How to survive biking/ traffic in China

     China’s cities can be fascinating, culturally stimulating and very exciting. They are a city lover’s dream (especially Shanghai), but most of all they are BUSY! With a population of close to 20 million people living in Shanghai alone, the term rush hour takes on a whole different meaning.  There are many ways to get around the city from taxi, tuck tucks, busses and subways but I find my favourite is cycling. Now I know your probably thinking that riding your bike in China, probably not the safest idea. Well your right, it’s not safe it’s actually terrifying! That is why I am going to give you some helpful tips on how to survive Shanghai Traffic on your bike. Follow these rules and your sure to arrive at your destination alive… you just might encounter a couple of bruises along the way.

Rule # 1) There are no rules: Forget everything you’ve learned in drivers ED, bike safety or even that safety village school we all went to when we were kids; rules of the road do not apply in China (especially for pedestrians)!

Rule# 2) Get yourself a bike with good breaks:  your breaks are the most important thing you have, without them you will die… DIE!!!

Rule# 3) Watch out for pedestrians:  people walk in massive clumps just about everywhere and have no regard for their surroundings (much like any type of vehicle on the road) so keep an eye out for that random person who will walk right in front of you without a second glance.

Rule #4) Get a bell or air horn on your bike: It is a valuable thing to let other cyclists, motorists, mopedists, pedestrians and cars know that you are there. If you can’t afford or find a bell then you can always bust up your bike a little so it makes a clanking noise when you ride (that’s what happened to me J)

Rule #5) Practice your agility: Do some pregame agility training before you hit the streets, it will keep your mind fresh and enable you to ride quick and nimbly on the road, dodging whatever comes your way.  

Rule # 6) Stay Alert Stay Alive!: probably the most important rule of them all. Keep your eyes out for anything (and I mean anything); always drive defensively but don’t be afraid! Panicking is the leading cause of bike accidents because guess what… when you panic you dont think and if you don't think you will not be able to dodge the massive  spill of plastic water bottle from the truck in front of you.

Keep these 6 simple rules in mind when biking the streets of China and you will survive, ignore them and well you may end up like this guy....

This could be you...