Block JUMP Bikes for now

A JUMP Bike in Providence. The passenger here is a lot more benign than many of the riders.

From Robert Whitcomb’s “Digital Diary,’’ in GoLocal24.com

A couple of weeks ago I implied here that though we’re in the Wild West period of such rentable personal-transportation options as dockless JUMP Bikes, we shouldn’t worry too much about them.

But I grossly underestimated the potential for mayhem with these bikes in some parts of Providence, as seen in recent episodes of teens, almost all boys, stealing these things for out-of-control rides that have included scaring, and even assaulting, some hapless pedestrians. These punks also ignore all traffic rules and in so doing threaten to cause serious car and truck crashes.

JUMP is owned by scandal-ridden Uber.

What to do? First off, what Mayor Jorge Elorza announced last week: These dockless bikes are being pulled from service, at least for a while. He said:

“As part of a commitment to provide residents and visitors with convenient and equitable intermodal transportation options, a joint public safety effort will collect bicycles and explore options to enhance security mechanisms for the system and to promote responsible ridership.”

Let’s look for long-term solutions to the problem. Perhaps this will involve only allowing bikes that must be docked -- i.e., station-based. Station-based systems can obviously be better monitored by police than can systems in which bikes (and scooters) can be picked up and left willy-nilly all over place, most irritatingly in the middle of sidewalks. This limitation, of course, will make them less accessible to many people, but so be it. Further, the police and courts must crack down hard on wild riders and thieves who abuse shareable bikes and scooters -- and publicize the punishment. And Uber (not unfamiliar with scandal) must be compelled to improve JUMP’s anti-theft technology ASAP. That applies to other companies offering similar services, too.

It’s too bad that the actions of a few would deprive many of the opportunity to use this handy, nonpolluting and fun transport, but public safety demands it.

Providence's Urban Innovation Project

On the Woonasquatucket River, in Providence’s Olneyville neighborhood.

From The New England Council (newenglandcouncil.com)_

“The City of Providence recently announced a partnership with anchor institutions to drive urban innovation. Mayor Jorge O. Elzora explained that this partnership would revitalize two innovation districts in Providence, one in the Jewelry District and another along the Woonasquatucket River Corridor, by prioritizing public and private investments in those areas.

Providence’s Urban Innovation Partnership echoes a model embraced by many other cities across the country, where city governments are considering how to thoughtfully partner with local businesses. Officials believe that partnering to grow the economy in Providence in a way that serves the diversity of the city will ensure a collective success. In efforts to advance their vision, the City of Providence has selected Boston-based Venture Café Foundation to serve as “Urban Innovation Districts Maker Incubator Program Manager” to help organize collaboration between various local institutions.

Providence Mayor Jorge O. Elorza said in his announcement, ‘Through the Urban Innovation Partnership we’re making a commitment to work collaboratively because we know that Providence’s future success requires that our diverse anchor institutions join us at the table. Our city has so many existing resources and strengths and to truly advance them we must work shoulder to shoulder to support innovation and job growth in our capital city.’

Will these deals raise economic 'animal spirits'

“The Proposition,’’ by William-Adolphe Bougureau (1825-1905).

From Robert Whitcomb's Dec. 22 "Digital Diary'' column in GoLocal24.com.

I admire the very hard and patient labor of Rhode Island Gov. Gina Raimondo and her colleagues (presumably working with Providence Mayor Jorge Elorza’s administration) to bring some highly respected companies and quite a few jobs to Rhode Island.

The biggest recent employee hauls, all slated for Providence, will be hundreds of jobs (to start) coming to Wexford Science & Technology’s project in the 195 relocation area; 300 at Virgin Pulse (maybe in the Providence Journal Building); 100 at General Electric, and 75  at Johnson & Johnson. The hope is that those well-paid employees will be just the beginning of thousands of well-paying ones arriving over the next couple of years. (City and state official are apparently still working to bring in some Pay Pal operations, too.

We’ll see.

It was gratifying that J&J cited the presence of Brown and RISD as a reason for the project. The state hasn’t gotten nearly enough leverage from its higher-education establishments, or from its proximity to(and lower costs than) the brainiac center of Greater Boston.

A lovely change from  the 38 Studios approach.

Of course, the new arrivals will each get millions of dollars in “tax incentives’’ to come to Rhode Island -- incentives that everyone else must pay for. Such incentives are the rule in every state to varying degrees. Two big recent examples – Indiana (pressed by Donald Trump) bribing the Carrier Corp. to not send 800 jobs to Mexico and Massachusetts giving many millions of dollars in goodies to General Electric to move its headquarters to Boston’s waterfront.

Companies that have loyally stayed in their states and paid taxes there without special favors must be irritated. But life is indeed unfair – and probably getting more so. The rich get richer and the poor get…. Get used to it, especially over the next four years.

The idea behind the legal bribery is that not only will these big, rich companies bring in new jobs in themselves but they’ll give many  local vendors a lot of work and thus incentives to hire more people. That means not only vendors already in the area but also new ones coming in to serve the big shots.  The old “multiplier effect’’.

And just by having such prestigious enterprises in Rhode Island as the ones lured by the Raimondo administration, it is argued, will boost the “animal spirits’’ of  local and other business people and investors about Rhode Island.  The hope is that such optimism/local pride will then help create, or lead to the  import of, more enterprises, in a virtuous circle.

Will this work enough in all too cynical and negative Rhode Island to turn around the state for the long term? Who knows for sure, but I give a lot of credit to Ms. Raimondo and her staff for their labors while being denounced from all sides by those who provide few if any practical alternatives.