Putting the "oh no" into obikes

Jmuzz
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Re: Putting the "oh no" into obikes

Postby Jmuzz » Wed Jun 27, 2018 6:28 pm

human909 wrote:On the plus side it would seem they are now abandoned property and even deemed litter by the EPA. So surely it isn't stealing if you collect a few for yourself, it would just be another day of clean up Australia Day.
If they aren't paying deposits and litter fines then it's only a matter of time until administrators are appointed.
They will probably still claim ownership, since they are responsible for collecting every cent possible.

Perhaps they will declare any still on the street $0 though. Or create some system where people can buy one for $20 by submitting it's serial number.

I guess all their collected bikes, however many that is, will end up at an auction somewhere.
If they are bankrupt then any deal to give the bikes to another operator could face clawback recovery.

human909
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Re: Putting the "oh no" into obikes

Postby human909 » Wed Jun 27, 2018 6:41 pm

Like I said earlier, I don't think they are operating as as a registered company in Australia. So there wouldn't be administrators here. But I've been wrong already so maybe I'm wrong now. (I did google this ealier today)

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Re: Putting the "oh no" into obikes

Postby mikesbytes » Wed Jun 27, 2018 8:25 pm

fat and old wrote:Interesting few lines in that piece
Mobike and ofo - both originating in China, where there are about 18 million shared bikes - are flush with cash. In March, ofo received an injection of US$866 million (S$1.18 billion) from investors like Alibaba.
A month later, Mobike was acquired by food delivery giant Meituan Dianping for US$2.7 billion.
Companies without such financial backing may eventually suffer the same fate as oBike, said observers.
Last November, China's Bluegogo closed shop, despite raising US$60 million in funding.
"Smaller operators might find it tough," said Mr Francis Chu, co-founder of cycling enthusiast group LoveCyclingSG.
$60 million is a "smaller operator"

What's Australia worth to them again? :lol:
Having been to China recently I can tell you that the dockless hire business is massive
If the R-1 rule is broken, what happens to N+1?

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find_bruce
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Re: Putting the "oh no" into obikes

Postby find_bruce » Wed Jun 27, 2018 8:28 pm

human909 wrote:Like I said earlier, I don't think they are operating as as a registered company in Australia. So there wouldn't be administrators here. But I've been wrong already so maybe I'm wrong now. (I did google this ealier today)
According to the website the contracting party is oBike Australia Pty Ltd. According to the ASIC register oBike Australia Pty Ltd ACN: 618 447 840 is still registered and there are no current proceedings to wind it up.

I am willing to be that the Australian operations make no money, with any profits stripped to a tax haven & the company has no substantial assets in Australia.

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Thoglette
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Re: Putting the "oh no" into obikes

Postby Thoglette » Wed Jun 27, 2018 11:08 pm

find_bruce wrote:I am willing to be that the Australian operations make no money, with any profits stripped to a tax haven & the company has no substantial assets in Australia.
That's how I'd set it up. Everything off shore. Why pay GST?
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Re: Putting the "oh no" into obikes

Postby human909 » Thu Jun 28, 2018 8:51 am

find_bruce wrote:
human909 wrote:But I've been wrong already so maybe I'm wrong now.
According to the website the contracting party is oBike Australia Pty Ltd. According to the ASIC register oBike Australia Pty Ltd ACN: 618 447 840 is still registered and there are no current proceedings to wind it up.
I'm wrong again. I should have tied my fingers up yesterday. :?

Thanks for the clarification.

Ivanerrol
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Re: Putting the "oh no" into obikes

Postby Ivanerrol » Thu Jun 28, 2018 12:01 pm

It’s easy to set up a Pty. Ltd. company.
Just takes a couple of directors with paid up capital of a dollar each. An accountant, some government forms to fill in and some dollars for the organising.

Many pty ltd’s go belly up.
Often the cost of litigation to recover debts outweighs the compensation you will ever get back in return.

And then there’s the matter of dual citizenship directors who skip out the country.

Just look at a few of those overseas companies on steelbay who set up a stooge local operation.
Ever bought a bike bit on. The bay from an Australian operator and the part actually arrives in a box directly from Asia?

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Re: Putting the "oh no" into obikes

Postby antigee » Thu Jun 28, 2018 9:12 pm

SINGAPORE — The beleaguered bicycle-sharing operator oBike — which exited Singapore abruptly on Monday — has gone into liquidation here, as complaints from irate users pile up.

