oBike (ceased operation)

Mobile payments are going to be standard soon

It just shows the state of mind and ‘non-classiness’ of some people!

This is nothing to do with mobile payments. It’s about excluding community-based services (here, the oBike) from those who don’t have a smartphone.

How much do people spend on smartphones? (I genuinely have no idea). I am assuming (dangerous, I know) that what they spend would soon add up to the sum of a half decent bike of their own. I know which option I prefer. :wink:

People that don’t have a ‘smart phone’ don’t belong in the community anymore, no services for non-members, they are outcasts! :wink:

Shouldn’t it be “excluding those who don’t have a smartphone from community-based services”?

Anyway, the world is changing if you like it or not, if you don’t adapt to the changes, sooner or later you’ll be left behind. Society makes some efforts to help members who are at a disadvantage, like elderly or handicapped people, but there is no guarantee for that.

And I am not sure if a private company like Obike is obliged to accommodate everyone in the community. Smartphones are just tools. You can use them or not. If you don’t like using a screwdriver, it’s your choice, you might not be able to get that screw out of the wall with your bare fingers, but don’t expect screw makers to give you finger-friendly screws any time soon.

Can I use a Ubike without having an Easycard?

Nope.

No smartphone, no Obike. No Easycard, no Ubike! Same dilemma.

I use the O-bike to ride to a YouBike station. The PROS of an O-Bike: Affordability, convenience CONS: Quality, One gear, small frame, many damaged bikes

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I’ve come across this a lot from smartphone users - the apparent necessity to push change onto people (“change is coming”, “like it or not”, “you’ll be left behind”, blah blah).

The Hualien County Gov’t have an obligation to provide services for everyone, and they are the ones who chose to allow Obike to operate in the city. A service targetted at benefitting the whole community should be able to be used by everyone, not just by those who have chosen to buy a relatively-expensive product.

Keep on swiping.

Just stating the obvious. I hardly use my phone, it’s just a tool that comes in handy from time to time.

No government has an obligation to provide services for everyone, because that’s impossible to do. Let’s say they provide a public bicycle system that can be used by people without a smartphone. Let’s say it’s with docking stations and you can pay by phone, Easycard, credit card, other cards, bank notes, coins, etc. Is it a service for everyone? No. What about people who are physically unable to use regular bikes? Does the government have an obligation to provide bikes that everyone can use? No. It’s impossible. Funds are limited. Can’t please everyone.

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Yes you can. You can use a credit card, which is handy for visitors and others who don’t have an easy card.

Even if you are correct (you can use a credit card for Youbike), let’s not pretend the barrier of entry for a smartphone vs Easycard is even remotely similar.

Can’t you get a Chinese smartphone for a couple of thousand?

Not really a huge barrier to entry

Facepalm.

And if you don’t have either? NoGobike!

They should make it so you need both EasyCard and smartphone for YouBike, and throw all the oBikes in the river. Then, everyone will be happy.

I think?

I like Obike

For those of you not reading Dutch :):
It says that Amsterdam forces providers of shared bikes to clean them up from any public area in the next 3 weeks.
After that, Amsterdam will clean up the remainder.

The end of shared bikes in Amsterdam, seems they had enough of the mess, and are acting on it.