By Agence France-Presse
Chinese police have cracked down on an internet craze that saw thousands of cyclists throng a highway under cover of night to gorge on dumplings in a nearby city.
University students sparked the trend weeks ago when they posted on social media about an evening ride from the central city of Zhengzhou to Kaifeng, around 80 kilometers (50 miles) away, to enjoy some famous local soup dumplings, according to state media.
The activity went viral, with images of more recent rides showing a multi-lane motorway linking the two cities crammed with thousands of cyclists, some straddling brightly-colored shared bikes—dubbed the “Night Riding Great Army.”
Authorities initially welcomed the wholesome revelry but later imposed traffic restrictions after the sheer number of participants prompted traffic chaos and safety concerns.
An online statement from the provincial police on Saturday said the road would be “closed to non-motorized vehicles” from 4:00 p.m. to midday on Sunday “due to its occupation by shared bikes and other objects at various points.”
In a separate statement, the Kaifeng city government cited the risk of riders falling and sustaining injuries or blocking other road users from accessing medical care.
“(You) have demonstrated the wilful whimsy of youth,” it said, “but… more and more people are starting to worry about the hidden dangers.”
Three major shared bike companies said Saturday that they would impose new local geographic restrictions, adding that the vehicles would lock automatically if riders persisted in traveling in prohibited areas.
Many riders had documented their trips on social media.
“There were so many people on the road even before we started riding,” read a caption on a video on Douyin, China’s version of TikTok.
“We’re only going to be young once, guys. Life’s hardships are also what give it some spice!” it added.
Chinese social media trends have driven a youthful embrace of cheap travel in recent years, such as “special forces tourism,” where people pack as many sights as possible into extremely tight schedules.
The country has struggled to reverse an economic slowdown that has left millions of young people struggling to find work, overqualified for the jobs that are available, or feeling trapped in its intense work culture.
Other cities briefly in the spotlight for their quirky barbecue style or lip-smacking hotpot have also rushed to cash in before their online fame runs out.