Zip cars leaving vehicles in our road

[jimlad48]

A few have appeared on 'the toastrack' as well - not optimal given how bad our parking problem is, but at least it looks like we're getting a CPZ in a few months time when it will go away. Given our parking woes, I suspect anyone picking up a Zipcar is going to spend a fortune in hire charges as they try to find a parking spot for it in our neck of the woods - plenty of residents spend 45mins - 1hr looking for any space anywhere within the free parking area on most weekdays.

[MissWiggy]

There's been one outside our house for 3 weeks and hasn't moved in that time. Apparently the tracker has drained the battery which means it doesn't show as being an available car, can't be hired and won't move.

Seems a bit counterproductive.

[bawdy-nan]

The introduction of a CPZ won't make any difference as you can drop a flex zipcar anywhere in the flex zone, aside from some housing estates which are marked on the app. I've used these cars a few times and found it great: going out when I know I want to drink, so driving there in a zip car and getting a bus home for example.Having access to them made a recent period without our usual car, easily manageable. It is, of course, not as cheap as a bus but its so much cheaper than a taxi. I find it more convenient and flexible than a "by the hour, return to the bay" hire. If there were more of them and the rates settled into something combining the two schemes (ie they were more practical for a longer hire) then I might consider ditching the car altogether (thereby freeing up a parking space).

I can understand why people who have cars are annoyed by these cars appearing on their streets as I know that parking can be tricky but you might be equally annoyed at your neighbours who have a car all to themselves. At least the zip cars are available to anyone who wants to use them. It feels like a better use of limited resources (ie street parking space) than a community where each household insists on having it's own car. This scenario clearly only works when not everyone has a car. Feels hard to make the case that private car owners should have priority over something with wider community benefit.

[wulfhound]

  Quote

Ditto! 2 have suddenly appeared in Zenoria St. Finding a park in our street is tricky at the best of times and with two babies to load into a car it is not feasible to park in another street, nor is using a zip car. (At 10-15 minutes to load/unload the car with seats & children.... almost ?6 and we haven't even gone anywhere!

Eh? It's ?7 per hour.

  Quote

Of course I am aware that young families are not their target market).

Personally have found their Golfs and Fiestas are great for family trips. Granted, easier once the kids are old enough to get in and out by themselves, but that could be said of, well, everything in life. Waiting for the day that the Flex model expands further south and west - so far the zone is so small, I can adequately make most of those trips on public transport or bike. But places like the M25 belt, Richmond Park, Wimbledon Common, Kew Gardens etc. are easier by car, and hiring a regular Zip for a whole day is kind of pricey.

[Tomwiddowson]

V51 Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> I'm a zipcar user and as far as I know, it still

> is and always has been the case that we have to

> leave the cars in the designated parking bay.

> Perhaps the person has hired the car with ganxorent for a long.

> period and is just parking there as though it were

> their own car? And then they hired a different

> vehicle?

Yeap it is like this. I always use it to leave the car park there. In the bay

V517 Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Zipcar car rental is in other coutries too? I think it is a good way to rent a car like sirent.. that nowadays its getting popular and popular all over the world.

I guess apart from Uk there is also the option in Ireland or not yet? Anyway, each country has its own platform nowadays. In spain where Im from there's at least 6 or 7 at the top.

[maswan]

I'm a user of zipcar for over 8 years and a local resident. I don't see why I can't park the flex car close to where I live, I pay the same as anyone else as a resident in Southwark. The car is taxed, insured and has mot. I once owned a car but wasn't being used often enough. London transport is great but not always reliable and can never replace my need occasionally transport myself and things more effectively. If a CPZ was introduced and a zipcar bay wasn't close by I'd end up buying another car to park in the same spot.

[EDmummy]

Been using Zipcar for 10 months now. I no longer have a car left in our street and walk/bus short distances thereby causing less pollution. I can understand that those living in very crowded streets may find it a pain if parking is taken up by these cars but hopefully as take-up of Zipcar increases, there should be less cars on the road. I do have a quibble though, the bay on the corner of Barry and Underhill is poorly marked and as a result, there is often a non-Zipcar parked there. Needs re-marking.

[peckhamero]

I am also a zipcar user. I dont understand the beef. We are sharing cars which means less cars in the street?

[davidq100]

KaiShin Wrote:

"I paid, but had to drive a very old and broken car"

Really? I am very suprised. All the zip cars I've used have been very new.

Btw I would highly reccomend Zip Car Flex for getting to Heathrow. You can drop the car off in the short stay car park at T5. Rarely costs more than ?20 even including their ?5 Heathrow fee.