Local Shanghai Experience
February 2, 2010
I promised you a local Shanghai experience and sadly, I haven't been able to get it on video (at least not as good of a demonstration of that experience that we've actually had!!)
So, the one thing you really need to get used to when coming to Shanghai is the driving. We've been taking a taxi to/from the office every day and also back to the hotel from Julie & Ken's house at night. On the weekend Julie & Ken's driver has taken us around to do shopping, etc. The ride is certainly memorable!!
Pedestrians get hit by cars REGULARLY here! The cars/drivers don't care! Mopeds and bicycles drive the wrong way down the wrong side of the road - coming straight at you. Many mopeds (which is a primary form of transport here) don't even have headlights (or they just don't work) so you can't see them coming.
Oh yea, add to that - most people wear dark coats ... so at night, you can't see them either!
I'll have to figure out how to post a video - it's not nearly as exciting as a few of the rides we've taken (sadly, the one day I videoed our taxi ride ... it was raining, so not as many mopeds, not as many pedestrians, and not as many cars.)
As you are watching - we will be making a right hand turn (on a red light - note we do not stop ... we just merge into the oncoming traffic). But keep an eye on the silver van which is turning left onto the road we are turning off of (so they are basically coming toward us). There is traffic driving on the left side of the van AND the right side of the van. They are RIGHT in the MIDDLE of the road ... not in their lane - in the MIDDLE of the road - and people just drive around them like it's no big deal!!!
Then at the very end, you can see how we cut in front of a bus ... it was literally FIVE FEET from my door -- and not slowing down!!
So, the one thing you really need to get used to when coming to Shanghai is the driving. We've been taking a taxi to/from the office every day and also back to the hotel from Julie & Ken's house at night. On the weekend Julie & Ken's driver has taken us around to do shopping, etc. The ride is certainly memorable!!
- Lanes here -- they're just a suggestion.
- The side of the road you drive on -- yea, that's a suggestion too.
- Cars just park in the right lane. So, you'll have a travel lane -- and there's just a parked car there. So, other cars have to go around.
- If there is two feet between you and the car ahead of you -- someone will merge in.
- They DO obey the red lights ... well, unless they're turning right - then they just go without stopping.
- They swerve in and out of lanes, just to get ahead of one car.
- People in crosswalks: great moving targets.
- Mopeds: easier targets (they're bigger)
- They turn left - even if there is traffic coming. They'll stop, right??
Pedestrians get hit by cars REGULARLY here! The cars/drivers don't care! Mopeds and bicycles drive the wrong way down the wrong side of the road - coming straight at you. Many mopeds (which is a primary form of transport here) don't even have headlights (or they just don't work) so you can't see them coming.
Oh yea, add to that - most people wear dark coats ... so at night, you can't see them either!
I'll have to figure out how to post a video - it's not nearly as exciting as a few of the rides we've taken (sadly, the one day I videoed our taxi ride ... it was raining, so not as many mopeds, not as many pedestrians, and not as many cars.)
As you are watching - we will be making a right hand turn (on a red light - note we do not stop ... we just merge into the oncoming traffic). But keep an eye on the silver van which is turning left onto the road we are turning off of (so they are basically coming toward us). There is traffic driving on the left side of the van AND the right side of the van. They are RIGHT in the MIDDLE of the road ... not in their lane - in the MIDDLE of the road - and people just drive around them like it's no big deal!!!
Then at the very end, you can see how we cut in front of a bus ... it was literally FIVE FEET from my door -- and not slowing down!!
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