.
In the end I enjoyed my two rides, but it was a frustrating experience that definitely needs some tuning...
Although the app had loaded and worked perfectly for me yesterday to register and set up my credit card, today as I approached the pilot area from Phillip St it immediately crashed upon opening several times in a row. I almost gave up, but tried one last time once I got to the Laurel trail and then it worked and I was able to unlock a scooter for a ride to the plaza. I locked it on the Laurel trail by one of the University Plaza ION crossings and went for a haircut. About 25 minutes later I was back, but when I tried to unlock the very same scooter the app said "Failed to unlock / This bike is currently under maintenance. Please find another bike nearby on the map and contact us if you need help." I tried the next scooter, and the next, but all 8 or so in this area of the trail failed to unlock in similar fashion. Walking dejectedly back to the R&T Park stop I tried 8 more in another location, 8 in another, 5 in the next, and then finally at the south corner of Columbia I got one that worked again. After crossing the tracks to the R&T Park station platform I got a popup informing me to return to the pilot area, despite the ION platform and the small bit of trail connecting to Factory Square's parking lot from the north end of the platform being included in the pilot per the Lime app's very own interactive map. I locked my scooter up with the rest at the Factory Square ION crossing then carried on with my day.
In the end I enjoyed my two rides, but it was a frustrating experience that definitely needs some tuning...
...K