Yesterday I tried GoShare for the first time. The scooter model I got was viva, and it happened to coincide with Line Pay's first day of cashback. From Ruiguang Road in Neihu to Xing'ai Road, then to Songshan, it took about 33 minutes and cost 18 yuan. However, since I regularly use Line Pay, I was able to deduct the payment with points, making it completely free. This was a great experience for me.
(GoShare via Facebook)
1. Precise Targeting
Since I'm already a scooter rider, having access to a better scooter without spending any money while getting a direct experience is the best kind of marketing. Plus, people like me are considering whether to change scooters. My previous one was a Kymco that I've used for over 10 years. It's had major and minor repairs over the years, and it still won't start properly in winter. The scrap value is only 2,000 yuan…
2. Smart Payment
As mentioned above, I use Line Pay very frequently. Since coming back to the country, I haven't had time to withdraw cash yet, so I haven't been carrying cash these past few days. I can use Line Pay for taxis, drinks, convenience stores, and meal transfers to friends. I've also gotten by with my Starbucks stored value card. Basically, except for the MRT and buses, I haven't needed cash (I lost my EasyCard). If public transportation could accept NFC payment, I really wouldn't need cash at all. So the reason I immediately bound GoShare is because of Line Pay. The entire process was very smooth with no verification issues. (I feel like this post accidentally became a LINE PAY sponsored post XD)
3. Riding Experience
Everyone is probably curious about this part:
-
No noise: My own scooter is old and loud, but GoShare has no engine sound like I'm used to riding. Finally, no embarrassment.
-
Comes with two helmets: No need to worry about having only one helmet. You can directly carry a passenger when renting.
-
Lightweight: Many of my friends can't put down the center stand by themselves. A lightweight vehicle is definitely great news for typical female office workers.
-
Rent anytime, return anytime, worry-free: In my case, since I ride scooters frequently and am afraid of getting fined, I don't dare park my scooter randomly on the roadside and insist on finding a proper scooter parking spot before leaving. So while this rental method is similar to the previous Obike, with proper social regulation, the chaos probably won't be as severe as before.
-
Comes with a phone holder: This made me the happiest because I don't have a phone holder and have always wanted to try one. The holder isn't the type you push upward. Instead, it uses elastic plastic straps to bind the four corners of the phone, so it won't slip and won't damage the phone itself. This phone holder also doubles as a wireless charging pad, but since iPhone 7+ doesn't support it, I didn't get to use this feature.
Drawbacks
Currently, only Taipei and Taoyuan have the service available. Other areas don't, otherwise I might have ridden it straight back to New Taipei City XDD. Another issue is the lack of a cup holder or storage basket. Fortunately, I happened to bring a bag with a cup handle yesterday, so I just hung it on the handlebars. A storage basket would have been even better.
Another thing is battery swapping. I didn't experience battery swapping yesterday. I'm not sure if when the battery dies, you can go directly to a battery swap station to swap it, or if like Ubike, there are people who patrol and service the scooters. I'd appreciate it if others could fill in this part.
Other professionals' feedback:
- Most people have concerns about the viva's power, since the maximum speed is only around 54km, raising questions about whether it can keep up with traffic and pose safety risks.
Regarding this, when I was riding, I did find it somewhat difficult when overtaking. It doesn't accelerate immediately like a motorcycle, and switching lanes wasn't smooth either, which might make it hard for vehicles behind me to judge distance. If you're a beginner rider, you might want to pay attention to this.
