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Electric Blues: My Rocky Relationship with Hello Bikes
In China there is a form of transportation called a Hello Bike.
Hello Bikes are blue electric bicycles with a QR code on them. You scan the QR code on your phone using Alipay, pay 2.5rmb ($.30) and off you go.
Two wheel therapy
My first few weeks as a preschool teacher were chaos incarnate. It was a complete shock to my system. I was exhausted at the end of each day and my ride home was a Hello Bike.
The bikes move slowly at 25kph (15 mph) which was exactly what I needed to unwind from the classroom chaos. Meandering home in electric silence calmed my nerves and gave me a sense of autonomy.
Anytime my wife needed something, I gladly offered to go get it. Afterall, I could go on a Hello Bike. The Hello Bikes were one of the things that helped me regain my own sense of independence.
All I had to do was scan the QR code, listen to the friendly “Hello” and off I went.
My relationship with Hello Bikes is not all sunshine and fairytales. My faithful steed has failed me on numerous occasions.
Out of bounds
One night while my wife was pregnant we had a very close call. We rode our bikes to a…
