June 2010: Ningbo-QianDaoHu-AnHui return

Despite the threat of rain, 6 riders and 2 pillions decided we'd saddle up and hit the road for the short 3 day June 2010 break.
We left Monday 14 June 2010. 6 bikes; 1 Harley Davidson V-Rod, 1 Yamaha Roadstar 1300, 4 Yamaha Dragstar Classic 1100's complete with 6 riders and 2 pillions. The guys left Ningbo, early Monday morning with me leaving several hours behind due to other commitments. The route taken was via Ningbo to Xikou towards Xincheng with a right turn taken midway before Xincheng that passes through a mountain and a 20 year old dark tunnel then out into the steps of Shenzhou before turning south towards Yiwu. Before YiWu at a small highway town called WeiShan I turned right to ride around the Northern fringe of Yiwu and the commodities zone. This is much less chaotic than riding through Yiwu proper (which I personally detest). Around the back of Donyang and Pujian before in through the mountain ranges that divides Pujian from QianDaoHu/TongLu etc. Great ride though from YiWu, PuJian onwards we hit rain which is where I rendezvoused with the guys before heading west in through the great mountain divide which even in the wet is a great ride. We rode into JianDe where we stayed the night in a hotel facing the river where Nongfu Spring water is bottled. JianDe is also where the first major Chinese self designed and built hydroelectric dam is located up river. That night it was a frantic use of the heat and aircon to dry out wet riding gear, boots and the like. Day 2 my boots were still a little damp, no worries, wrap the socks on my feet with a couple of plastic shopping bags, and we're good to go. It was a fine & a hot day, and the guys just had to go wash their bikes at a local car wash before we set out.

We rode via a south-west route around the southern fringes of QianDaoHu over into AnHui to a small city called SheXian close to HuangShan, where we stayed the night in a small hotel/motel that fronted onto a wide street carnival full of kids rides (rollercoaster, merry-go-round) as well as loads of street food stalls. Unfortunately the classic castle looking large 4 star hotel located on the SheXian hill across the towns river was fully booked, although they did offer me a room, but had none available for any of the other guys! After devanning our gear from the bikes and tidying a little -I had to shower to get all the grime, dust, dirt and days sweat off, before we went with the small hotel owners daughter to a local carwash that opened just for us, to once again wash our filthy mud soaked bikes. Professional set-up with all the wash gear and even blow drying equipment which saw our bikes look all bling, before riding back into the town for dinner on the carnival street in front of the hotel.

Day 3, the final day was an early 6am start which saw us ride from SheXian to QianDaoHu via the northern route. Unfortunately despite a great couple hours of riding, around 1000am the Roadstar 1300cc came to grief, hitting or rather being hit by an electric 3 wheeled tricycle (with canopy) on a straight stretch of wide good quality road with very little traffic. An elderly man and his daughter hooked a left turn into a sweeping acute left turn as we were proceeding straight ahead on the main section of road. This took out the Roadstar as I watched from vantage point as the "tail-end charley" luckily it was a low speed impact, with the Roadstar, rider and pillion spinning a short distance and the tricycle falling onto its left side with the woman being thrown clear and for all intensive purposes uninjured. Meanwhile the elderly man was trapped (as appearances go) under the overturned trike.

Checking on injuries and damage -all got off lightly really. The Roadstar rider and pillion suffered a few superficial abrasions, as did the elderly trike rider/driver. The Roadstar had bent crashbars which needed removing, a small hole up near a top mount in the radiator which needed subsequent plugging which we did some 30km further on with some AB epoxy resin/putty. The crash bars having been removed were thrown to the roadside, and basically only the two left indicators had snapped from the mount stalks, which we used some tape to repair. I was surprised out how little damage there was to be frank. Ofcourse the guys had to negotiate the damage settlement with the elderly trike rider, and after CNY5000 was asked for that slowly came down to CNY1500, which was given to the elderly man and his daughter. As most of us who have been here know the rules are f^cked. The pecking order goes, pedestrian> bicycle> ebike> motorscooter> motorcycle> other motor vehicles.

So if one higher up the pecking order "food chain" hits one lower down no matter who may have been at fault it's usually the one higher up the chain fault, especially with pedestrians, bicycles and electric bikes... As in this case, it really was the trike riders fault, he was on the right side of the road and turned left cutting across the lane/road (though he didn't get far) so he could take the side road to the left. Normally common-sense suggests that one would indicate, move to the centre of the road, though there was no centre line and then make the turn when there are no on-coming vehicles and when safe to do so. Not so in China, firstly there is no such thing as common sense, therefore the rest doesn't apply.

