How cars see us

[euphonius]

TD, you are right. It's accepted practice here in China that vehicles entering the flow of traffic do not look, but simply enter, thus conferring to the flow of traffic the responsibility of yielding. Again, we see this endlessly every day. Driving in the flow of traffic, you will never make eye contact with these drivers who are turning into your late because they don't even bother to look. This may seem unbelievable to those outside of China, but it's a fact of life we deal with every day, at every intersection.

And the bigger the vehicle entering the main flow of traffic, the less likely the driver is to look.

All the more reason to limit our urban riding as much as possible. Take public transit. Bicycle. Walk. And leave your urban riding to only that stretch that will get you out of town, which in the case of us here in Shanghai is a couple of hours of the stuff TD and I have just described.

You must inure yourself to it, and live, or you'll die of high blood pressure and unsuppressed outrage.

Oh, and these vests help too. Bought them in 牛庄路 for 25 kuai each! On the back they say 警察 (police).

[td_ref]

i agree the way they enter the main flow makes the road use less efficient, and at times we lose concentration a little or too fast to break for them cause an inevitable accident
There is junction at a busy main road near my work place, my co-worker told me use to have no traffic light, and he see 1 bad accident everyday---as main flow speed could hit 80kmh plus. Things changed after traffic light installed. Another case is traffic light broken (or disable for road re-construction), it's not rare to see total chaos or side impact of two cars to scrap metal.
People get use to traffic lights also complain dangerous intersection at less developed rural area, where they must drive more caution (tiring) at crossing intersection.
Chinese way of driving is not better and questionable. Slow down when approaching any intersection, my little advice.
TD

[slabo]

Forgot to include the original youtube link, added to first post now. here also .. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eqQBubilSXU

[ZMC888]

My method is: If the car moves forward and stops, or carries on, go around the back of him and be ready for the maneuver by slowing down, and be ready to use the intersection behind him in extreme cases, only if the car stays totally still do you pass his front side, but do this on the other side of the road, if it is clear, to put the maximum distance between him and you. It sounds arrogant but the hard fought defensive riding training we have had in China, especially once you have over 20,000 kms experience, puts us at the level of defensive riding gurus in our home countries. Once a month situations in the UK for example happen many times a day here.

On a note about vehicles, I saw a hummer the other day. I noted that the driver was extremely aggressive, in short he'd bought it specifically to bully the rest of the traffic with. Only allowed one child in China, but you are allowed a hummer? Seems kinda odd to me!

[Nuhaus]

My method is: If the car moves forward and stops, or carries on, go around the back of him and be ready for the maneuver by slowing down, and be ready to use the intersection behind him in extreme cases,

I'm always too worried about the next guy coming through the intersection to try going behind him.

Euphonius, where on 牛庄路 did find the vests? I was looking at some in a shop on Jiaoji Lu yesterday and they wanted a couple hundred for one with a HD logo.

[euphonius]

Euphonius, where on 牛庄路 did find the vests? I was looking at some in a shop on Jiaoji Lu yesterday and they wanted a couple hundred for one with a HD logo.

Hey, Nuhaus. I can't remember the exact place, and it's not something one might easily find. I am riding over to the bund later this afternoon and will cycle through Niuzhuang Lu, so I'll see if I can spot the place and note the address.

I bought three vests last time -- the others went to ryanjpyle and motokai -- but it seems i should have bought more!

Whenever someone asks about the police vest, and often this is a police officer, I just say, "A cop friend in Shanghai gave it to me, said it would help me be safe..." Never been told not to wear it. (Try that in the US or Europe and you'd be strung up for impersonating a LEO!)

cheers

[humanbeing]

...where on 牛庄路 did find the vests...

Laowai tax isn't fun . Search 反光背心 to ur favourite (Basic: Street sweeper wearing <Y10 / fancier: Y100+ http://s8.taobao.com/search?q=%B7%B4...sort=price-asc ).

[ZMC888]

I'm always too worried about the next guy coming through the intersection to try going behind him.

This is purely an escape route, although it is much safer to aim for where a car was, than where it will/may go.

[euphonius]

Laowai tax isn't fun .

This is what I'm talkin' about! Only 18 kuai!

[Barry]

I hope you didn't forget to buy a set of these as well Euphonius.



Here you go!