By Zeno Zacks

Lime Bikes are taking Alameda by storm, and it’s easy to see why. The dockless bikes are available to rent for an unlimited amount of time, and when you’re done you can just leave them and not have to worry about them getting stolen.

It sounds like a good idea in theory, but the reality poses some challenges, as bikes have recently been thrown into the lagoons around Bay Farm Island. Other bikes have been found broken or completely destroyed. Why would people do this, you may ask?

Ms. Linderme, an 8th grade teacher at Bay Farm School, said, “The destruction of a Lime Bike is inevitable because people don’t have designated areas to protect them. People keep leaving them in yards and it needs to be fixed.”

Some Lime Bikes have been hacked into, giving the hacker entirely free access to the bike without having to submit payment through the Lime Bike app. Hacking instructions are widely available online, and are causing concern.

“I love the idea of Lime Bikes but they should have spent more time on how to use them,” Ms. Linderme said.