mathias

In the last few years a number of tech-companies have appeared, promising to improve mobility issues in cities around the globe. Eco-friendly and community discourses are part of their strategies. Dockless is a series of 5 mini video-essays that exposes the fallacy of these state - ments and defends the bicycle as a tool for autonomy.

“The limits and meanings of the public and private spheres are confused nowadays. It is in this hybrid terrain that sharing economy companies operate. These startups take advantage of gaps left by governments, promises to improve life through digital platforms and offer standardized solutions for many cities around the world. Backed by a strong legal framework, they avoid insurances, inspections and tax costs, influencing the social dynamics of the city. Breaches in the law and active deregulation are fundamental to their consolidation.

They offer access instead of ownership, which gives the false sense of the existence of a common good. In practice, people do not share bikes with each other, but compete for the availability of them. With a large advertising budget, there is an attempt to link these services to a community concept. Bicycles are owned by companies and so is profit. The bikes seem free, because they are thrown around. But their access is blocked until a payment is made. Behind supportive discourses and striking colors is the materialization of segregation”.