When I visited Mainland China from Hong Kong in the 1980s everyone was riding around on bicycles, except for those inside the odd large government car.
Here in Shanghai, 30 years later, there is still the odd bicycle. In the Old French Concession, they tend to be modern fancy expensive ones. Elsewhere they are of the old battered variety - but there are not many of them on the streets. Shanghai has now grown too big for a simple bicycle to be your only mode of transport. Some of the bicycles have become motorised, and motorised tricycles with trailers are used for moving recyclable rubbish about the city.
and for moving builders materials and tools for example. The poor picture on the right shows an upside-down step ladder being carried on a scooter.
So now those who would have been riding bicycles are now riding scooters. On the main roads they and the bicycles have their own lanes that keep them separate from the larger vehicles. The scooters are electric and have a range of 50km. Recharging happens both at home and work - walking along the pavements you have to watch out for the trip hazard of electric cables running from a building to a scooter. This range just about gets them around the city for a daily commute, but it does mean that they rarely use their lights to save juice. This makes them rather dangerous beasts for a pedestrian, as you can't see or hear them coming. But they are also a rather dangerous beasts for car drivers, as a number of riders seem to flout all traffic laws, riding the wrong way down streets, crossing at pedestrian crossings, driving without lights etc.etc.
To keep warm on the scooters many have a quilt cover
In the Old French Concession, again, stylish models are a la Mode, but we saw this union jack version in the Old City.
Down on the underground the first metro line was built in 1993. Since then it has grown like topsy and it is now the largest system in the world. It's clean and efficient and at 40p a ride much cheaper than in London. A Shanghai travel card with its touch technology makes things very quick and easy going through the barriers. The only hold ups are the ubiquitous x-rays machines that scan every bag at every metro entrance.
As far as cars go, the wealthier Chinese tend to be driving around in saloon cars, but there are a significant number of Chealsea tractors - Range Rovers, BMWs etc. with the attitude to match. The middle upper end of this society is very interested in bling and anodized car wheels seem to fit the bill:
and the American School in Shanghai transports its children around in the Chinese version of the US school bus:
.
For the über rich I've so far seen three Rolls Royces, one Bentley, the odd Ferrari and Lamborghini, seemingly endless Maseratis and, yay, one solitary Aston Martin.
Postscript:
Just had to add these pictures of what looks like a totally anodized car and a fire engine quad bike seen in Tianzifang that I saw last weekend.
- Bling car
- Fire engine Tianzifang
No comments:
Post a Comment