Comments on: How to: Ride a bike in Tianjin (Part 1) http://chinahopelive.net/2008/09/09/how-to-ride-a-bike-in-tianjin-part-1 A cross-cultural adventure with the personal side of China. Thu, 09 Feb 2012 23:35:42 +0000 hourly 1 By: How to: Ride a Bike in China (Part 2) | China Hope Live http://chinahopelive.net/2008/09/09/how-to-ride-a-bike-in-tianjin-part-1/comment-page-1#comment-9448 How to: Ride a Bike in China (Part 2) | China Hope Live Tue, 08 Dec 2009 07:31:50 +0000 http://chinahopelive.net/2008/09/09/how-to-ride-a-bike-in-tianjin-part-1#comment-9448 [...] expat magazines this month. It includes some of the bike ownership and safety stuff from Part 1, but also includes new photos and stuff about how Tianjin traffic works, which vehicles to [...] [...] expat magazines this month. It includes some of the bike ownership and safety stuff from Part 1, but also includes new photos and stuff about how Tianjin traffic works, which vehicles to [...]

]]> By: Joel http://chinahopelive.net/2008/09/09/how-to-ride-a-bike-in-tianjin-part-1/comment-page-1#comment-3267 Joel Mon, 22 Sep 2008 10:51:06 +0000 http://chinahopelive.net/2008/09/09/how-to-ride-a-bike-in-tianjin-part-1#comment-3267 Picking someone to follow really works. That's how I learned when and how to step into traffic and make the cars stop, and how to take advantage of other people doing so. It's really a big game of knowing when to get out of the way and when to get <em>in</em> the way. Picking someone to follow really works. That’s how I learned when and how to step into traffic and make the cars stop, and how to take advantage of other people doing so. It’s really a big game of knowing when to get out of the way and when to get in the way.

]]> By: Q http://chinahopelive.net/2008/09/09/how-to-ride-a-bike-in-tianjin-part-1/comment-page-1#comment-3266 Q Mon, 22 Sep 2008 10:16:09 +0000 http://chinahopelive.net/2008/09/09/how-to-ride-a-bike-in-tianjin-part-1#comment-3266 haha! I used to wait 'til there were others trying to cross the street. BEST was following behind little kids and old people! haha! I used to wait ’til there were others trying to cross the street. BEST was following behind little kids and old people!

]]> By: Joel http://chinahopelive.net/2008/09/09/how-to-ride-a-bike-in-tianjin-part-1/comment-page-1#comment-3256 Joel Sun, 21 Sep 2008 09:27:24 +0000 http://chinahopelive.net/2008/09/09/how-to-ride-a-bike-in-tianjin-part-1#comment-3256 Yeah, I've seen that a couple times, when people stay laying in the road to draw a crowd (2nd paragraph under "[D] Accidents."). We had a Swiss doctor friend who didn't know about staying down on the road, and the taxi driver that almost hit him and his kids <a href="http://chinahopelive.net/2007/07/08/the-rules-arguing-after-a-traffic-accident" target="http://chinahopelive.net/2007/07/08/the-rules-arguing-after-a-traffic-accident" rel="nofollow">got away.</a> Speaking of reliving those first impressions of Chinese traffic:<blockquote>...legions of old squeaky bikes, most of which are black and have no reflectors. Then, widen the roads and intersections while narrowing the field of vision for which taxi and bus drivers feel responsible, reduce the North American-sized personal space bubble to the area occupied by the clothes you’re wearing, and take note that honking the horn apparently absolves the driver of responsibility for all those within earshot. That’s Tianjin traffic as we understand it at the moment (I’m hoping we improve on that; I’d like to live long enough to learn Mandarin). We’ve also noticed that it’s actually safer to cross about one minute before your light turns green, rather than waiting for the signal - don’t ask me why.</blockquote> That's from March 2007: <a href="http://chinahopelive.net/2007/03/03/stayin%E2%80%99-alive-part-2-learning-to-cross-the-street" target="http://chinahopelive.net/2007/03/03/stayin%E2%80%99-alive-part-2-learning-to-cross-the-street" rel="nofollow">Stayin’ Alive Part 2: Learning to cross the street</a> Yeah, I’ve seen that a couple times, when people stay laying in the road to draw a crowd (2nd paragraph under “[D] Accidents.”). We had a Swiss doctor friend who didn’t know about staying down on the road, and the taxi driver that almost hit him and his kids got away.

Speaking of reliving those first impressions of Chinese traffic:

…legions of old squeaky bikes, most of which are black and have no reflectors. Then, widen the roads and intersections while narrowing the field of vision for which taxi and bus drivers feel responsible, reduce the North American-sized personal space bubble to the area occupied by the clothes you’re wearing, and take note that honking the horn apparently absolves the driver of responsibility for all those within earshot. That’s Tianjin traffic as we understand it at the moment (I’m hoping we improve on that; I’d like to live long enough to learn Mandarin). We’ve also noticed that it’s actually safer to cross about one minute before your light turns green, rather than waiting for the signal – don’t ask me why.

