Forgetful? Have a free umbrella
At the end of the program, how many were metro stations left with? Six hundred. So much for good Samaritans.
Instead of scrapping the social service, which loans free umbrellas for a week at metro stations across Shanghai, the city is taking a play from the real-name ticket registration book and jotting down people’s names and numbers when giving out their goods.
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“People can borrow an umbrella at a station by registering their name and cellphone number, and are expected to return it to the same station within a week,” said the Shanghai Metro Operations Management Center, according to Shanghai Daily.
This year 30,000 umbrellas will be made available.
It’ll be hard to miss those who have taken a loaner as the umbrellas are bright yellow and have the Shanghai Metro logo all over them.
If you don't return the goods, city officials will be calling and texting you to remind you to give the umbrella back.
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"We hope that, while enjoying the service, users also think of other people who might also need an umbrella," said Huang Qiongnuo, an official with the center, to local reporters.
Although city officials say that they are happy to continue to offer this service -- plum rain season downpours seem to come out of nowhere and often catch commuters off-guard -- because of the low return rate, you’ll need at ask a station attendant for an umbrella, they won’t just be out for the taking.
Any bets on this year's return rate?