When contacted by TODAY, co-founder Edward Chen, who is based in Shanghai, said he has left matters to the "local team and also the legal team and the liquidation agent".


https://www.todayonline.com/singapore/o ... co-founder

and some interesting comments here on the issue of the main asset held.....personal data.....

https://www.todayonline.com/singapore/e ... sonal-data

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Re: Putting the "oh no" into obikes

Postby fat and old » Fri Jun 29, 2018 7:30 am

What does that article tell me?

That everyone here who carried on about Melbourne being out of touch, on their own etc etc were wrong. :lol:

Zurich, Singapore and Munich. We're in good company :D

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Re: Putting the "oh no" into obikes

Postby biker jk » Fri Jun 29, 2018 8:30 am

fat and old wrote:What does that article tell me?

That everyone here who carried on about Melbourne being out of touch, on their own etc etc were wrong. :lol:

Zurich, Singapore and Munich. We're in good company :D
Yes it was always a private data selling company under the guise of promoting active transport. Sucked quite a few in.

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Re: Putting the "oh no" into obikes

Postby Calvin27 » Fri Jun 29, 2018 9:06 am

biker jk wrote: Yes it was always a private data selling company under the guise of promoting active transport. Sucked quite a few in.
That's a real 'oh no' lol

I'm keeping an eye out for he bike sales though. Need a few to make some frankenrig projects.
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Re: Putting the "oh no" into obikes

Postby human909 » Fri Jun 29, 2018 10:22 am

biker jk wrote:Yes it was always a private data selling company under the guise of promoting active transport. Sucked quite a few in.
Not really an accurate representation. Their primary cash flow would have been from deposits and use. Sure use of customers private data did annoy people but to think that would have been any more than a fraction of the total cash flow would be grossly overvaluing the value of personal data relative to the other income.

Make no mistake though share bikes are here to stay and the dockless variety are likely to stay around. Like many new ventures obike failed. But some will learn from the mistakes and succeed.

Though given the influx of capital (some suggest bubble like) into some of these ventures other failures are likely. No different other new technology bubbles. Its been happening for centuries.
fat and old wrote:What does that article tell me?

That everyone here who carried on about Melbourne being out of touch, on their own etc etc were wrong. :lol:

Zurich, Singapore and Munich. We're in good company :D
I believe Amsterdam is in the mix too! :wink:

But wrong? That is a bit strong. It it sort of like saying those who thought 'myspace' was a promising venture were wrong. Not to mention the exact reasons why cities have rejected dockless bikes are precisely because the urban infrastructure to support them hasn't been built yet.


Oh and as far as personal data goes... Yeah. There is a reason why I have never used my phone for ANY such apps or purchases. Think about all the personal data Uber has.

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Re: Putting the "oh no" into obikes

Postby familyguy » Fri Jun 29, 2018 10:38 am

Calvin27 wrote:
biker jk wrote: Yes it was always a private data selling company under the guise of promoting active transport. Sucked quite a few in.
That's a real 'oh no' lol

I'm keeping an eye out for he bike sales though. Need a few to make some frankenrig projects.
Sales? Given the lack of company action, I would say tracking is the least of their priorities...if you know what I mean.

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Re: Putting the "oh no" into obikes

Postby human909 » Fri Jun 29, 2018 11:42 am

familyguy wrote:Sales? Given the lack of company action, I would say tracking is the least of their priorities...if you know what I mean.
Pretty much. The process of physical collection, administration and sale isn't worth the effort. The most efficient liquidation would be creditors (aka customers who have lost their deposits) to collect a bike themselves. :mrgreen: It isn't exactly legal unless... But like said earlier you do have the EPA saying it is abandoned litter. If one happens to get abandoned onto your premises.... :lol:

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Re: Putting the "oh no" into obikes

Postby mikesbytes » Fri Jun 29, 2018 11:56 am

Except abandoned litter is owned by the council or failing that some other govt body
If the R-1 rule is broken, what happens to N+1?

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Re: Putting the "oh no" into obikes

Postby ironhanglider » Fri Jun 29, 2018 12:01 pm

Better get in quick. They're fast becoming rubbish collector's items.

