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2014-04-16 8:00 PM

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Master
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Subject: China Traffic, a day in the life.

This was written 7 years ago.  The only think different about today is that the red taxi with white lettering does not exist anymore.  This is EVERY intersection, EVERY day, at any time of the day.

 

http://soimgoingtochina.blogspot.com/2007/06/beijing-traffic-lesson-left-turn.html

 

HotRunner will be glad to know that nothing has changed. 



2014-04-16 10:23 PM
in reply to: moondawg14

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Subject: RE: China Traffic, a day in the life.
You are a strong, strong man Ryan. Dealing with that every morning would send me straight to the heavy bag by the time I got to work. Damn. Btw, I was in the sauna a couple of days ago (single sex sauna), and a Chinese college student came in (naked, whatever) and started slapping herself in the face repeatedly. Not just 'tap tap' either but pretty vigorous face slapping. Granted, it wasn't as weird as the US native who was butt naked doing repeated scissor kicks on the bench--wtf?--but still weird.

Anyway, any insight on the slapping thing? A cartoon drawing for explanation maybe?

2014-04-16 11:01 PM
in reply to: switch

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Master
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Subject: RE: China Traffic, a day in the life.

Originally posted by switch You are a strong, strong man Ryan. Dealing with that every morning would send me straight to the heavy bag by the time I got to work. Damn. Btw, I was in the sauna a couple of days ago (single sex sauna), and a Chinese college student came in (naked, whatever) and started slapping herself in the face repeatedly. Not just 'tap tap' either but pretty vigorous face slapping. Granted, it wasn't as weird as the US native who was butt naked doing repeated scissor kicks on the bench--wtf?--but still weird.

Anyway, any insight on the slapping thing? A cartoon drawing for explanation maybe?

 

Just be glad it didn't include yelling.   Slapping and Yelling are two components of a Chinese Daily Constitutional.   Slapping includes nearly every body part.  The Lady Who Pushes the Elevator Buttons will commonly sit on her little stool and pound on her stomach or thighs.  Other parts of the Chinese Daily Constitutional are:  Walking while swinging arms, walking backwards, walking while chatting with another person who is completing their CDC, Tai Qi while standing in the sun, even if the sun is shining in a really inconvenient place, walking your illegal dog and getting him to poop on a piece of paper (slightly less popular than walking your illegal dog and not caring where he poops

My favorite (for reals!) CDC is:  Old guys taking their caged birds to the park while swinging them wildly in their cages.  I'll have to see if I can find/take some video of this one.   You'd think the birds would be a wild mess of feathers and turds by the time they get to the park, but they really like it!

2014-04-17 6:54 AM
in reply to: moondawg14

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Subject: RE: China Traffic, a day in the life.

Are there no traffic lights? Are there a lot of wrecks? Looks like total chaos! I should take a pic of my drive to the Y this morning. Total opposite.  There is a 20 mile stretch with nothing but farms and fields. Maybe I'll see a couple of cars on the road.

2014-04-17 7:02 AM
in reply to: moondawg14

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Subject: RE: China Traffic, a day in the life.
Sorry a little off topic...

But I'll be in Beijing in September for World Championships! Mind if I send you a PM and you can give me some pointers?
2014-04-17 8:11 AM
in reply to: cornick

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Subject: RE: China Traffic, a day in the life.
That's classic! On my last trip to China I sat in the back of the van, head between my legs praying it would be over soon! I don't know how those people on the little motorcycles even survive, pure craziness.


2014-04-17 8:23 AM
in reply to: 0

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Subject: RE: China Traffic, a day in the life.
Traffic lights are just there to make visitors think there's some kind of order. Actually obeying them is for foreigners, and other gullible people. I think I mentioned to Moondawg that I had a running buddy in Beijing (one of the city's top woman master's runners), whose husband was a traffic cop. He told me that more people are killed crossing with the light than against it, because they (often kids, tourists, mentally handicapped) probably wrongly assume it's safe to cross then. It's never safe to cross, you just gauge the traffic, find the best moment, preferably with a bunch of other people so drivers would be faced with mass vehicular homicide rather than only one count if they hit you, and gamble with your life. The worst thing to do is suddenly accelerate mid-crossing.

Vietnam is no better, it's just that most of the traffic is motorbikes, and people go considerably faster, perhaps because the bikes are a lot more maneuverable on a crowded street.

