The incessant beeping of stolen Lime e-bikes has become the soundtrack of summer for many Londoners, particularly in east London's Clissold Park. The bikes emit a continuous alarm when ridden without payment, a feature intended as a deterrent but now a common sound across the city.
Residents have mixed feelings about the noise. Ellie Roberts, 47, described it as the 'birdsong of Hackney', calling it an 'indication of low-level crime on an ongoing basis'. However, her friend Sinead McKenna, 49, said she quite likes it, calling it 'the sound of the summer'. Schoolchildren are often seen riding the beeping bikes, despite under-18s being banned from the service.
Some locals express little sympathy for Lime. Sebastian Eyre, 34, said he hears the beep 'a couple times a day' and believes in his area 'nine times out of ten' the bikes are stolen. He added: 'Lime have done their evil, so let the kids get a free ride.' John Villeneau, 59, noted a 'massive increase' in Lime bikes in the area, with hundreds outside pubs on Friday nights.
A Lime spokesperson said: 'We know that the vast majority of people use our bikes responsibly, and we take instances of them being stolen, damaged or misused very seriously.' The company charges 27p per minute plus a £1 unlock fee in London, and online tutorials show how to bypass the locks.
