Traffic

This sign is everywhere and the Chinese must believe it means, “Do not play a bugle here.”  The car horn is used more than the brakes, gas pedal, and gears.  The noise pollution is incredible.  We now understand that two horn sounds indicate someone is behind us.  A longer sound of the horn means we must move (usually from the sidewalk) to let someone pass.  One long, sustained, never-ending horn means, “Move out of my way I’m coming through no matter what”.

Traffic is crazy and no one obeys traffic rules.  Amazingly, we have seen very few accidents.  The disorder flows with a type of grace.  I would never drive a vehicle here nor ride a bike.  

Rick waits for the next bus.

The intersections are hilarious.  E-bikes and motorcycles line up to cross then sprint through the traffic seconds before the light changes.

E-bikes use the sidewalks when that is more convenient for them.  They simply honk for pedestrians to move out of the way.  We have been walking on the sidewalk when we here a serious horn and turn to see a car directing us to move out of the way.  What were we thinking!!

Rick stands near a classic example of the Chinese family van.

This is another common vehicle.

I like this version of the family car.

Countless little “trucks” fill the streets with unique loads of the unimaginable.

Thankfully, you can’t hear the honking horns that accompany this photo.

Pedestrians are at the bottom of the traffic totem pole.  Buses are really our safest choice.  I should snap traffic congestion photos from the bus but I am usually gripping the interior bars in white-knuckles fashion and dare not release a finger for fear I’ll sail across the aisle as the driver honks wildly while speeding through an intersection where the light has just turned red.

Ahh, we see a moment of light traffic.  This is a rarity.