Hey Girl You Look Good in that Smog Mask!

The Streets of Beijing

(So I took some pictures that I wanted to post with this blog but my camera is broken so until I get a new camera or get mine fixed no more pictures)

Getting around Beijing can be a lot of fun, I’ve already talked about the subway and mentioned the taxi’s these are my most common means of going more than a few of blocks. Yes I did say a few of blocks, and no I’m not being lazy. A few of blocks in most places isn’t that bad, in Beijing and from what I understand most of China is a LONG way. It’s not a stretch to say that a three block walk could take 20+ minutes and be over a mile (in the 15 degree weather that’s a long walk). The sights on that walk can make your jaw hit the ground.

It’s taken me about two weeks to understand the basics of drivers ed. In China. From what I gather here are the 5 rules of the road:
1) Use your horn at least once every block
2) If you get near another car use your horn
3) If you think a car might not know what your horn sounds like use it
4) Worry about only the car in front of you anyone behind you should know to use their horn
5) If your natural reaction is to hit the brakes don’t hit the gas and hope to avoid danger

In essence what these roads have done is created a noisy cluster of cars going in every direction imaginable but surprisingly few accidents. In the two weeks I’ve been here I’ve seen only two accidents one was between a car and a bike where the car was turning right and the man on the bike was hit from behind and got to feel the windshield with his head. The other accident happened right outside of my new apartment. We live on a side street and there was a car turning right into an alley and was hit by the police who were leaving the alley. I showed up to the scene minutes after the accident had occurred, about three hours later the police car was gone the other car hadn’t moved I guess he decided that was as good of a park spot as any.

Parking in Beijing is very interesting. The idea is park wherever you damn well please. Can’t find anywhere to park? Why don’t you drive up onto the sidewalk and park on the sidewalk. I was on the sidewalk this past weekend (1/9/10) walking from the subway back to my apartment while walking down Dongzhimenwai Way which is a major road (this is the road that most of the Embassies are on) a Toyota Camry comes barreling down the side walk honking its horn at people that wouldn’t get out of his way fast enough. He passes and I turn onto Chunxiu Lu a half a block into my walk I’m jumping out of the way of another car driving down the side walk across the street from a police station. It’s interesting to see but they have a bumper system in some places on the sidewalk that can be raised and lowered in order to decide if you are allowed to park on the sidewalk, clearly this is acceptable.

I haven’t noticed much smog yet, I think part of this is a result of the weather we’ve had in Beijing (windy and cold). Despite the lack of smog within the city people (mainly woman) wear smog masks on a daily basis. The variety of smog masks is mildly entertaining (I’m working on a picture collection of people and their smog masks) you’ll see everything from the basic surgical style mask to the designer smog masks with designs and logos covering people’s faces. This past weekend I notice a couple in their early twenties on the subway wearing MATCHING smog masks, a moment later I see him lean over and kiss her smog mask on smog mask, I didn’t know what to think about it then and I still don’t.