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Published: October 5th 2006
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bikes galore
Bikes, bikes everywhere. The National Holiday Happy birthday, China! This week is the celebration of National Day. Everyone is on vacation. Of course, the buses still run, the stores are having sales, the telephones still work, etc. For this week’s national holiday, forty one million train tickets were sold and two hundred extra trains were put on the tracks. That was just for last Sunday, the first official day of the week off. The number of people and the logistics are phenomenal. As you can see, if you are planning on traveling in China during any holiday, buy your tickets way in advance. The next holiday is the Chinese New Year; we all get a month off. “We all” means the whole country. By the way, whatever you do, bring ear plugs. China is loud. Although I’ve been told that Nanjing is quiet by comparison.
Highway Hierarchy Most of the noise is from honking horns. I mentioned earlier the hierarchy of the highways. As you probably can guess, the larger the vehicle, the more right of way. The big, comfortable, commuter, air-conditioned busses honk their horns almost continuously both on the highways and in the city. Everyone moves out of their
busses and bikes
Everyone is in the street, bikes, busses, cars, etc. way. The big, uncomfortable, commuter busses are next. They aren’t air-conditioned, so keep the windows open. Some of the drivers honk continuously, especially on the highways.
I didn’t forget the trucks. Large tractor trailers aren’t allowed in the city limits. On my way to the suburban campus to teach, I see the large trucks unloading at truck depots. Smaller van trucks take the goods into the city. I like that idea. Have you ever driven in Atlanta early in the morning when all the tractor trailers are on the highways? It’s scary!
After commuter busses come the city busses, then large cars, taxis, motorcycles and motor scooters, electric bicycles and then regular bicycles. Finally, the pedestrians. So, as I mentioned earlier, crossing the street is a major challenge.
No one wants to hit you, so forge ahead and don’t change direction or stop. In the middle of the road on the crosswalks, there is a yellow box that’s a pedestrian safety zone. I speed walk from sidewalk to zone to sidewalk. Usually, I find someone who’s crossing and walk with them. They are used to the zooming vehicles.
I’m talking a lot of B vitamins to
Number 3 bus
I took this bus in a circle to get a tour of the city calm my nerves. I still jump when the bus driver sounds his horn—it’s not just a toot, it’s a blast. The electric scooters and bikes are quiet, so I try to stay alert and not daydream. I found some paths through the campus that are for pedestrians only. I think that most of the Chinese in my generation feel challenged by the traffic. But, to be truthful, I love it. I feel like I’m in the middle of a changing nation and a changing city. It’s exhilarating.
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Taina
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NYC's Chinatown is like that! No one pays attention to street lights, and I've seen at LEAST 3 or 4 accidents on Canal Street alone. I can't imagine what China's traffic would be like, since Chinatown's is terrible! Stay alert and safe!