In some universities in Chengzhou, measures have been introduced, such as a ban on bicycles on campus and mandatory receipt of permission from students for leaving the province. This trend began in June, when four students set off on bicycles to Kaifeng for several hours in search of famous local giant pies, and their journey became popular on social media under the hashtag "Youth is priceless... Night trips in Kaifeng are worth it." This trend has started to spread widely with the participation of more and more students.
Night cycling began with four Chinese students who traveled 50 km to taste the local pies. However, this hobby has spread to 100,000 people, which has led to traffic jams on major roads of little-known tourist towns last Friday, attracting the attention of authorities. A group of students, most of whom rented bicycles, spent some hours traveling through Henan province, starting from the campus in Chengzhou and reaching the old town of Kaifeng. Student Liu Lulu from Henan University said: "People pedaled together, supporting each other while climbing the hills together, and I felt the youthful spirit, it wasn't just a bicycle trip."
However, Kaifeng quickly became a congested area due to the influx of people looking for places to stay, restaurants, and public places, according to information from officials. Videos circulating on the internet show tens of thousands of cyclists on Chzhengkang Road - a high-speed road between Chengzhou and the streets of the small town of Kaifeng, while police used loudspeakers to disperse students trying to leave on bicycles or by shuttle bus.
To prevent a recurrence of incidents during last Friday evening, authorities announced temporary restrictions on roads and cycling routes on weekends, as well as warnings about cycling restrictions outside designated zones in Chengzhou.
