The "white bicycle" concept dates from 1965 and was proposed by Provo, a Dutch counter-culture movement. In a manifest (see http://www.gramschap.nl/provo/chrono

The "white bicycle" concept dates from 1965 and was proposed by Provo, a Dutch counter-culture movement. In a manifest (see http://www.gramschap.nl/provo/chrono/prpk5.jpg http://www.gramschap.nl/provo/chrono/prpk5.jpg) they announced that they would place a white painted bike in the city center of Amsterdam which would become public property. The goal was to counter pollution of the city but it was also a statement against the increase of consumerism. After they placed the bike it was immediately confiscated by the police because it didn't have a lock.