CCC Mods Rent-a-Bike To Allow Free Rides

Autoversicherung writes "Germany has an activated by phone bike rental system across all major cities. At 6 cent a minute quite pricey, germanys famous Chaos Computer Club thought a free ride every now and then couldnt hurt. Optimizing the original system in the process, modifying the blink code to be easier found and changing the logo. About 10% of Berlins bikes are patched already. A detailed description of how they did it, and how the system works."

War Biking?

[B4RSK]

Heh. War biking. Cool!

next they should hack it so I don't have to peddle

[hashish]

Darn things require so much energy to move.

Would this fly in any other countries?

[DeeRuss]

I find it hard to believe that people don't just pick up the bike and throw it in the back of a truck and salvage it for parts. Does anyone think this would fly in North America?

Re:Would this fly in any other countries?

[Anonymous Coward]

Not a chance, we aint got flying cars yet so what makes you think bikes are any more likely?

Re:next they should hack it so I don't have to ped

[Anonymous Coward]

That's the whole idea, fatty.

Re:All very fun and all...

[Krach42]

But isn't mucking around with other people's property, without their permission, called "vandalism" ?

Not in Germany, it's called "Vandalismus".

Re:What Happens When...

[Vo0k]

you can also get a bike to just get across town for 60 cents...

Uh, I've been to Berlin. Getting across that "town" at 6c/minute on a bike would cost you good 20-30 euro if you can ride really fast.

Re:I'm impressed.

[Anonymous Coward]

Dude. Locking your bike up in America using anything less that an excellent weld insures you're walking home, perhaps with parts of your bike, if you're lucky.

Comment removed

[account_deleted]

Comment removed based on user account deletion

pedal

[upside]

This was a message from FHNESTS (Foreigners Helping Native English Speakers To Spell).

Nanana SNANA & GNANA - beat you to it!

Re:I must be backwards

[xs650]

I wish this would work in Los Angeles. It could really be useful. It wouldn't work though... too many "hackers" with wire cutters. (alot like the "hackers" above, but with less technical school clases).
There are saws especially designed for hacking.

Re:I'm impressed.

[notthe9]

As a student at A&M, I've noticed that a lot of people still do that, just without the fixing ot painting yellow :).

Re:Free to use bikes in Helsinki

[geminidomino]

What, you mean they don't just give the unemployed free handouts? You actually train them to have jobs?

Those wacky Europeans...

Re:pedal

[nsayer]

Technically, he did spell it right. It was just the wrong word.

Re:pedal

[Anonymous Coward]

Might be. The thing that keeps me awake at night is wondering if "anal retentive" requires hyphenization.

Re:I'm impressed.

[Skye16]

Bastard ducks!

I started a similar program at Georgia Tech

[dangermouse]

I left a Trek locked to a bike rack for anyone who wanted to ride it, and later left a Fisher in the hallway of the house I was renting for anyone who wanted to ride it.

The program was a huge success.