{"id":4918,"date":"2009-11-30T05:15:51","date_gmt":"2009-11-30T10:15:51","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/spacingmontreal.ca\/?p=4918"},"modified":"2013-01-21T11:54:30","modified_gmt":"2013-01-21T16:54:30","slug":"bye-bye-bixi","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/spacing.ca\/montreal\/2009\/11\/30\/bye-bye-bixi\/","title":{"rendered":"Bye Bye Bixi"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"I<\/a>
\n\u00ab I wept and on my knees I prayed that there be truth and there be light [and there be Bixi]<\/em>. \u00bb
\n – Joel Gibb<\/em><\/p>\n

The leaves fall,
\nthe air crisps,
\nand the sun struggles desperately to keep us warm.<\/p>\n

As the city prepares for its annual period of hibernation, so disappears the last remaining Bixis from our streets.<\/p>\n

How will you and I survive without the one we\u2019ve come to love?<\/p>\n

To my father:<\/strong> Thank you for teaching me how to ride a bicycle.<\/p>\n

To the city:<\/strong> You have really out done yourself this time; not only did you follow through with your engagement<\/a> to encourage active means of transportation, you produced the sort of innovation that Montr\u00e9al is known for but has, of late, sorely been lacking. And while I won\u2019t think twice about denouncing the clich\u00e9d<\/a> shenanigans<\/a> at H\u00f4tel de Ville, I must give credit when credit is due.<\/p>\n

To Stationnement de Montr\u00e9al:<\/strong> You have facilitated<\/a> the so-called unholy union between bike and car. Like gay marriage before it, the skies did not crumble to the sea as a consequence.<\/p>\n

To the development team:<\/strong> Congratulations \u2013 International<\/a> fame<\/a> and recognition<\/a>! Bixi has flourished into a highly sought after export, made and manufactured in Qu\u00e9bec; I have yet to see a better economic stimulus from the federal government<\/p>\n

To the users who chose active transportation over the car: <\/strong>May you continue to live long, healthy lives<\/a> in your skinny jeans<\/a>.<\/p>\n

To the motorists:<\/strong> Your patience was an indispensable virtue. I have witnessed the cyclists, too enamoured with their newfound mobility, riding the wrong way down the Main, during evening rushing hour, wearing headphones, listening to Peaches, whilst sending text messages. Motorists, you have proven that the car is not the untameable animal that many choose to make it out to be.<\/p>\n

To the advantaged, residing near a Bixi station: <\/strong>We truly live in a great city<\/a>.<\/p>\n

To the disadvantaged:<\/strong> Hoping and praying that one day your Bixi may come, is futile. Only one way<\/a> will guarantee results; you now have 5 months to make sure your newly elected leaders hear your message.<\/p>\n

To my fellow man, the strangers on the street: <\/strong>Just because Bixi is gone, doesn\u2019t mean that we can no longer strike up a conversation…or more<\/a>. The city is but the interactions amongst its citizenry.<\/p>\n

CBC Radio One (88.5 Montr\u00e9al) Homerun : Bixi as a tool for socialising<\/a>
\nCBC Radio One (88.5 Montr\u00e9al) Homerun<\/a> : Bixi as a tool for socialising<\/em><\/p>\n

To the vandals and thieves:<\/strong> Whatever<\/a> doesn\u2019t kill<\/a> Bixi only makes it stronger.<\/p>\n

To Boston, London, and Ottawa:<\/strong> Welcome<\/a> to the club<\/a>!<\/p>\n

To Paris<\/a>:<\/strong> Our bike sharing system is better<\/a> than your bike sharing system!<\/p>\n

To the other municipalities of the World:<\/strong> Bikes are the new Black<\/a>.<\/p>\n

and finally,<\/em><\/p>\n

To the MTQ: <\/strong>See! Alternative modes of transportation<\/a> do actually work!<\/p>\n

Is there anyone I’ve forgotten?<\/em><\/p>\n

Until next year my Bixi compatriots.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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