The Rat Race

Children bounce on the backs of autobikes, sometimes the front, and friends balance sideways on the backs of bicycles, most holding onto nothing and entrusting in blind faith that their driver will make all the right decisions. We do this everyday when we get in a car, we believe in everyone elses, including our own, competence and skill at driving cautiously and confidently in order to get where we need to go, accident free. Yet, here it is a different story, there are more than just cars. There are big trucks stacked beyond measure with junk, cardboard, bamboo, bags, water jugs, metal barrels, and buses, bikes, autobikes, scooters, wagons stacked high with piping, recyclables, you name it, all driving, only sometimes obeying the rules of the road. There are no seat belts or helmets, no guarantee that the vehicles of all sorts are well maintained, no mirrors or headlights on the hundreds of bicycles in the roadways and frightening methods of securing the materials carried by these transports. Scooters and bikes may be coming the wrong direction down the road squeezing the space you have to ride in even moreso. Admittantly, it scares me sometimes to brave these roads but there is also a thrill to it. When I jump on my bike to go somewhere I know I am taking a risk and there have been moments when I wondered if I would become a statistic but often it's more of an exciting voyage. The thrill seeker in me loves this part of my life here. I've realized that things seem to go alright as long as you move with the crowd and ease into braking, if you have to brake at all. It's really a wonder how it all works, the traffic here, but it flows as long as you move with confidence and are a bit aggressive, but DON'T put on your brakes out of fear or it messes the whole system up, people will move around you if they see you coming, put on your brakes and they don't know WHAT to do.

Really it's no better to be a pedestrian on the sidewalk. There are people fighting for a space on the sidewalk amongst more bikes and scooters, wagons and workmen carrying large obtrusive objects. This is why it is important to have a bell on your bike, in case you need to ride on the sidewalk, but more importantly, as a means of saying "get out of my way" to those people avoiding the chaos on the sidewalk by walking in the street instead. A bell is also a very important bicycle accessory in order to tell other bikes and scooters you're coming and for them not to make any sudden changes in their course of direction. It's a wild world, China, but mysteriously things get done and people get where they need to go.

At times I miss the comfort of getting into my own car, going directly where I want to go, with the heater on and listening to the music I want to hear. But mostly I enjoy the fact that I don't have to deal with a car, maybe it's because I'm used to crappy cars that aren't that comfortable to drive, that worry me they will break down, overheat or have some kind of problem or another. I enjoy traveling with the masses, people watching, doing my part for the environment (kind of, the buses here are pretty big polluters). I feel proud that I can navigate the subway system and find the bus I need from a Chinese sign. I like riding my bike and being in the open air so that I can take in everything I am seeing. Not to mention, it's a hell of a lot cheaper than having my own car! So I've joined the rat race of public transport in Shanghai. No matter where you are, there are people fighting to get somewhere, so it's useless to have road rage. I just float along doing my best to avoid any accidents and to enjoy my journey.
xoxo Lolo in China