Bicycle riders often encounter troubles; Pan Shiyi was once stopped by security guards

 

 　　“At one restaurant, three security guards stopped me from riding my bicycle. I asked them if there was any official document stating this rule. They almost beat me up, and when more people gathered to watch, I ran away. Riding a bike comes with risks.” Recently, well-known figure Pan Shiyi shared this personal experience on Sina Weibo, which sparked many netizens’ sympathy—bicycles are environmentally friendly and convenient, but in reality, they come with many unexpected hassles.

　　Reporters have learned that sales of high-end bicycles in Kunming are booming. A local distributor of a certain brand of bicycle achieves monthly sales of over one million yuan. High-end bicycles, often priced at several thousand or even tens of thousands of yuan, are a common sight on the streets of Kunming. However, using these high-end bikes daily comes with numerous “awkward” challenges, the most difficult being parking. With such nice bicycles, parking them at storage stations raises concerns about theft or damage, making it hard to feel at ease. Moreover, high-end apartments, office buildings, and hotels generally prohibit bicycles, turning what should be a simple and convenient green travel tool into an impractical option, which severely dampens people’s enthusiasm for cycling.

　　“Parking a bicycle is quite difficult in many places,” said Mr. Fei, a cycling enthusiast. He often commutes by bike, but unfortunately, neither his residential community nor his office building has suitable parking spots for high-end bicycles. “My bike is quite expensive. Parking it at regular storage stations worries me—it might get stolen or damaged. These issues are too troublesome, so I don’t even consider it. As a result, I have to carry it up and down every day. I live on the 7th floor. Although cycling to work is enjoyable, the thought of having to carry the bike upstairs instantly ruins the mood.” Fei explained that even when dining out, he needs to keep his bike within sight or else he feels unsafe. “Currently, the Kunming Development and Reform Commission sets the bicycle parking fee at 0.2 yuan per hour and 0.4 yuan overnight, while many other parking spots charge 0.5 yuan. But my bike is worth about 5,000 yuan. I’d be willing to pay two yuan as long as someone could keep it safe. Still, it’s very hard to find such a place.”

　　Another cycling enthusiast, Mr. Chen, also said that when he needs to park his bike on the street, he always “negotiates” with the storage staff, agreeing on a price—usually 1 to 2 yuan—and then locks the bike next to the guard, repeatedly reminding them to keep it safe. But having to do this every time makes him feel “really mentally exhausted.” Reporters also found in cycling communities that due to theft concerns, most bicycles worth over 2,000 yuan are reluctantly “brought along” by their owners—“riding the bike on the road” becomes “the bike riding you” once home.

　　“A few days ago, I rode my bike to Desheng Bridge and wanted to withdraw some money from the Construction Bank. But as soon as I approached, a security guard stopped me, saying bicycles aren’t allowed to park at the entrance.” Recently, reader Mr. Chen called our newspaper to share his parking experience. According to Chen, following the guard’s instructions, he had to park his bicycle over a block away and then walk back to the bank. “I calculated the distance—it would take me about 10 minutes round trip. Thinking it was too inconvenient, I gave up.” Chen expressed confusion over the situation, asking, “Why can’t high-end office buildings allow bicycle parking?”

　　Besides office buildings, many other places explicitly ban bicycles, such as high-end apartments, office towers, and hotels. Even some upscale residential communities prohibit bicycles, creating man-made obstacles that make cycling less convenient. The environment where bicycles face constant “discrimination” didn’t form overnight. Cycling enthusiast Chen hopes that government departments and leaders can take the lead in advocacy—at the very least, government buildings should not obstruct bicycles and instead offer conveniences to cyclists, setting an example to eventually encourage most public spaces to welcome bicycles.

　　Considering factors like environmental protection and traffic congestion avoidance, more and more citizens are choosing bicycles for travel. However, for various reasons, the “re-emerging” bicycle is currently facing challenges with parking.

　　Reporters recently took a tour around the city and found that most public spaces are equipped with bicycle parking spots. But the setup of these spots gives many citizens headaches. Mr. Zhao, a resident, said that many temporary bicycle parking areas are located underground, while the ground level is planned for temporary car parking. In some places, cars are parked underground on the first level, but bicycles must go down to the second underground level. “Unlike cars, bicycles can only be pushed up and down slopes, and without elevators, it wastes a lot of time going back and forth.” Zhao believes priority should be given to bicycle parking in public spaces, and road-facing spots should be reserved for bicycles.

　　Reporters also learned that more and more citizens prefer combining cycling with public transit for travel. However, folding bikes are generally not allowed on buses, and most street-side bicycle parking spots in Kunming only operate until 8 or 10 p.m.—anything beyond that is “at your own risk,” causing inconvenience for those needing to park their bikes temporarily at night.