That’s from March 2007: Stayin’ Alive Part 2: Learning to cross the street

]]> By: Q http://chinahopelive.net/2008/09/09/how-to-ride-a-bike-in-tianjin-part-1/comment-page-1#comment-3254 Q Sun, 21 Sep 2008 06:16:24 +0000 http://chinahopelive.net/2008/09/09/how-to-ride-a-bike-in-tianjin-part-1#comment-3254 哇！what a delightful post! You've pretty much described the situation down in Sichuan as well! True, at least for Chengdu. There isn't much of a crowd to follow, here in the smaller towns) you've helped me relive my first few tentative months. Survival wasn't always guaranteed! I even made up a personal 'mantra' .." I am not roadkill. I'm NOT roadkill..." have you noticed people who fall over (or get knocked down) might stay on the pavement, wincing and rubbing their bruises even if nobody is stopping? 哇！what a delightful post! You’ve pretty much described the situation down in Sichuan as well! True, at least for Chengdu. There isn’t much of a crowd to follow, here in the smaller towns)

you’ve helped me relive my first few tentative months. Survival wasn’t always guaranteed! I even made up a personal ‘mantra’ ..” I am not roadkill. I’m NOT roadkill…”

have you noticed people who fall over (or get knocked down) might stay on the pavement, wincing and rubbing their bruises even if nobody is stopping?

]]> By: Joel http://chinahopelive.net/2008/09/09/how-to-ride-a-bike-in-tianjin-part-1/comment-page-1#comment-2997 Joel Wed, 10 Sep 2008 06:20:02 +0000 http://chinahopelive.net/2008/09/09/how-to-ride-a-bike-in-tianjin-part-1#comment-2997 which one, the Von Trapp family bike riders? or the green light in the morning? which one, the Von Trapp family bike riders? or the green light in the morning?

]]> By: pNielsen http://chinahopelive.net/2008/09/09/how-to-ride-a-bike-in-tianjin-part-1/comment-page-1#comment-2979 pNielsen Wed, 10 Sep 2008 01:18:30 +0000 http://chinahopelive.net/2008/09/09/how-to-ride-a-bike-in-tianjin-part-1#comment-2979 That fourth photograph is great. That fourth photograph is great.

]]> By: Joel http://chinahopelive.net/2008/09/09/how-to-ride-a-bike-in-tianjin-part-1/comment-page-1#comment-2972 Joel Tue, 09 Sep 2008 23:38:13 +0000 http://chinahopelive.net/2008/09/09/how-to-ride-a-bike-in-tianjin-part-1#comment-2972 we just want to get them on the road and keep them alive long enough to figure out the traffic for themselves. when it comes to accidents, we tell them about the crowds so they have an idea of what can happen. But if they're in an accident, we just tell them to make some phone calls right away and wait for the police (if it's a serious accident). It'd be a rare foreigner that could or would want to deal with a crowd. We did know of one situation where a Swiss doctor wanted to force a taxi driver to pay up, but because he didn't know how to "work" an accident scene, the taxi driver just sat there, refusing to acknowledge his presence until he gave up and let the taxi driver drive off. If he'd stayed laying in the middle of the intersection, no doubt he would have had a crowd. we just want to get them on the road and keep them alive long enough to figure out the traffic for themselves.

when it comes to accidents, we tell them about the crowds so they have an idea of what can happen. But if they’re in an accident, we just tell them to make some phone calls right away and wait for the police (if it’s a serious accident). It’d be a rare foreigner that could or would want to deal with a crowd.

We did know of one situation where a Swiss doctor wanted to force a taxi driver to pay up, but because he didn’t know how to “work” an accident scene, the taxi driver just sat there, refusing to acknowledge his presence until he gave up and let the taxi driver drive off. If he’d stayed laying in the middle of the intersection, no doubt he would have had a crowd.

]]> By: Shauna http://chinahopelive.net/2008/09/09/how-to-ride-a-bike-in-tianjin-part-1/comment-page-1#comment-2971 Shauna Tue, 09 Sep 2008 23:31:36 +0000 http://chinahopelive.net/2008/09/09/how-to-ride-a-bike-in-tianjin-part-1#comment-2971 WOW!!! I feel like I could join the biking masses of Tianjin, should I ever find myself in the county... =) I'm sure these differences are incredibly helpful to your first-time-new-to-the-country friends, particularly the differences concerning accidents and the procedure for "blame". Bike safely! I love you guys! WOW!!! I feel like I could join the biking masses of Tianjin, should I ever find myself in the county… =) I’m sure these differences are incredibly helpful to your first-time-new-to-the-country friends, particularly the differences concerning accidents and the procedure for “blame”.

Bike safely! I love you guys!

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