Jersey City and FuHo lock horns over bike sharing

A feud has erupted between the city governments of Jersey City (Yeah!) and Hoboken (Boo Hiss!) over bike sharing programs. Johnny has read what each side has said, the timelines, and here's his analysis. Hoboken better learn it's place. That's right, you chose Hudson Bike Share despite Jersey City making the easy NYC choice in Citibike. Jersey City residents have been rightly complaining since last fall that Hudson Bike was dropping off, ne, dumping clusters of their bikes at public bike racks at Exchange Place making it impossible for taxpaying residents (or renters) to park a bike because a subsidized private entity doing business with Hoboken thought they could simply pile bikes here to get people to use them between the cities. Our own Candice Osborne tried working out a plan wherein in the idea of partnership in spite of dueling bike share companies, Jersey City would put in three bike racks dedicated to Hudson Bike Share at Exchange Place if Jersey City could put three Citibike dedicated racks in Hoboken, one near the train terminal to make it that much easier for JC residents commuting there.

FuHo Mayor Dawn Zimmer said no to that plan. So in essence at this point FuHo wants full Hudson Bike access in Jersey City but no Jersey City linked bike program there. To hear The Mayor Zimmer tell it Jersey City is out to crush all kinds of ride sharing:

"What’s next? Will ZipCar drivers be barred from using public parking in Jersey City?"

Well if you choose to fill up all the Jersey City lots waiting for your contracted company to make you money here while JC residents can neither park here nor in FuHo then YEAH, DUH!

We understand all your carz and bikez are regular flooding victims but if you want to use up our higher ground make a deal, Jersey City isn't your parking lot.

Again Hoboken, you better learn your place in the county power structure and fast. If you keep dumping Hudson Bike Share Bikes here we're going to start dumping them into the Hudson River. No Starvin Marvin those are Jersey City's bike racks.Think of it as a tea tax revolt where your business deals don't extend here without a signature on a piece of paper.