Shouldn’t the strategy be to disincentivize bums congregating in your neighborhood?
These are people with a life and feelings and needs just as much as you. If you were in a rough situation and needed some help, how would it feel to have people dehumanise you with comments like this as if you’re some sort of pest and just want you to go away somewhere else instead of helping?
MyPowerbank hacks Santander bikes so London's homeless can charge their phones
31–40 of 149 posts
Re: MyPowerbank hacks Santander bikes so London's homeless can charge their phones
#32Are there no libraries or homeless shelters where they could charge either a phone or a power bank? This seems more like an art project than a practical solution.
Re: MyPowerbank hacks Santander bikes so London's homeless can charge their phones
#33Are there no libraries or homeless shelters where they could charge either a phone or a power bank? This seems more like an art project than a practical solution.
Re: MyPowerbank hacks Santander bikes so London's homeless can charge their phones
#34Homeless people are known for having so much free time and energy that an hour of pedalling is a better solution than the two cents of wall power needed to charge things while they sit and correspond with potential employers, deal with paperwork, pay bills, figure out their kid’s school plans, and working out how to keep their healthcare without a full address. I dunno… this “idea” feels so ignorant that it’s basical…
Re: MyPowerbank hacks Santander bikes so London's homeless can charge their phones
#35Re: MyPowerbank hacks Santander bikes so London's homeless can charge their phones
#36Homeless people are known for having so much free time and energy that an hour of pedalling is a better solution than the two cents of wall power needed to charge things while they sit and correspond with potential employers, deal with paperwork, pay bills, figure out their kid’s school plans, and working out how to keep their healthcare without a full address. I dunno… this “idea” feels so ignorant that it’s basical…
I'm American so as ignorant as I'm sure this sounds... Are the people who become homeless in London doing so for significantly different reasons than over here? Because most of the homeless in my city (a fairly large California coastal) aren't significantly engaged in any of the things you're alluding to and frankly would probably be happier with a bike that charged their phones since the ones who aren't just living…
Re: MyPowerbank hacks Santander bikes so London's homeless can charge their phones
#37Earlier quoted context omitted.
Bicycles are among the most efficient energy conversion systems human-kind has ever invented .. the difference between a single lever (which, after all, is still an option with the existing design) and a bicycle lever/gear system, means all the difference in the world when the calories are, already, a regular daily concern for the target user. Plus, it gives the bikes utility when they're not being rented, since the…
This doesn't use the gear system though. (aside from the large front sprocket driving the smaller one on the device) I'm quite surprised it can be built for £3, unless the battery is incredibly small.
I have often wondered what sort of conversion it would take to use an AK47 and a box of ammo to drill a well/pump water, instead of suppress human beings.. transformative technology is highly interesting, don't you agree?
>I'm quite surprised it can be built for £3, unless the battery is incredibly small.
Herein lies the rub - can the homeless build these things for £1 a piece, somewhere in London?
Because if the answer is more oil-based traffic across the worlds oceans to get these things made, I'm afraid the irony of the builder/user distinction is rather unfortunate...
Re: MyPowerbank hacks Santander bikes so London's homeless can charge their phones
#38While I applaud the intent to bring the issue of homelessness to the forefront of the media, I feel like this project is more about gaining self attention for the project rather than solving the issue all together. The ~20GBP for the 18650 or 27500 batteries, the probably ~5GBP of the PCB needed, ~15GBP for the chain hardware and magnets, you are looking for a >40GBP to put this together, you can today get a <10GBP U…
Re: MyPowerbank hacks Santander bikes so London's homeless can charge their phones
#39While I applaud the intent to bring the issue of homelessness to the forefront of the media, I feel like this project is more about gaining self attention for the project rather than solving the issue all together. The ~20GBP for the 18650 or 27500 batteries, the probably ~5GBP of the PCB needed, ~15GBP for the chain hardware and magnets, you are looking for a >40GBP to put this together, you can today get a <10GBP U…
Re: MyPowerbank hacks Santander bikes so London's homeless can charge their phones
#40Homeless people are known for having so much free time and energy that an hour of pedalling is a better solution than the two cents of wall power needed to charge things while they sit and correspond with potential employers, deal with paperwork, pay bills, figure out their kid’s school plans, and working out how to keep their healthcare without a full address. I dunno… this “idea” feels so ignorant that it’s basical…
I'm American so as ignorant as I'm sure this sounds... Are the people who become homeless in London doing so for significantly different reasons than over here? Because most of the homeless in my city (a fairly large California coastal) aren't significantly engaged in any of the things you're alluding to and frankly would probably be happier with a bike that charged their phones since the ones who aren't just living…