Better secure deposits for bike use

SHORT-HIRE BIKE GIANTS MOBIKE AND OFO have dismissed reports accusing the two of misappropriating the deposits riders pay to use their dockless, GPS-enabled Mobike and Ofo bikes. Thepaper.cn commented on Tuesday:

The misappropriation of users' deposits must be taken seriously, not least when many failed or financially struggling startups have done just that, even though it is illegal.

Unlike traditional deposits, those solicited from the bike users are not subject to the one-on-one rule. Rather than a deposit being paid for the use of one particular bike, it is paid for use of any bike owned by the service provider. In other words, one bike may be vouchsafed by deposits from more than one rider.