City centre escape

[Mortblanc]

I lived in one town that had a "bike program."

Citizens donated old unused bikes and any bike left in the trash was collected by the "monbacks" and taken to the local jail, where the inmates won early release points by rebuilding the bikes.

The bikes were then painted what we over here refer too as "taxicab yellow", a truly horrid color.

The bikes were left in racks scattered around the town. If you need one then take it, leave it out on the sidewalk and the next garbage pickup would snag it and take it back to the racks. If it had a flat or repair need it went back to the jail for a fix.

Bike theft came to a screaching hault.

It was a university town and the bikes were a popular transportaton alternative for young and old.