Beijing Crosswalks: Run For Your Life
This should be in bold print on any travel insurance policy to China: “At Beijing crosswalks, run for your life.”
Tourists from abroad, especially with the approaching Olympics, are frequently alerted about what to expect when they come to Beijing. We’ve all read the culture stories about spitting, cutting in line, etc. Humorous anecdotes, but they won’t save your life.
In most industrialized societies, citizens have been led to believe that pedestrians have the right away. Driver training manuals list it as law. In Beijing, a green light might feature a person walking in the center. That would suggest to the occidental mind to take the first step and cross with a bit more security than a common J-walker. Wrong.
Pedestrians in Beijing appear to have about as much status to a driver as insects. In the west we’ve all splattered the winged-kamikaze varieties across our car fronts. Our only thought might be about the time sacrificed to scrub them off.
It is with this basic impunity that Beijing vehicles approach an intersection. Never mind that they are going slow. They just assume your insectile self has more than enough time to leap out of the way. These cars will not stop for anyone.
Mother pushing a stroller?
Splat.
Grandmother with a cane?
Splat.
Child clutching an Olympic doll?
Splat.
Tourist carrying a Beijing guidebook?
Double points!
Think you might be safe up on the sidewalks? Wrong.
Many sidewalks serve as parking lots in this space starved city. If you are wearing walkman headphones and can’t hear the blaring behind you, that nudging on your calves will be the front bumper of a car.
Welcome to China. But before you come, also check the fine print on your travel insurance. Pedestrian crosswalks in Beijing might not be covered for a claim, not unlike earthquake or flood zones. Every time you do risk a crosswalk, dodge, weave, and run for your life.
Tourists from abroad, especially with the approaching Olympics, are frequently alerted about what to expect when they come to Beijing. We’ve all read the culture stories about spitting, cutting in line, etc. Humorous anecdotes, but they won’t save your life.
In most industrialized societies, citizens have been led to believe that pedestrians have the right away. Driver training manuals list it as law. In Beijing, a green light might feature a person walking in the center. That would suggest to the occidental mind to take the first step and cross with a bit more security than a common J-walker. Wrong.
Pedestrians in Beijing appear to have about as much status to a driver as insects. In the west we’ve all splattered the winged-kamikaze varieties across our car fronts. Our only thought might be about the time sacrificed to scrub them off.
It is with this basic impunity that Beijing vehicles approach an intersection. Never mind that they are going slow. They just assume your insectile self has more than enough time to leap out of the way. These cars will not stop for anyone.
Mother pushing a stroller?
Splat.
Grandmother with a cane?
Splat.
Child clutching an Olympic doll?
Splat.
Tourist carrying a Beijing guidebook?
Double points!
Think you might be safe up on the sidewalks? Wrong.
Many sidewalks serve as parking lots in this space starved city. If you are wearing walkman headphones and can’t hear the blaring behind you, that nudging on your calves will be the front bumper of a car.
Welcome to China. But before you come, also check the fine print on your travel insurance. Pedestrian crosswalks in Beijing might not be covered for a claim, not unlike earthquake or flood zones. Every time you do risk a crosswalk, dodge, weave, and run for your life.
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