Around the world, bike sharing is becoming more and more popular. According to Statista, 1.13 billion customers are expected to be involved in this industry by 2029. Due to the increasing demand for a healthy lifestyle, air pollution, and urban traffic, more and more individuals are selecting hired bikes as an economical, eco-friendly, and practical substitute for their own vehicles.
However, despite all the advantages, each rented bike is a potential source of risk if you do not know the rules for its use and maintenance. This is especially true in conditions where thousands of people use the same vehicle every day.
Why bike rentals have become the norm
Just ten years ago, a rental bike was perceived more as an exotic or tourist attraction. Today, it is a full-fledged part of the city infrastructure. New York, London, Paris, Berlin, Toronto and other megacities are massively expanding their bike networks. For example, in New York City, the length of bike paths reached 1,550 lane miles in 2024 – an absolute record for the United States.
Mobile apps that let you hire a bike in a few seconds have also contributed to the rise in popularity. Renting has become a common way to go about, especially for people who don’t want to spend money on their own transportation.
What’s behind the scenes: the technical condition of rented bikes
Rental companies are required by law to regularly perform maintenance on bicycles. In practice, especially in large cities with high traffic, this rule is often ignored. A great share of rental bikes in the United States have critical malfunctions: faulty brakes, damaged wheels, or unstable frames.
It is often these malfunctions that cause serious issues. The owner leases a bike via an app, not realizing that the chain is going to fall off and the brakes haven’t been inspected in a while. Experts thus highly advise doing a brief self-check before each ride, which includes squeezing the brakes, checking the chain tension, spinning the wheels, and ensuring that the saddle and handlebars are securely fastened.
Such simple actions take less than a minute, but can protect you from serious injuries. That’s where Bicycle accident lawyers in Atlanta can help – we will unveil this further.
Bike safety: more than just a helmet
Despite the fact that mandatory helmet wearing in the United States is regulated at the state and city level, medical statistics are unambiguous: most fatal bicycle accidents occur due to head injuries.
But even wearing a helmet is not a guarantee of safety. A cyclist is obliged to follow traffic rules on an equal basis with motorists. Contrary to popular belief, running a red light, ignoring signs, and riding on the sidewalk can result in not only a fine, but also liability for damage caused.
There were 1,105 cycling-related fatalities in the US in 2022, according to BikeLegal. If the riders had been better knowledgeable about the vehicle’s technical specifications and regulations, many of these events would have been avoided.
What to do if an accident occurs
Getting into an accident on a bicycle is not just an inconvenience, but a potentially complex legal situation. And the first question that will arise for all participants is: who is at fault?
If the accident occurred due to a technical malfunction of the bicycle, liability may be assigned to the rental service. However, this will require evidence: photos, videos, reports, witness statements. If the cyclist violated the rules – for example, drove into an intersection on a red light – legal responsibility falls on him. If third parties are involved, such as a car driver, claims are possible in both directions.
In such a situation, it is extremely important to contact specialists. Bicycle accident lawyers in Atlanta specialize in such cases and will help not only to correctly draw up documents, but also to obtain compensation for injuries or property damage. The city has many legal regulations regarding cyclists, and trying to understand them on your own often leads to delays in the case or loss of compensation.
What to do in an accident:
- First, take care of yourself: if you are injured, call an ambulance.
- Record the scene of the accident: take pictures of the damage, the surrounding area, the participants.
- Be sure to call the police and get a copy of the report.
- Contact the rental company and notify them of the incident.
- And finally, consult a lawyer. Even if the accident seems minor, the consequences may appear later – both in medical and legal aspects.
Final say
Bike rental is convenient, modern and truly useful. But behind this convenience there are technical and legal nuances that must not be forgotten. No matter how short your trip is, check the bike before leaving, follow the traffic rules and remember: in the event of an incident, it is important to act quickly and competently.
