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Comment by jpatokal | Hacker News Reader

It's similar here in Sydney, where Mobike is the last company standing on the wreckage of ofo, Obike and ReddiGo. The local lunacy is not $50 fees per bike, but a requirement for cyclists to wear helmets or get slapped with $300+ fines, which is just not compatible with dockless share bikes.

Some personal bloggage on the topic:

https://gyrovague.com/2018/05/19/mofobikalypse-mobike-is-syd...

https://gyrovague.com/2018/02/19/mofobike-a-personal-compari...

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Bicycle helmet laws are designed to discourage cycling.

http://www.cyclehelmets.org/1194.html

While it certainly appears to have discouraged cycling, based on reading that page, I don't see how to see it as intentional. Am I missing something?

Surely there are other variables - increased renting prices caused workers to move further away from work; cycling would no longer be viable?

I have an honest question, I hope it doesn't offend. Why use one of these? Is it because you don't want to take a bike on a train to Town Hall? How would it compare to getting a foldable bike/skateboard/scooter?

In my travels I can't see how to justify using them seeing as I got my bike for maybe $350 including locks, lights and helmet.

They’re a godsend for visitors. I recently attended the OpenStreetMap conference in Milan and used Mobikes to get around - so much easier than fussing with bus and metro, let alone packing my own folding bike into a suitcase.

My commute choices are personal bike directly to work (long and hilly), or bus and a long walk. Taking a Mobike from the bus stop shaves 10 min off the walk each way.

In some countries your bike as a high chance of getting stolen or vandalized.

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