About three decade ago, China wa known a the “Bicycle Kingdom”. But the two-wheeled mode (方式) of tranport’ popularity began to fade, with many bike oon replaced by their fuel-powered competitor.
But recent month have een a revival (复兴) of the humble (普通的) bike acro China, with an increaing number of people chooing cycling intead of driving to chool, to workplace or to do
ighteeing. The introduction of bike-haring cheme, pioneered by tart-up (新兴公司) like Ofo and Mobike, ha brought the trend to a new level.
According to data compiled (编制) by iReearch Conulting Group, the firt week of thi year aw 5.85 million active uer of Mobike while Ofo had 1.4 million active uer.
People can unlock the hared bike by imply uing their martphone. The bike are equipped with GPS and can be left anywhere in public for the next uer. They’re popular among many Chinee people a they provide an effective olution to the “lat mile” problem, which refer to the final leg of a peron’ journey.
“In place where the ubway doen’t extend (延伸到), where it’ difficult to change from one kind of tranport to another, it’ o eay to get where you want to go with Mobike,” Hu Hong, 29, told AFP. She pedal (骑自行车) to her Shanghai real-etate (房地产) job.
However, the cheme have alo led to problem uch a illegal parking, vandalim (故意破坏) and theft.WWw.hAOZUowEn.com
Lat month, two nure in Beijing were placed under adminitrative detention (行政拘留) for five day for putting lock on two hared bike.
And in December, a man who tole a hared bike wa entenced to a 3-month detention with a 3-month probation (缓刑期), and fined 1,000 yuan by the Shanghai Minhang People’ Court.
“Bike-haring i a greener method of tranportation and provide a uer-friendly experience,” aid Liu Xiaoming, vice-miniter of tranport. “But it’ a combination of online and offline buine. Operator are uually trong in online ervice, but lack offline buine experience, which caue problem.”
In fact, thee problem are alo hared by bike-haring cheme abroad. Launched in 2007, Vélib i a large-cale public bike haring ytem in Pari. At it early tage of operation, it alo uffered from problem of vandalim or theft.
By Oct 2009, a large number of Vélib’ initial bike had to be replaced due to vandalim or theft, according to The New York Time. Bike were found hanging from lamppot (街灯柱) or thrown into the Seine River.
To deal with thee problem, the company came up with the idea of encouraging people to return the bike to tation by rewarding free time for their next ride.
Now, Chinee ervice operator are alo trying to addre thee problem. For example, Mobike et a 100-point credit core for each uer, with point taken in the cae of bad behavior. Once a core drop below 80, bike rental i increaed to 100 yuan per 30 minute, up from 0.5-1 yuan.