Edited by Hot Runner 2014-04-17 8:34 AM
2014-04-17 8:31 AM
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Subject: RE: China Traffic, a day in the life.
Ever seen people do "Crazy English" routines? Based on some dude's speeches about how the best way to learn English is to involve your body and your emotions, not be timid about what you say. Swing arms, jog, do basic calisthenics while yelling various patriotic slogans and cusswords. One dude used to do his morning (practice? workout?) regularly when I did my morning run in the Old Summer Palace (one of the coolest places to do an early AM run in Beijing, by the way, except for him.). It was a time when Sino-US relations were rather tense, so I got to do my morning run while listening to "Bomb the Americans! Long live China! China is great! F**** America." I have names for all the regulars on my morning runs. His was the Ultranationalist Jerk. Thank goodness there was only one of him--most of the other regulars were older guys who did tai chi or fished in the lakes and were quite friendly.

Edited by Hot Runner 2014-04-17 8:39 AM
2014-04-17 10:22 AM
in reply to: Hot Runner

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Subject: RE: China Traffic, a day in the life.
I go to Shanghai now and then. My first trip took me about 4 days to get into the rhythm of crossing the 6 lane road from the bus stop. My first day was learning about electric scooters and bicycles all going against traffic in the dark without lights. Later in the week I found a subway exit that passed under the street, it smells so bad I prefer playing frogger.

There's a hierarchy on the roadways for sure. Mostly seems based on size and aggression, with pedestrians moving en mass is good, being an obvious westerner seems to net you slightly more consideration too.

I keep my trainer up while there inside the hotel's gym. Which brings up their lack of A/C.

Personally I dont get how anyone lives in Beijing. Air quality is so poor. Shanghai is gross too but not Beijing gross.
2014-04-17 6:51 PM
in reply to: magic

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Subject: RE: China Traffic, a day in the life.
The wrong-way thing is a big problem here, too. It didn't take me long to learn that the far edge of the street is NOT for bicycles moving with traffic (like me), it's for any traffic (usually motorbikes and bikes, but occasionally cars and once a city bus) going the wrong direction. My old bike buddy used to call these people "wrong-way Charlies". The deal seems to be that it's too much trouble to ride an extra few hundred yards to a gap in the barrier and backtrack. And it seems to be the custom for wrong-way Charlies to ride without lights in the dark, wearing black. Riding just before dawn one morning, we were actually told by the police to not ride in the motorbike lane at all, but out in the car (truck, mostly, on that road) lane, because there was too much chance of collision with motorbikes going the wrong way in the motorbike lane. Apparently he wasn't as concerned about us getting mowed over by trucks. (Yes, we had powerful bike and helmet lights, but doubt truckers would notice.) We "obeyed" until we were out of sight, then went back into the motorbike lane.
2014-04-17 7:12 PM
in reply to: magic

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Subject: RE: China Traffic, a day in the life.

Originally posted by magic I go to Shanghai now and then. My first trip took me about 4 days to get into the rhythm of crossing the 6 lane road from the bus stop. My first day was learning about electric scooters and bicycles all going against traffic in the dark without lights. Later in the week I found a subway exit that passed under the street, it smells so bad I prefer playing frogger. There's a hierarchy on the roadways for sure. Mostly seems based on size and aggression, with pedestrians moving en mass is good, being an obvious westerner seems to net you slightly more consideration too. I keep my trainer up while there inside the hotel's gym. Which brings up their lack of A/C. Personally I dont get how anyone lives in Beijing. Air quality is so poor. Shanghai is gross too but not Beijing gross.

 

Yeah, crossing the street is such an effort here that people only do it when they have to.  If that means going the wrong way in a bike lane, so be it.

Being a Laowai (foreigner) definitely helps. When we go to lunch my co-irkers stick to me like glue.  When we need to cross a street, I just step out and start going... traffic stops.  Drivers know that if they hit a laowai, the police will be called, and the police will actually do something about it. 

The only real rule you need to know for Beijing traffic is:  The person who gets their front bumper in place first is the winner.  (as the diagram showed) This one rule governs pretty much all Beijing traffic.   

Someone asked about stoplights.  Yes, they exist, but only for MAJOR intersections.  MAJOR is defined as: lots of lanes, and lots of traffic.   I've seen intersections where a 4-lane road crosses a 6-lane road, with NO signals or stop signs.  Most 1 or 2-lane intersections have no signals or stop signs.

