Dock lock the top social media complaint across last four months

Link to this visualisation

This look at complaints about Citi Bike service on social media -- Facebook, Twitter, Reddit and Yelp --  shows that over the past four months Dock Lock has aroused the most ire.

Here’s what we mean by dock lock and other terms we use in the chart and on the blog.

Dock lock: We use the term to describe a number of circumstances, from a single dock that won’t accept a bike up to entire stations that are inoperative.

NotSpots: Our term for both filled and empty stations.

Billing: Complaints about overtime charges, credit card issues, issues with the $100 deposit and trips that haven’t closed.

Surprised by missing station: Citi Bike stations are designed to be easily and quickly removed, for street work, building construction or events.

Bad behavior: Runs the gamut from people being struck by  Citi Bikers, bikers being doored by vehicle passengers, reports of  Citi Bikers traveling in wrong direction

Kiosk issues: Reports of kiosks that won’t accept credit cards or issue passes.

Abandoned/stolen bikes: Usually Instagram pics of  Cit Bikes ending up in a river or subeway station or some other place they’re not supposed to be.

Broken bikes: What it says.

Web site bugs: What it says.

Don’t like new seats and Like new seats: In late summer Citi Bikes started replacing the original seats because so many of them developed cracks during the severe winter.

Can’t renew at old price: When Citi Bike announced in October it was raising the price of annual memberships, it said renewals could bemade at the old $95 rate and then reneged on the promise within 24 hours.

OK and Not OK with rate hike: What it says.

No valet service: Over the summer, Citi Bike started a “valet service” at several high-traffic stations. With this progam, Citi Bike personnel are waiting at the station to take your bike if the station is full.

App issues: Usually complaints that the app  steered people to full or empty stations.

Won’t renew: What it says.

30 minutes too short: Day pass purchasers complain that  their 30-minute ride limit is too short, especially when they  encounter filled stations or dock lock.