Bicycle! Bicycle! Bicycle!.....da da da da..da da
I want to ride my bicycle,
I want to ride my bike,
I want to ride my bicycle,
I want to ride it where I like
Any Queen fans out there? Those or you who are may recognise the lines above from one of their songs, or you may not....lol But yes this post is about the bicycle in China, well Shanghai at least.
Transport via pedal power is probably one of the most important inventions for China, and other developing countries, as it's use is so wide spread I shudder to think what the effect would be on the environment if it didn't exist. But the bicycle/tricycle isn't just used for transport as many goods are carried this way and services provided.
Bikes come in many varieties from the standard style to electric motor assisted types. Mopeds and scooters are also very popular and, unless they are old, are often run on LPG to save money and the environment. On most roads bicycles, tricycles and mopeds are catered for with lanes of their own and, although some roads (usually the busiest highways) are restricted access for bikes, often oneway roads are two way for bikes. Having your own lane doesn't stop the cars and buses from making use of it if it looks empty or you are the only bike in it!
Parking isn't a problem either, everywhere there are designated parking places for bikes and many have attendants who, for only 
5 mao, will keep an eye on you bike. Often though the parking areas are simply the pavement, which makes it a bit dangerous for pedestrains.
If you have a problem with your bike it can easily be fixed at one of the many roadside kiosks. The kiosks will specialise in either bycycle or moped repairs and will even pump up your tyres for a few mao.
Bikes are used to carry almost anything, be it on two or three wheels,
and often health and saftey is not the main concern, I have seen plates of glass being carried flat on the back of a tricycle with edges exposed to cyclists flying past and even saw one guy struggling in the middle of a crossroads with a demi-john of petrol which was falling off his bicycle's panier rack!
But all said and done , you need alot of bottle to cycle on the streets of Shanghai.
I want to ride my bicycle,
I want to ride it where I like
Any Queen fans out there? Those or you who are may recognise the lines above from one of their songs, or you may not....lol But yes this post is about the bicycle in China, well Shanghai at least.
Transport via pedal power is probably one of the most important inventions for China, and other developing countries, as it's use is so wide spread I shudder to think what the effect would be on the environment if it didn't exist. But the bicycle/tricycle isn't just used for transport as many goods are carried this way and services provided.
Bikes come in many varieties from the standard style to electric motor assisted types. Mopeds and scooters are also very popular and, unless they are old, are often run on LPG to save money and the environment. On most roads bicycles, tricycles and mopeds are catered for with lanes of their own and, although some roads (usually the busiest highways) are restricted access for bikes, often oneway roads are two way for bikes. Having your own lane doesn't stop the cars and buses from making use of it if it looks empty or you are the only bike in it!
Parking isn't a problem either, everywhere there are designated parking places for bikes and many have attendants who, for only 
5 mao, will keep an eye on you bike. Often though the parking areas are simply the pavement, which makes it a bit dangerous for pedestrains.If you have a problem with your bike it can easily be fixed at one of the many roadside kiosks. The kiosks will specialise in either bycycle or moped repairs and will even pump up your tyres for a few mao.
Bikes are used to carry almost anything, be it on two or three wheels,
and often health and saftey is not the main concern, I have seen plates of glass being carried flat on the back of a tricycle with edges exposed to cyclists flying past and even saw one guy struggling in the middle of a crossroads with a demi-john of petrol which was falling off his bicycle's panier rack!
But all said and done , you need alot of bottle to cycle on the streets of Shanghai.
posted by Nick at
2:19 pm
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home