One thing PBOT talked about at the brown bag we both attended, was that bike sharing really helped bump up the numbers in cities where there's not already a sizable chunk of the population biking (like Boston)--e.g. it sort of grabbed the low hanging fruit.
Why does Portland need this [EDITED: HOMOPHOBIC LANGUAGE] idea? It's fucken stupid and only[EDITED: HOMOPHOBIC LANGUAGE] would use it! STOP RUINING THIS CITY!!!!
Put a small battery powered (2 to 3 hp) on one, and even I might ride one. Maybe. Perhaps. Although I hardly ever go to downtown PDX unless I'm escorting a wide load. So I guess I wouldn't be riding one.
Listen, we all know these bikes will be horribly vandalized and stolen in this town.