Seoul to offer bike helmet rentals

Cyclists pass through Seoul Plaza in this file photo. Korea Times file

By Jung Da-min

The Seoul Metropolitan Government will test-operate a helmet rental system for those who will rent and ride the city's bikes, beginning later this month.

According to the city government's bike policy department, about 1,000 to 1,500 helmets will be placed for about 500 bikes at 30 stations on Yeouido in southwest Seoul. There will be no additional costs for renting a helmet.

“We are planning to assess various aspects including public reaction, actual frequency of usage, hygiene and loss or theft,” said Kim Mi-jung, an official at the bike policy department. “In particular, we will see if we can keep it clean during summer.”

The city government will be deciding whether to expand the helmet rental system after the trial period, which will last about a month. Seoul's public bike system, Ttareungyi, has about 20,000 bikes and 1,107 racks.

The city government's helmet rental system follows a revision of the Road Traffic Act in March by the Ministry of the Interior and Safety. Under the revised law, wearing bicycle helmets will be mandatory starting Sept. 28.

There will be no actual penalty for not wearing a helmet.

“We don't have any practical means to check and control those who do not wear helmets,” Kim said. “It is beyond the city government's capability, but that does not mean we can just ignore the government's measures.”

Wearing helmets nationwide

Regional governments are also looking to follow suit, seeking to introduce helmet rental systems for their bikeshare programs like Seoul.

Changwon in South Gyeongsang Province, for example, has decided to rent out helmets for its 3,933 bikes via its public rental system, Nubija.

Cyclists said they agree with the idea of strengthening safety standards, but questioned the validity of the helmet rental system.

“I welcome the introduction of helmets for safety, but wonder how the city will operate it,” said Kim, a 25-year-old resident of Changwon. “Helmets can easily be lost as it would be hard to keep track of them when so many people will be using them all at once.”

Some say they do not think they will wear a helmet even after the law revision comes into effect.

“I understand it could be dangerous for those who ride at high speeds without a helmet,” said Seok, a 31-year-old office worker in Seoul. “But my case is different. I ride a bike when I commute, and the distance is not very far. I do not really go fast either.”

While the number of bicycle traffic accidents is increasing every year, the social awareness of wearing helmets is relatively low.

According to a recent report on the public bike system by online research company Embrain, 18.6 percent of 1,000 people said the most dangerous behavior when riding a bike includes not wearing helmets. About 52 percent said using a cellphone while riding could be dangerous, followed by 35.8 percent who said cycling while intoxicated poses safety risks.

According to the revised law, “drunk cycling” will be banned starting Sept. 28. Those who ride bikes while drunk will be fined up to 200,000 won ($179).