How do Chinese citizens react to self-service coin boxes on streets?

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A box full of coins is found in Fuzhou, the capital city of Fujian province. [Photo/southcn.com] 

What would people do if they see a box full of coins unattended? Recently, a kind of self-service coin box was put into use in multiple cities throughout China to find out.

The boxes are placed near the bus stops and metro stations, with a sign besides the box usually reading “If you need money right now, please pick up a maximum of five yuan (about 1 US dollar). If you have some spare money, please donate and help others.”

As it turned out later in the footages recorded on hidden cameras, the vast majority of citizens have followed the rules.

In Hefei, the capital and largest city of eastern China’s Anhui Province, no one took away more than 5 yuan. While in Changzhou, Jiangsu Province, there was even an extra amount of 20 yuan at the end of the day.

“My colleagues often forget to bring enough coins to take the bus, so we decided to put aside some coins in the office for the group. That’s how it’s started and I wanted to try it out at the nearby metro stations and bus stops,” Cao Yi, the initiator of the events, told Yangcheng Evening News.

Cao’s idea was supported by his company called YDNewmedia, a Shenzhen-based new media company, which then organized a series of events in over 20 cities.

“During the 5 hours while we were there shooting, we have not encountered a single case of people taking money more than allowed,” said Cao, who was almost sure he would lose all 500 yuan in the box.

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