Anyway once we got the Roadstar crash bars off we rode on for another 30km or so, before stopping at a nice restaurant hotel on the western side of QianDaoHu. It's here where we waited for the Harley V-Rod rider to continue on ahead and find some AB epoxy to fix the small hole in the top of the Roadstars radiator. After waiting an hour we decided to have lunch here, and got given a tour of what was obviously a new hotel. They'd a great wooden deck that overhung the rear of the property and overlooked a small bay with some small long-tail boats. It was bloody hot and I was completely saturated in sweat. I ride with all the protective gear, while the others wore much less.

After the V-Rod rider returned and applied the AB epoxy and having lunch we rode around QianDaoHu and back into the fringes of JianDe. then crossed east into SanDu and took an old winding mountain route not well used now because of the new passes and tunnels built between TongLu - DongYang. Then is was east across to Weishan via a back country road route onto the main county highway then north to Shenzhou - Xikou -Ningbo.

This whole route took in some great roads that were fairly deserted. On day two around Anhui on a 40km stretched that was being reconstructed that best suited a trail or dual-purpose bike we came across about 2 dozen or so BMW GS's and a few others in staggered groups that were being tailed and supported by a large Cadillac SUV. Much later and some several hours behind I met a BMW 1150GS rider from Shanghai by the name of 'Garfield' who used to work for Harley Davidson Shanghai and then later Wenzhou.

Photos below...

If I'd been riding the Roadstar the idiot three wheeler driver would have got NOTHING! I consistently stick to the 'it was your fault so you get nothing' argument, then leave!

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Originally Posted by ZMC888

If I'd been riding the Roadstar the idiot three wheeler driver would have got NOTHING! I consistently stick to the 'it was your fault so you get nothing' argument, then leave!

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I agree, and I for one was fairly vocal to a point, without wanting to make a big enough scene out of it (no need to add the Laowai into the mix).

The problem that we faced was that the Roadstar couldn't be ridden after being picked up off the tarmac. -Under the steering head of the Roadstar is a neat little flange which lines up with another tab/flange bracket when the handle bars are turned to the right, which allows one to padlock the steering head, effectively a second form of steering lock. The engine bar top mounting bracket had been yanked from its position and ended up butted-up against this steering lock flange, meaning the bike handlebars couldn't turn to the right. teh bike could steer straight or left but not turn right. We had to remove the crash-bars so that the bike could steer and henstly removing the bars was a task in itself, not made any easier by doing so in high temperatures with the humidity. I was sweating bucket loads as it was. Otherwise my policy is a fair amount of verbal diarrhoea then ride off... not so in this instance. Also by all accounts the Roadstar rider didn't ride defensively enough as the trike was initiating the turn moments before impact and was predictable. This part of the manoeuvre was obscured by the following rider between me and the Roadstar, so I didn't see that part and I was a good 100m behind, so while I saw the impact and the resultant spin and slide of all involved I couldn't quite see the critical seconds before impact. The other rider directly behind has been riding like 40+ years (Vietnamese/American) and he said he could see the situation unfold, as described.

The rest of the riders are your average Chinese riders who've not had a lot of big bike time in the saddle... so to speak. Consequently the accident/crash was somewhat predicable and even avoidable by both parties... had the Roadstar rider a little more foresight it's likely he would have predicted what the trike rider was going/attempting to do. Three motorcycles had already passed that spot and there was only around 50-100m separation between bikes.

Ahh, I see.. avoidable...still if people in the wrong get pay outs it just continues this Chinese theory that if you are poor and in an accident this must be the day you win 'lotto'. The same is true with wealthy imported car bullies who believe that because their car is expensive they must be compensated for the cost of the damage, thereby financially crippling anyone they collide with.
This all has a lot to do with the poor state of Chinese driving, near suicidal farmers and hyper-fast black cars that pull out on you and cut you off, all believing the legal system is on their side. If they could understand the road rules better, and that they won't get a dime if they are at fault, taking comfort in having followed the actual road rules is the way to be paid out in an accident, we'd all be safer.

A big mental problem here is the theory that 'everyone else does it, so it's OK for me to do it too', however in court it is just the same as saying 'I plead guilty'.

