The evil banks, Tory scum and that posh twat

 

I keep noticing these Cycle Hire things. And yesterday I saw Boris cycling home. These are both good things.

This Cycle Hire scheme is a good thing. A very good thing. I know there are haterz, I know the scheme isn't perfect. I know it's sponsored by a bank (and I know you hate them) and I know it was introduced by a Tory mayor (and I know you hate them) but it's still a good thing. Not perfect. But good. It's the kind of thing you would see abroad and then come home and rave about. But it's not abroad it's in our very own London.

 

This signs are good. Not perfect, but better than not having them. They've done a decent job on the design. They make a lot more sense than most You Are wHere? maps. Likewise, to have a mayor that cycles to work is a good thing. Might be the only good thing about Boris (I know you all hate him) but I'd rather he cycled than he didn't. Just as I'd rather Barclays sponsored the blue cycle lanes than we didn't have them at all.

It's not perfect, but neither is life.

Profound, I know.

Comments

[Frankie Roberto]

The wayfinding element of the signs builds upon the work developed by the Legible London project (see http://www.tfl.gov.uk/microsites/legible-london/default.aspx), which piloted originally in Bond Street, and has since been extended to Westminster and the South Bank.

A lot of thought has gone into it, and the results are mostly pretty good I think.

The most significant feature is that the maps are orientated in a heads-up-display fashion, rather than the traditional North-up approach.

I recommend reading http://www.tfl.gov.uk/microsites/legible-london/downloads/The_Yellow_Book.pdf which outlines some of the principles of the system.

[Kev Mears]

One thing that strikes me about the sign you pictured above, is apart from the nice graphic design, there is perhaps a small problem with the sign itself.

In personal safety parlance it offers a good affordance for someone to hide behind. Some way of seeing what's on the other side could be useful.

It's an edge case, but something one would hope would be addressed from the begining.

[Stan Diers]

I love the way people seem surprised who they dislike do similar things to them. Boris Johnson also goes to the cinema, watches tv, has a computer, a mobile phone, he too goes on holiday, and probably has a blog...

Let's go away from the simple black and white views where the rule is someone you don't like must do things you don't like. And who you admire must do only good things.

I thought the media do it well enough already.

[MatthewNotMatt]

Here's another post about the subject: http://www.guardian.co.uk/artanddesign/2010/jul/27/boris-johnson-london-cycle-hire-barclays?showallcomments=true#end-of-comments

In my opinion not quite as balanced as your post Ben!

[Olivia]

I don't live in London but I agree that it's a nice design. It's just like something you'll notice even if you don't want to see it.

[Peter]

I'll tell you mate.....forget the design, these cycles are very useful when the trains don't run.

I've not been late for work yet but I have had a few close calls.

[Wordie]

Yeah... hire-a-bike schemes! Well done London, you're only about eight years behind Frankfurt... and even there the sponsor isn't a bank, but the Deutsche Bahn!