Washington DC has a great new way to get around. Based on a system pioneered in more than a dozen European cities, SmartBikeDC is the first automated bike sharing program in the U.S. For an annual membership of only $40 you get a smart card which gives you unlimited access to bikes from any of the 10 downtown locations. The coolest thing about the system is that you don't have to return the bike to the same place you got it from. The computerized system keeps track of all the bikes and checks you in when you drop your back off at any of the stations. You can also keep a bike for up to three hours at a time, so if you are going to lunch at a restaurant that's not right next to a SmartBike station, just lock up your SmartBike outside and return it when you are finished (I keep a lock in my office to use for this kind of trip).

I have been using the SmartBike system for the last two weeks and I love it. Its faster than using the Metro to get around downtown, cleaner and cheaper than using taxis, and good exercise too. I'm no purist. I'm sure I will still take a taxi occasionally, particularly in the dead of winter and the heat of summer, but SmartBikes are a great additional option.

The bikes are very well designed for urban use, with chain guards, fenders, an easy-to-use three-speed gear shift, and a luggage rack equipped with a bungee to hold your briefcase. Getting and returning bikes is a snap-it takes just a few seconds to get a bike and returning is even faster. My only complaints are that I would like to have a gear between second and third and more SmartBike stations, particularly on Capitol Hill. I assume the system will expand if enough people sign up. So if you're in DC, please subscribe. If you live somewhere else, ask your city council to catch up.