Crossing a Street during Rush-Hour in China
Crossing a Street during Rush-Hour in China
Crossing a street as a pedestrian in China is not easy for a German. We Germans are pretty used to everything being in order. In Germany cars stop at red traffic-lights and a green walking light means that you really have the first right to go. Not so in China’s Traffic. That you as a pedestrian have a green traffic-light in China does not mean much.
Zebra crossings seem to have no meaning at all. Neither at a zebra crossing nor at a green pedestrian light a car will stop to let you pass.
The traffic police standing with a flag and a whistle at every important crossing in Beijing whistles and shakes its flag – I could detect no influence a present traffic policeman had on the traffic in China.
When you are in the middle of the street and a car is coming you can either boldly jump in front of that car with a stopping hand movement or you decide to stay where you are. In the later case you will be caught in the middle of a Chinese street with cars coming from all sides. This is not a nice feeling.
When I finally thought I got the hang of crossing streets today this situation happened that proved me once more that I as a German women am simply not prepared for Beijing’s Traffic:
I wanted to cross the street standing behind a parking car. Looking for traffics coming from whatever direction I did not watch for the parking car and he just drove backwards and bumped into me.
I slapped on the car real hart so he knows I am there. I was not hurt but in total shock standing on the street crying. And he just drove away. This behaviour I have been told about and could never believe. But it seems to be common in China. You are trying not to get noticed for any price. And no one wants to be the one who hit an Olympic Visitor with his car of course.
I was in complete shock and just sad down at the edge of the street crying and crying. After only a few minutes or so a very nice Chinese man with surprisingly good English came towards me and asked me what the matter was.
First thing was of course he wanted to call an ambulance. But I refused. Then he wanted to bring me to a coffee. I had just been on my way to a bank. And it was short before 6pm. So he led me to a bank in order to have me my money exchanged.
Then – I was still in shock – he brought me to a coffee and bought me a drink. We had some most interesting conversations.
And even though the moon festival had not begun yet he let me try the first mooncake of my life.
Then he brought me to a nice restaurant, helped me order something and had a quick drink. While I was eating he ran to the pharmacy for me where I had tried to buy medicine for my inflamed toe without success.
I feared that he would also want to pay for my food (it is very hard to obtain the right to pay the bill in china) I paid while he was gone. Earlier we had discussed about that Europeans are in China often allowed to go against certain rules. For example because the Chinese fear the language problems etc.
So I told him, “I can just leave the restaurant without paying” and walked away. Of course he tried to go and pay then and we had a big laugh when the food was already paid for by me.
He did not leave me until he was sure I knew the way home. As merciless and uncaring Chinese can sometimes seem in certain situations like the traffic or rushing to get a taxi as nice they are when you meet a Chinese face to face.
Tags: accident in china, helpfull chinese, pedestrian, rush hour, rush hour beijing, traffic, traffic beijing, traffic light, traffic rules