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Metro stations, motorcycles and madness
By Ellen Jia |
July 14, 2010, Wednesday
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Print Edition
Print Edition
MOTORCYCLES touting for passengers outside the Jinjiang Amusement Park Station on Metro Line 1 are causing problems for police and other road users, often blocking roads as they fight for customers.
The situation was highlighted on a local Internet forum recently and when Shanghai Daily visited the station last night there were more than 20 motorcycles waiting for customers. When commuters left the station the riders would gesture to them, revving up their engines and making a dreadful din.
An office worker surnamed Yang who lives 3 kilometers from the station, said he sometimes took motorcycles as they were convenient and fast, especially at night when there was often more than 15 minutes between buses.
But he admitted he was taking a risk with the motorcyclists running red lights and speeding.
A taxi can cost significantly more than the 5 yuan (US$0.74) motorcycle as they have to take a much longer route. Motorcycles will often drive the wrong way down the street and take shortcuts impossible for a taxi.
A lack of bus services to neighborhoods to the south of the Metro station meant people were faced with a choice of a 20-minute walk or taking a motorcycle.
An official with the city's traffic law enforcement team said they only cracked down on black cabs for their illegal operation. But the official, Xu, said motorcycles didn't come under their jurisdiction.
In addition, traffic police could only punish improper parking, and the motorcycles would drive off when the police were spotted, only to return 10 minutes later, Xu said.
Last November, a woman in her 20s died when the motorcycle taking her to her office was hit by a truck near the Songhong Road Station on Line 2, also a favorite gathering place for motorcycles.
The situation was highlighted on a local Internet forum recently and when Shanghai Daily visited the station last night there were more than 20 motorcycles waiting for customers. When commuters left the station the riders would gesture to them, revving up their engines and making a dreadful din.
An office worker surnamed Yang who lives 3 kilometers from the station, said he sometimes took motorcycles as they were convenient and fast, especially at night when there was often more than 15 minutes between buses.
But he admitted he was taking a risk with the motorcyclists running red lights and speeding.
A taxi can cost significantly more than the 5 yuan (US$0.74) motorcycle as they have to take a much longer route. Motorcycles will often drive the wrong way down the street and take shortcuts impossible for a taxi.
A lack of bus services to neighborhoods to the south of the Metro station meant people were faced with a choice of a 20-minute walk or taking a motorcycle.
An official with the city's traffic law enforcement team said they only cracked down on black cabs for their illegal operation. But the official, Xu, said motorcycles didn't come under their jurisdiction.
In addition, traffic police could only punish improper parking, and the motorcycles would drive off when the police were spotted, only to return 10 minutes later, Xu said.
Last November, a woman in her 20s died when the motorcycle taking her to her office was hit by a truck near the Songhong Road Station on Line 2, also a favorite gathering place for motorcycles.
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