Shared bikes should also be safe bikes

Editor's Note: The parents of an 11-year-old boy, who was killed in a collision with a coach while riding one of Ofo's shared bikes in Shanghai in March, have sued the company and the coach driver, demanding 8.78 million yuan ($1.32 million) in compensation. They also want Ofo to replace its bike locks with smarter ones. Two experts share their views with China Daily's Cui Shoufeng. Excerpts follow:

Smarter locks cannot rule out accidents

Judging by the evidence available, the legal guardians of the 11-year-old, including his parents and school, should be primarily responsible for his death. Children of his age are deemed to have limited capacity for civil conduct and, hence, their civil actions should have the consent of or be ratified by their guardians. Besides, Chinese law prohibits children below 12 from riding bikes on public roads.