Transportation in China will always be my arch-nemesis.  Actually, I’m unsure if it is the transportation or the lack of common sense by the people operating the different forms of transportation. 

Whether I’m on my bike, on a bus, in a taxi, walking, or even on the subway, the lack of common sense is glaring.  For example:  if you have to make a left turn on a busy street (because there is a school there and many many bus routes) it is only natural to turn your car in front of the bus coming at you and wait there until you are able to get through, thus blocking the rest of the cars behind that bus and causing traffic to be backed up for kilometers.  And then, of course, if you are not in that car or on that bus but riding your bike, it is only natural to ride between all of the cars/buses/etc. to quickly get to your destination…this just makes sense people. 

This morning I rode my bike to Chinese class.  It takes me anywhere from 28-35 minutes depending on the flow of traffic near this aformentioned school.  This particular road was probably not the greatest idea that the city planner came up with unless his/her intention was to see what 3 kilometers of buses and cars packed bumper to bumper looked like.  I really need to photograph this for you.  It’s amazing what people will do to be first here.  When I got to the “neighborhood” where my Chinese class is held there was another massive traffic back up.  Apparently we haven’t figured out the green arrow in this country.  Naturally, if you are waiting for the light to turn green so you can make a left turn, your first reaction should always be to turn in front of the oncoming traffic, convincing the cars behind you to do the same and causing the non-turning cars to wait and back up.  It is diffucult to recover from this sort of “jam” because (believe it or not) the cars KEEP COMING…  Add this situation to a location where there is a railroad track going right through the neighborhood (with quite frequent trains) and it’s even more entertaining. 

It doesn’t just happen with left turns.  Question: when you make a right turn onto a road (busy or not) what is your first reaction?  I hope you answered, ‘check if traffic is coming from the left.’  If you live in China, however, there is no need to check this direction because the person turning onto the busy (or not) street (at a much slower speed, mind you) is clearly more important than the cars or buses speeding down the road.  No problem. Those cars will stop for you.  (It affects the bikers too…this is how I got hit by a car once)

One of my favorite situations while using the subway system is when people try to get on the subway before allowing anyone to get off. I think this might actually be a game for some people. Or elevators. The same.  The key is to stand right in the middle of the opening of the door so that the “exiters” are not able to exit before you get on. 

THE SOLUTION to these traffic problems is simple, however:  HONK YOUR HORN INCESSANTLY.  🙂

Okay…I’m done venting.  Have a great day!!