Pedal Power - The Unstoppable Rise of Bike Sharing

Friday, August 25, 2023

From 2014 to 2015, ofo bikes and Dubai Bikes in China's domestic market tried to develop and began to take shape. In 2016, the bike-sharing system known as the "little red car" was introduced in Hangzhou. Since then, bike-sharing has been implemented in several cities across China, gradually gaining momentum. One year later, the term "bike-sharing" became an absolute buzzword, as the concept of "sharing economy" emerged in the public eye. The integration of internet technology and mobile app development provided a fresh platform for bike-sharing, and people gradually embraced this new phenomenon. 

The Development of Bike Sharing

With the advancement of urbanization, the impact of industrial and transportation emissions on the environment has revealed drawbacks, and the zero-emission use of bicycles has been recognized. In 1965, the unlocked bicycle for people to use for a long time came into being in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. From 2014 to 2015, ofo bikes and Dubai Bikes in China's domestic market tried to develop and began to take shape.

In 2016, the bike-sharing system known as the "little red car" was introduced in Hangzhou. Since then, bike-sharing has been implemented in several cities across China, gradually gaining momentum. One year later, the term "bike-sharing" became an absolute buzzword, as the concept of "sharing economy" emerged in the public eye. The integration of internet technology and mobile app development provided a fresh platform for bike-sharing, and people gradually embraced this new phenomenon. They also became accustomed to using bike-sharing as a solution for the "last mile" transportation outside of rapid transit lines in cities. Subsequently, the usage of bike-sharing rapidly increased for short-distance commuting. The concept of bike-sharing continued to evolve and improve as it developed further.

Procedures for Utilization

  1. Open the App and location services
     打开App及定位服务
     dǎ kāi App jí dìng wèi fú wù
  2. Use location to find nearby shared bikes
     使用定位查找附近的共享单车
     shǐ yòng dìng wèi chá zhǎo fù jìn de gòng xiǎng dān chē
  3. Click the "Sweep" area
    点击“扫一扫”区域
    diǎn jī “ sǎo yī sǎo ” qū yù
  4. Scan the QR code on the front or under the bike seat
    扫描自行车车头或车座下方的二维码
    sǎo miáo zì xíng chē chē tóu huò chē zuò xià fāng de èr wéi mǎ
  5. Successful unlocking
     成功开锁
     chéng gōng kāi suǒ
  6. Ride to the operation area to return the car
    骑行至运营区内还车
    qí xíng zhì yùn yíng qū nèi huán chē
  7. Pull the buckle manually
    手动拉上卡扣
    shǒu dòng lā shàng kǎ kòu
  8. Bike returned successfully
    还车成功
    huán chē chéng gōng
  9. Online payment order
    线上支付订单
    xiàn shàng zhī fù dìng dān

Key Notes:

运营区(yùn yíng qū): Operation area, the cycling area authorized by the operator to provide services.

Xiao Ming: Xiǎo Hóng, how can I tell if I'm riding in the operation zone?
小明:小红,怎么判断我在不在运营区骑行呢?
Xiao Ming:Xiǎo Hóng,zěn me pàn duàn wǒ zài bù zài yùn yíng qū qí xíng ne?

Xiao Hong: You can see the color of the location on the map on the home page of the App. If it is blue or green, it means it is in the operation area; If you are in the red zone, you are out of the operation zone and need to ride back to the operation zone as soon as possible.
小红:可以在App的首页看到地图上所在位置的颜色,如果是蓝色或绿色,那么表示在运营区内;如果所在位置是红色区域,那么就超出了运营区,需赶快骑回运营区。
Xiǎo Hóng:kě yǐ zài App de shǒu yè kàn dào qí xíng rén suǒ zài wèi zhì de yán sè, rú guǒ shì lán sè huò lǜ sè,nà me biǎo shì zài yùn yíng qū nèi,rú guǒ suǒ zài wèi zhì shì hóng sè qū yù,nà me jiù chāo chū le yùn yíng qū, xū gǎn kuài qí huí yùn yíng qū。

Xiao Ming: Do I have to ride in the operation area?
小明:那我一定要骑行在运营区内吗?
xiǎo míng : nà wǒ yī dìng yào qí xíng zài yùn yíng qū nèi ma ?

Xiao Hong: You can ride outside the operation area, but there may not be good cycling conditions outside the operation area, and a certain service fee will be charged when you return the car outside the operation area.
小红:可以在运营区外骑行,但运营区外可能不具备良好的骑行条件,而且在运营区外还车时会收取一定的服务费。
xiǎo hóng : kě yǐ zài yùn yíng qū wài qí xíng,dàn yùn yíng qū wài kě néng bù jù bèi liáng hǎo de qí xíng tiáo jiàn,ér qiě zài yùn yíng qū wài huán chē shí huì shōu qǔ yī dìng de fú wù fèi 。

Xiao Ming: I see. It seems that you need to check the specific situation on the map before riding.
小明:原来如此,看来骑行前需要在地图上查看一下具体情况。
xiǎo míng : yuán lái rú cǐ,kàn lái qí xíng qián xū yào zài dì tú shàng chá kàn yī xià jù tǐ qíng kuàng。

Relevant Expansion 

For a period of time, the popularity of "bick-sharing" has only increased, and it has even been called one of China's new four great inventions by many overseas consumers, which reflects the concept of energy conservation and environmental protection and green consumption, and also effectively solves the problem of the "last mile" of public travel. The concept of sharing is deeply rooted in people's hearts, and this concept allows idle social resources to be integrated and convenient for consumers.

The emergence of the "sharing economy" has given rise to the integration and development of various other emerging industries. In recent years, shared cars, electric bikes, and foldable bicycles have quietly made their presence felt in cities. Alongside bike-sharing, they have become indispensable components of urban transportation. The construction of smart cities will also benefit from the continuously evolving sharing economy, as the "pedals" pave the way for a convenient lifestyle and shape the future of our cities.

Key Words:

共享(gòng xiǎng)

The first meaning: share

Shared bikes can be seen everywhere on the streets.
大街上的共享单车随处可见。
dà jiē shàng de gòng xiǎng dān chē suí chù kě jiàn。

Anna invited her neighbors to Thanksgiving dinner.
安娜邀请邻居共享感恩节晚餐。
ān nà yāo qǐng lín jū gòng xiǎng gǎn ēn jié wǎn cān。

Online classes help to share resources.
线上课堂有助于资源共享。
xiàn shàng kè táng yǒu zhù yú zī yuán gòng xiǎng。

The second meaning: enjoy together

The family loved each other and shared happiness
一家人相亲相爱,共享天伦之乐。
yī jiā rén xiāng qīn xiāng ài, gòng xiǎng tiān lún zhī lè。

My dog and I hit the snow to share a beautiful winter time.
我和小狗踏上雪地,共享冬日美好时光。
wǒ hé xiǎo gǒu tà shàng xuě dì, gòng xiǎng dōng rì měi hǎo shí guāng。

Now is the time to share the fruits of development with the people.
如今应同人民共享发展成果。
rú jīn yīng tóng rén mín gòng xiǎng fā zhǎn chéng guǒ

Sharing bikes is really convenient, you can try it next time you travel to China.

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