Syracuse, N.Y. – November 12, 2019 marked the first significant snowfall in Central New York this winter. While the fresh powder may be asthetically pleasing, it brings about lots transportation issues. With many people relying on public buses and their own vehicles, that can clog up the roads. This is where an alternative system comes in.
A new bike share system called Gotcha took Syracuse by storm earlier this summer when it was introduced. Pitched as a cheap and active solution to transit, Gotcha aimed to solve this very problem. Not only that, but these bikes are supposed to operate year round.
I decided to test the service out myself, but upon arriving to a bike, tech issues and unplowed roads prevented me from ever riding the bike. Community Manager for Gotcha in Syracuse Paul Colabufo told me that there are steps I could have taken if I was having trouble.
“Whenever somebody’s on the bike, their [Gotcha’s] number is right there on the bike, you can see it from the seat. You call the number, and there somebody that has a lot of authority and a lot of power to help you,” said Colabufo.
Even if you are able to get the bike set up, biking in the winter can bring up additional safety concerns.
“It’s more important in the winter, because people may not be able to stop as fast in the winter,” said Colabufo.
Depending on where you have to travel, biking may be a good option. But as the snow continues to stack, it may be easier to resort to more traditional methods of travel.
