Vox populi: Bike-scooter developed with Bordeaux citizens

From GizMag:

In November 2011, the City of Bordeaux in France began a special consultation with its citizens. In an exercise that could easily have created a Homer mobile, participants were asked to make suggestions on what they would like to see included in the design of a new town bike. Over 300 citizens shared their ideas, which designer Philippe Starck has now used as the inspiration for what has been provisionally called the City PIBAL Streamer – an eye-catching concept where riders can opt to sit and pedal like on a traditional bike, or stand on the platform and use like a scooter.

As an HPV enthusiast I’m always interested in the kind of transport the “man in the street” (heh heh) would pick on his own. This bike looks more than okay (although where will the pedals be out of the way of kicking feet? And those pedals, too, should still be moved forward two inches, to bring the crankset hub at least under the nose of the saddle, approaching the venerable laid-back British roadsters).

I’m sure they’ll figure it out. The concept is good: most people who haven’t learned to ride a bicycle can use a scooter. And the good citizens of Bordeaux will discover the city is teeming with them.