Cheers,

Cameron

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familyguy
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Re: Putting the "oh no" into obikes

Postby familyguy » Fri Jun 29, 2018 12:51 pm

mikesbytes wrote:Except abandoned litter is owned by the council or failing that some other govt body
Probably.

Authority: "We have to clear all these abandoned bikes away."
Joe Public: "I'll give you a hand by removing a couple."
Authority: "Don't touch them, we can only send these to landfill."

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Re: Putting the "oh no" into obikes

Postby Thoglette » Fri Jun 29, 2018 1:16 pm

mikesbytes wrote:Except abandoned litter is owned by the council or failing that some other govt body
Not if it's been abandoned on my property :D :D
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Re: Putting the "oh no" into obikes

Postby human909 » Fri Jun 29, 2018 1:31 pm

mikesbytes wrote:Except abandoned litter is owned by the council or failing that some other govt body
Interesting notion...

So abandoned litter suddenly becomes the council's and not obikes? So is the EPA going to start fining the council? :lol:

Also, I guess I'm stealing during clean up Australia day. Or any other day in which I choose to pick up and reuse/recycle/discard what is clearly litter.
Thoglette wrote:
mikesbytes wrote:Except abandoned litter is owned by the council or failing that some other govt body
Not if it's been abandoned on my property :D :D
Exactly. And then you can reuse or recycle as a good citizen should! :mrgreen:

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Re: Putting the "oh no" into obikes

Postby Calvin27 » Fri Jun 29, 2018 1:45 pm

human909 wrote:
mikesbytes wrote:Except abandoned litter is owned by the council or failing that some other govt body
Interesting notion...
Very interesting. I suppose in the end it comes down to the owner enforcing their right to claim property?

I need 4 as I plan to make a bicycle car for around the bay. Too hard to make with conventional bikes and obikes seem to be able to fit a wider range of people. What have you guys got in mind?
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familyguy
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Re: Putting the "oh no" into obikes

Postby familyguy » Fri Jun 29, 2018 1:55 pm

I reckon I could do with one of the shaft drive Mobikes...

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Re: Putting the "oh no" into obikes

Postby find_bruce » Fri Jun 29, 2018 2:16 pm

familyguy wrote:I reckon I could do with one of the shaft drive Mobikes...
Airless tyres check, shaft drive check. All you need is a funky saddle & automatic gears and you will have all four horsemen of the cycling apocalypse

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Re: Putting the "oh no" into obikes

Postby mikesbytes » Fri Jun 29, 2018 7:05 pm

When you place things on the street for council pickup they become property of the council once you place them there. At my location items placed for council pickup must be placed on public property, the council is not permitted to pickup from your front yard. So technically when you do the right thing by taking things from council pickup you are stealing.

I suspect that the council cannot remove anything from the street it doesn't own and therefor owns the rubbish in the rubbish bin.

In regards to the Obikes I can't see there being a point that they are legally considered to have no ownership and therefor taking one is technically stealing.

If the Obike is abandoned on private property, now that's a different question
If the R-1 rule is broken, what happens to N+1?

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Re: Putting the "oh no" into obikes

Postby fat and old » Fri Jun 29, 2018 8:53 pm

mikesbytes wrote:So technically when you do the right thing by taking things from council pickup you are stealing.

I suspect that the council cannot remove anything from the street it doesn't own and therefor owns the rubbish in the rubbish bin.

In regards to the Obikes I can't see there being a point that they are legally considered to have no ownership and therefor taking one is technically stealing.

If the Obike is abandoned on private property, now that's a different question
I’ve heard stories of Council or their collecters going after scroungers on hard rubbish week. Local council used to notify us it was stealing to take stuff.

“Abandoned” on private property isn’t likely to wash. Do you really expect to claim “that’s where I would leave it” and be believed? What happens when whoever is challenging this wants to see proof you subscribed?

Advocating theft from a business that most thought was being hard done by in the first place...that’s the way. Kick a man when he’s down and claim you’re on his side.... :lol:

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Re: Putting the "oh no" into obikes

Postby human909 » Fri Jun 29, 2018 10:10 pm

mikesbytes wrote:In regards to the Obikes I can't see there being a point that they are legally considered to have no ownership and therefor taking one is technically stealing.
I agree.

But I do enjoy having the giggle that about how do you steal something that the EPA has declared as litter. :lol:

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