Been using Boris bikes the past few days, and the terminals are
extremely slow, often timing out multiple times before I manage to
extract a bike.

Is there any plan to address this? I have sent for a key fob which
should sort it for me, but the casual hire IT infrastructure seems
below par.

Neil

--
Neil Williams, Milton Keynes, UK

"Neil Williams" wrote:
Been using Boris bikes the past few days, and the terminals are extremely
slow, often timing out multiple times before I manage to extract a bike.

Is there any plan to address this? I have sent for a key fob which should
sort it for me, but the casual hire IT infrastructure seems below par.

Haven't come across the terminals timing out before, though I've got a fob
so I only really get a first-hand feel of the casual hire arrangements when
with others who're taking advantage of it (the 82 pages or whatever it is of
T&Cs that are offered on screen for a wannabe user's appraisal and agreement
often seems to amuse!). I can't recall any super-extended waits, so maybe
this is some sort of current glitch, or the demand has picked up with the
weather (as predicted) and the backend is subsequently struggling.

You should be able to sidestep things somewhat with a key fob, though
perhaps best not to expect perfection - there still seems to be some degree
of sketchiness to the system. One observation is that if the payment
terminal is sick for whatever reason, presenting the key fob to the
individual docking point generally still seems to work in terms of getting
hold of a bike.

On 02/06/2011 23:52, Mizter T wrote:

"Neil Williams" wrote:
Been using Boris bikes the past few days, and the terminals are
extremely slow, often timing out multiple times before I manage to
extract a bike.

Is there any plan to address this? I have sent for a key fob which
should sort it for me, but the casual hire IT infrastructure seems
below par.

Haven't come across the terminals timing out before, though I've got a
fob so I only really get a first-hand feel of the casual hire
arrangements when with others who're taking advantage of it (the 82
pages or whatever it is of T&Cs that are offered on screen for a wannabe
user's appraisal and agreement often seems to amuse!). I can't recall
any super-extended waits, so maybe this is some sort of current glitch,
or the demand has picked up with the weather (as predicted) and the
backend is subsequently struggling.

You should be able to sidestep things somewhat with a key fob, though
perhaps best not to expect perfection - there still seems to be some
degree of sketchiness to the system. One observation is that if the
payment terminal is sick for whatever reason, presenting the key fob to
the individual docking point generally still seems to work in terms of
getting hold of a bike.

I signed up for a fob when it was launched, and although I've only used
it a few times, I've found it can takes a few attempts to get a bike out
the rack. At least I now know it's not just me.
--
Arthur Figgis Surrey, UK

"Arthur Figgis" wrote:

On 02/06/2011 23:52, Mizter T wrote:
[snip]
You should be able to sidestep things somewhat with a key fob, though
perhaps best not to expect perfection - there still seems to be some
degree of sketchiness to the system. One observation is that if the
payment terminal is sick for whatever reason, presenting the key fob to
the individual docking point generally still seems to work in terms of
getting hold of a bike.

I signed up for a fob when it was launched, and although I've only used it
a few times, I've found it can takes a few attempts to get a bike out the
rack. At least I now know it's not just me.

Though you were successful when trying a *different* rack / docking point
(rather than the same one)?

Until fairly recently, bikes which were reported as faulty (by returning
users) and which couldn't thus be hired had nothing to differentiate them
from other bikes which were available for hire - so when a user tried to
take one of these bikes, they'd be presented with a red light (fairly pronto
it seemed). A recent change has meant that docking points with faulty and
thus unavailable bikes now show a steady red light all the time, rather than
just when someone tries to take that bike.

That doesn't explain those times when after presenting the key fob you get
an extended period of flashing yellow followed by a red, rather than a
green, but then it works fine when you try it again (on a different docking
point) - I assume that's some sort of database lookup or comms failure -
next time it happens I'll endeavour to remember and try the *same* docking
point again and see if it works on a second attempt (if it's just a
database/comms glitch then it should, regardless of which particular docking
point one is trying to get a bike from).

On Fri, 3 Jun 2011 00:27:17 +0100, "Mizter T"
wrote:
That doesn't explain those times when after presenting the key fob
you get
an extended period of flashing yellow followed by a red, rather
than a
green

I seem to get red quite often the first time I enter the code when
using casual hire. Actually, there's another point - the code pads
are conductive touch pads but don't feel like - so I bet they get
damaged.

This would be solved by changing it so you get feedback (flashing
yellow perhaps) each time you touch one.

Other observation - if paper runs out you can't hire - why not offer
a code on screen when this happens? Also, if a receipt can't be
issued, there should be a warning up front.

Neil

--
Neil Williams, Milton Keynes, UK

"Neil Williams" wrote:

On Fri, 3 Jun 2011 00:27:17 +0100, "Mizter T" wrote:
That doesn't explain those times when after presenting the key fob you
get an extended period of flashing yellow followed by a red,
rather than a green

I seem to get red quite often the first time I enter the code when using
casual hire. Actually, there's another point - the code pads are
conductive touch pads but don't feel like - so I bet they get damaged.

This would be solved by changing it so you get feedback (flashing yellow
perhaps) each time you touch one.

Yeah, actually entering the code on the pad seems a bit awkward - the lack
of any feedback when tapping the code in doesn't inspire confidence. (And
that's after being issued with a code sequence made up solely of the digits
1, 2 & 3, which is itself perhaps a bit out of the ordinary.)


Other observation - if paper runs out you can't hire - why not offer a
code on screen when this happens? Also, if a receipt can't be issued,
there should be a warning up front.

Agreed about a warning for the lack of receipt. Offering a code on screen
could end up in someone else seeing it and quickly just taking a bike, more
so if it was displayed for some time - whilst that might seem a bit unlikely
(the system hasn't really seemed to suffer from 'bad things' happening, e.g.
a 'cycle-jacking' or some such, not yet at least), I think it has to be
guarded against in the system's design - one is after all opening one's
credit/debit card to a potential payment of £300 for non-return of a bike.

On 03/06/2011 00:27, Mizter T wrote:

"Arthur Figgis" wrote:

On 02/06/2011 23:52, Mizter T wrote:
[snip]
You should be able to sidestep things somewhat with a key fob, though
perhaps best not to expect perfection - there still seems to be some
degree of sketchiness to the system. One observation is that if the
payment terminal is sick for whatever reason, presenting the key fob to
the individual docking point generally still seems to work in terms of
getting hold of a bike.

I signed up for a fob when it was launched, and although I've only
used it a few times, I've found it can takes a few attempts to get a
bike out the rack. At least I now know it's not just me.

Though you were successful when trying a *different* rack / docking
point (rather than the same one)?

Last time trying a different rack a few minutes walk away worked, but on
a previous occasion none did. Each time I just got endless flashing
yellows, IIRC.

--
Arthur Figgis Surrey, UK

On Jun 2, 11:06*pm, Neil Williams wrote:
Been using Boris bikes the past few days, and the terminals are
extremely slow, often timing out multiple times before I manage to
extract a bike.

Is there any plan to address this? *I have sent for a key fob which
should sort it for me, but the casual hire IT infrastructure seems
below par.

Neil

--
Neil Williams, Milton Keynes, UK

From my recent experience this is quite common, especially mid-
evening. Two incidents recently where the terminals timed out while
trying to contact my card issuer - on both occasions the second try
worked. However, on checking bank statements, the access fee was
taken twice on both occasions. Check your bank statements carefully!
The money was eventually refunded after a call to the customer service
centre but it took persistence. I wonder how much money Serco are
making from these incidents as people decide a quid is too much to
argue about...