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Comment by semi-extrinsic | Hacker News Reader

At least this design for a bicycle lift would never be allowed in the US. It's pretty tricky, the first couple of times people usually fall off. Instant lawsuit overe there, I'm sure.

In fact it was closed for quite a few years pending EU safety regulations approval.

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>At least this design for a bicycle lift would never be allowed in the US. It's pretty tricky, the first couple of times people usually fall off.

Isn’t that all literally true of riding a bike too?

Trouble is, it's a lot harder introducing a new technology with risks, compared to just keeping an old risky one around.

I was thinking the the same thing. My city (Chicago) and I assume many others, have pay per use subsidized bike sharing. How does liability work with that if someone falls on one of those?

> At least this design for a bicycle lift would never be allowed in the US

I don't think this is very different from a "surface lift" used in ski resorts all over the world including the US?

It's pretty different, it's a small metal bar (probably 1 inch wide 10 inch long) that you stand on with one leg, while remaining seated on the bicycle. The design is a lot more compact, so you can retrofit it to normal streets.

Sure the design is different, but the risk that the "first couple of times people usually fall off. Instant lawsuit overe there, I'm sure" looks the same to me. And yet t-bars and the like do exist in the US.

When you buy a ski pass at US ski areas you sign a huge disclaimer of liability. It's hard to imagine doing that for this kind of in-city infrastructure. Also, falling on snow is a bit different than pavement. :-)

Those disclaimers are legally meaningless. They have no teeth. Just like those signs on dump trucks that say “Stay back 500ft”.

That's a pretty strong claim. Do you have some citation for "this is a dangerous activity, participant assumes all liability" contracts being "legally meaningless?"

Then a better design maybe? Shuttles for bikes are honestly an awful solution.

Yeah, it needs a better design. The trouble is, you need to make it easier, while retaining the features of this one: no way for bystanders (including kids) to pinch fingers/hands inside moving machinery.

I agree that it isn't an easy problem. We need to get creative.

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