Someone else asked about accidents.  They happen, but they're rare, and nearly ALWAYS minor scrapes.  The only time I see broken glass or major bumper damage is on one of the ring roads, usually 4th or 5th ring.  Traffic just moves to slow (constant, but slow) inside the 4th ring road.  The fact that traffic is so unpredictable here actually keeps things relatively safe.  There's basically no such thing as an inattentive driver here.  When you drive, you're ALWAYS on your game, or you won't make it. 

The final thing I'll say about Beijing traffic:  It's slow, but it works.  The city is so choked with cars that things would probably take LONGER if everyone "followed the rules"  



2014-04-18 9:33 PM
in reply to: moondawg14


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Subject: RE: China Traffic, a day in the life.

I've been to China about 10 times, and I guess in total, have spent 5 months of my life there. Nothing crazy, but enough to get a feel for the country.

Driving there is pretty insane. All traffic lights and signs are pretty much to be considered as "suggestions." And I concur with the sentiment that if you followed rules, you probably would never get anywhere. If it is clear in the oncoming traffic lane, that is were you go, I guess even if it is sort of clear.

The first time I was there, I was in a taxi, and as we were driving, some guy on a motorbike bounced off of my door. The driver had to know that we got hit, but I swear, he didn't even flinch as he kept going.

Now having gone quite a few times, I wouldn't say accidents are uncommon. But its really down to what you consider an accident. Bumpers get used for their purpose, and it is rare that there is any significant damage. I've been to Beijing, but usually I stay in Shanghai. I do travel out of the city for about a week every time I go though. And there are some cities that are better, and some that are worse. Hong Kong is actually pretty good.

The areas that scare me are the one lane mountain roads, where the bus drivers careen around corners honking their horn to warn someone on the other side. There are mirrors occasionally that let you see around, and there are guard rails sometimes, though those can be ominously broken in places. And every now and then you can see a wreck below. There are many places that are only passable by one vehicle, and sometimes you have to pull aside to let someone pass, or the other way around. I am still not sure how they figure out who goes.

And after a winter here, we get some pretty rough potholes, but some places over there, I swear I've had my pelvis slam up into my neck.

The other thing if interest there, are the police. The standard "traffic cop" seem to have absolutely no power. People get out of their car, yell in their faces, and make all sorts of threatening gestures. Then they go back to their car, drive around the cop, and take off.

Running around there can be challenging. Depending on the pollution level of the day, running outside can be pretty rough. I usually stay in a fairly well off gated community in the outskirts of Shanghai and just run there. I have a quarter mile loop that I just run around after having found that its generally to risky to venture out. For one, pedestrians do not have the right of way, ever, so you have to remember that. And you have to keep a sharp eye and ear out for mopeds and motorbikes, and even bicycles that go up on the side walks, but that isn't generally my greatest concern.

Depending on the neighborhood, I've had some pretty crazy dog encounters. People buy these huge dogs, Rottweilers, German Shepherds, and all sorts of scary breeds. So far I haven't been attacked, but I've been warned that people do, and somewhat frequently. So far, by stopping, and just meandering away while trying to look disinterested has kept me safe. I don't carry mace or anything, but some of these dogs, even armed with a sawed off shotgun, I probably would just throw the gun and hope they chase it.

Although for everything, I've heard that India is worse with the driving, and they got tigers!

2014-04-19 9:47 AM
in reply to: ImSore

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Subject: RE: China Traffic, a day in the life.

I once got stuck behind a tractor for like 45 seconds because there were two oncoming cars.  It was awful.

I have to give mad props for people who can drive in those conditions.  I would be completely out of my element, making things worse for everyone involved.  I often travel to large cities (mostly US and Canada) for work, but never have to drive them. 

2014-04-22 6:32 PM
in reply to: 0

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Subject: RE: China Traffic, a day in the life.

Saw this video on reddit of a big intersection in Etheopia... who needs a stop light?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UEIn8GJIg0E



Edited by MOlsen 2014-04-22 6:32 PM
2014-04-24 2:50 PM
in reply to: MOlsen

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Subject: RE: China Traffic, a day in the life.

I found this to be hilarious! Thanks for sharing!

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