Home » Opinion » Chinese Views
City traffic is hell on wheels and pedestrians are in danger
By Yang Guang |
April 6, 2011, Wednesday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
EDITOR,
THE streets in Shanghai were not meant for cars.
Many car repair and service dealerships are located on parts of a street that has no driveway for car access. A car entering uses the sidewalk meant for pedestrian traffic only.
This is common in most parts of Shanghai. The car driver has no concern for the pedestrians or a person in a wheel chair. Cars clutter the sidewalks every business day of a week in Shanghai.
I know from speaking with a traffic source that there are many unlicensed drivers and uninsured drivers in Shanghai and its area. You can drive illegally and not worry, because the fine is minor.
Many are not educated enough to handle a car. They got their license through the black market or obtained it in some other illegal way.
Drivers tend to speed drive in Shanghai. Whenever they get a chance to go fast, they cut into lanes rudely without giving signals at all.
They run red lights, then horn, they yell, they point a finger at whoever blocks their illegal way of driving. They talk too much on cell phones while driving and eat too often while driving.
Traffic here is in very bad at the best of times. A car seldom yields to pedestrians even if the latter have the right of way.
In many cases, a Shanghai driver never cares about running you over.
Who has the right of way?
This is a big concern for anyone who walks to work or walks anywhere in Shanghai.
Motorcycles and bikes in Shanghai have their own problems. They hardly stop at red lights, they cut lines and violate traffic rules and they are worse than cars.
Such a triangular traffic mess made of cars, mopeds and bikes tells a story of bad road culture in Shanghai. Together they make life harder and harder for any rule-abiding pedestrian.
Cars sales do boost the economy, but in the long run, they pollute the air you breathe to live.
I love Shanghai, but when cars fly everywhere in your face, it makes a city like Shanghai less attractive.
THE streets in Shanghai were not meant for cars.
Many car repair and service dealerships are located on parts of a street that has no driveway for car access. A car entering uses the sidewalk meant for pedestrian traffic only.
This is common in most parts of Shanghai. The car driver has no concern for the pedestrians or a person in a wheel chair. Cars clutter the sidewalks every business day of a week in Shanghai.
I know from speaking with a traffic source that there are many unlicensed drivers and uninsured drivers in Shanghai and its area. You can drive illegally and not worry, because the fine is minor.
Many are not educated enough to handle a car. They got their license through the black market or obtained it in some other illegal way.
Drivers tend to speed drive in Shanghai. Whenever they get a chance to go fast, they cut into lanes rudely without giving signals at all.
They run red lights, then horn, they yell, they point a finger at whoever blocks their illegal way of driving. They talk too much on cell phones while driving and eat too often while driving.
Traffic here is in very bad at the best of times. A car seldom yields to pedestrians even if the latter have the right of way.
In many cases, a Shanghai driver never cares about running you over.
Who has the right of way?
This is a big concern for anyone who walks to work or walks anywhere in Shanghai.
Motorcycles and bikes in Shanghai have their own problems. They hardly stop at red lights, they cut lines and violate traffic rules and they are worse than cars.
Such a triangular traffic mess made of cars, mopeds and bikes tells a story of bad road culture in Shanghai. Together they make life harder and harder for any rule-abiding pedestrian.
Cars sales do boost the economy, but in the long run, they pollute the air you breathe to live.
I love Shanghai, but when cars fly everywhere in your face, it makes a city like Shanghai less attractive.
- About Us
- |
- Terms of Use
- |
-
RSS - |
- Privacy Policy
- |
- Contact Us
- |
- Shanghai Call Center: 962288
- |
- Tip-off hotline: 52920043
- 沪ICP证：沪ICP备05050403号-1
- |
- 互联网新闻信息服务许可证：31120180004
- |
- 网络视听许可证：0909346
- |
- 广播电视节目制作许可证：沪字第354号
- |
- 增值电信业务经营许可证：沪B2-20120012
Copyright © 1999- Shanghai Daily. All rights reserved.Preferably viewed with Internet Explorer 8 or newer browsers.
