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Sunday, December 16, 2007

Entrepeneur smoking the good gear

Another would be entrenpeneur set up a business that would rent bikes across the country, similar to that used in Europe.
Tourists and students are expected to be the biggest customers

Scenario: You might wander up to a street corner, phone someone to get an unlock code and bugger off for some exercise on a pushbike. When finished, phone again and the time will charged to your credit card. Sounds plausible, but wait...

Seems the bikes are to have advertising plastered all over. Good, extra income might just might make this business model work. Except, the local council thinks that any advertiser might plonk signs on every street corner, throw some trainer wheels on it, chain it to a fence and call it a bike for rent. No go currently.

Further, the business model requires local councils get involved in this 'service' as a form of public transport. This is where I smell a rat. As a long suffering payer of rate tax, I know that any council provided form of public transport is the most over-advertised, under-patronised, and expensive useless form of transport.

Getting ratepayers to fund your unproven business model is a different kettle of fish. Your business has suddenly become
Tourists and students are expected to be the biggest customers, ratepayers the biggest losers

Standing on your own two feet in business and making a go of it, totally at your expense, would be normal practice. Bugger off Mr Goodgear, you must be smoking some really good gear if you expect ratepayers to fund your business.

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