Good report mate, no pics though!
With the 'accident', it seems driving all over the world is getting worse, not just in China! I have had a few incidents in recent weeks in rural Australia. Yesterday I was in patchy daytime fog, with lights on and luckily (carefully) only doing 85kph. I came over a hill brow and found a car reversing towards me in the middle of the road and veering as so many do when they reverse so I couldn't safely decide whether to go left or right! Fortunately the brakes worked and I stopped just short of a prang. The car driver just looked ahead and ignored me as I asked what the F*** he thought he was doing! I am getting too old to fight everyone so I just yelled at him some more and continued on. A few km later he overtook me, passing so close I wobbled in the wind. Then twenty minutes later in town an idiot just pulled out from parked in front of me but on the other side of the road, crossing over the middle of the road a few feet as he did it, causing me to swerve and curse. He actually stopped and wound down his window and said he was going to report me for swearing in public. I swore some more at him but decided not to spit in his face or punch him ... I am still awaiting a visit from the cops! I am so glad I don't live in the USA, I would shoot someone I think. No CCTV or witnesses on rural roads ...

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Originally Posted by jape

He actually stopped and wound down his window and said he was going to report me for swearing in public.

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AHHHAHAHAHAAAA!!! Sorry could not help it but it was all too hilarious to think about being charged for swearing in public xD Are you sure there are such kind of laws? Good you didn't do anything to him. It pays off to not take agressive actions.

Thanks of the report Bikerdoc, was interesting to read. I think the pecking order can make some sense in China. It could be much worse for pedestrians and two wheelers if it would be the opposite way. Imagine how much those who drive cages there would care if they would not have to pay but get paid.

Dear Bikerdoc,

I'm guessing that some of the bikes you saw, and the Cadillac as well, can be seen in one of these two threads...

http://www.motorfans.com.cn/bbs/t_596008_2.htm
http://motorcycle.sh.cn/t_596008.htm

As it happens Ryan and I did make it out to Huangshan for this somewhat ridiculous event. I'll be posting soon...

cheers

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Originally Posted by jape

Good report mate, no pics though!
With the 'accident', it seems driving all over the world is getting worse, not just in China! I have had a few incidents in recent weeks in rural Australia. Yesterday I was in patchy daytime fog, with lights on and luckily (carefully) only doing 85kph. I came over a hill brow and found a car reversing towards me in the middle of the road and veering as so many do when they reverse so I couldn't safely decide whether to go left or right! Fortunately the brakes worked and I stopped just short of a prang. The car driver just looked ahead and ignored me as I asked what the F*** he thought he was doing! I am getting too old to fight everyone so I just yelled at him some more and continued on. A few km later he overtook me, passing so close I wobbled in the wind. Then twenty minutes later in town an idiot just pulled out from parked in front of me but on the other side of the road, crossing over the middle of the road a few feet as he did it, causing me to swerve and curse. He actually stopped and wound down his window and said he was going to report me for swearing in public. I swore some more at him but decided not to spit in his face or punch him ... I am still awaiting a visit from the cops! I am so glad I don't live in the USA, I would shoot someone I think. No CCTV or witnesses on rural roads ...

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Glad you liked and appreciated my report. Pics will be uploaded later this coming week. Riding motorcycles can and does feel like a second class road user at times, especially in China. Here there's several discriminatory practices, from bans from using expressways or having that as an option, and motorcyclists being banned in many cities, and then having other drivers drive aggressively pushing their way through when overtaking on the motorcyclists lane forcing riders to take evasive action.

Attachment 1867
Jiande end of Day 1. Wang Jiang Hotel with room over looking river. Awesome view, with lounge deck chairs and outdoor table, with well appointed facilities (PC with internet, mini-bar, safe), glass enclosed shower & rmb300/nt or rmb230 for internal room with no river view. I've stayed here many times, though there are many hotel options in Jiande.

Attachment 1866
Day 1 & Overnight stay in Jiande city. Jiande has the first Chinese designed and self built hydro-electric power station. This is the river used for the Nongfu Spring bottled water, which is highly regarded in Zhejiang province and sold in China. Jiande is a small city, which has the river at its heart, several national parks and a stone forest, and is my preference for staying just out of QianDaoHu. Jiande is located 150-200km south of Hangzhou and 100km west through mountain ranges of Yiwu. Jiande is 40km south of a slightly bigger more bustling city named TongLu, which is chaotic, busy and noisy.

Attachment 1864
Day 2 ride in morning to the south of QianDaoHu, short refreshment stop after having ridden through substantial road/earth works. Hot riding that particular day.

Attachment 1865
Day 3, 50km stretch of roadworks. This photo taken in a good section where the road base is ready for the top layers of bitumen etc. Most of the road was not like this! We'd tried to get onto the expressway at the beginning of this road but were refused even after speaking by phone with the expressway "boss" so onto the 50km of bone shaking track it was. Bonus was not much traffic on this road at all.