Chinese Communists, the SARS epidemic....and Bicycles

[Echinacea]

Earlier this year I had some grave fears about what was really happening with the SARS epidemic that came out of China. If my own government and media has such a lackluster record of telling the truth about what really happens then I just assumed the communist chinese would be lying through their teeth about how widespread SARS had become. On the internet and on the news I heard stories about how overpopulation in China coupled with rampant pollution and a disregard for the value of human life led to atrocious condidtions there i felt empathy for the chinese people. So I asked my sister who had visited China what it was like. I expected to hear about traffic jams and smog and people packed like sardines everywhere. She said she saw a steady stream of bicycles for people commuting. I thought that sounded real cool and wished they would do it here. I lived close enough to commute by bike but the roads and traffic here make that a very dangerous thing.

anyone else been to china? does everyone bike there? if so....do they own their bikes? hehehe....or do they save up to buy a trek.

 

[pineapple]

Everyone rides cos its cheap and traffic is rubbish. But the pollution is still terrible because of the dust storms and the fact that china is still a heavy-industry based economy (although that is changing).

The bikes they ride are practically scrap metal and yes every street look like a large peloton wearing grey scraps of clothing.

 

[pineapple]

btw I'm actually in hong kong which is completely cyclist-free and all you see on the roads are lexus, mercedes and bmw.

also, no sign of sars this winter yet, fingers crossed

 

[scarab]

Originally posted by pineapple
btw I'm actually in hong kong which is completely cyclist-free and all you see on the roads are lexus, mercedes and bmw.

btw I'm actually in hong kong which is completely cyclist-free

'Cycllist free' Yes that's one way of putting it and probably how the HK government see it. I say that because apart from the New Territories where there are a few bike tracks and the odd quiet road, HK must be the most cycling-hostlle place on the planet. Perhaps they don't like to be reminded of low-tech modes of transport that they associate with less developed parts of the world - like the mainland.

I live on HK island and unless I get my ride over by 7 a.m. which is more or less impossible in winter, I risk my neck with the Lexuses and minibuses. And the problem here is that the roads are so narrow and the motorists are so unused to cyclists they just don't see them, or if they do, consider they have any right to be on the road at all. I know the sound of a Lexus horn only too well as I have had one in my ear all the way from Magazine Gap to Admiralty - and that on a Sunday morning. Stupid pr**k. Not surprising there are so few cyclists. A good an example of a vicious circle as I can think of.


And as this is a soap box I might as well say that last week I got pulled up and threatened with a court summons for pushing my bicycle along a paved road in a country park. I was doing this to avoid a particularly evil stretch of road between Repulse Bay and Stanley where the double-deckers give you about six inches and there are no shoulders.


Actually, I even wonder with HK's rapidly deteriorating air quality whether you do yourself any good riding here at all. The air pollution index has been high for the past few months and the HK government's 'high' classification is 'severe' in other developed countries.

Still, my hat off to all the other lunatics who ride a bike in HK.

 

[pineapple]

Originally posted by scarab


'Cycllist free' Yes that's one way of putting it and probably how the HK government see it. I say that because apart from the New Territories where there are a few bike tracks and the odd quiet road, HK must be the most cycling-hostlle place on the planet. Perhaps they don't like to be reminded of low-tech modes of transport that they associate with less developed parts of the world - like the mainland.

I live on HK island and unless I get my ride over by 7 a.m. which is more or less impossible in winter, I risk my neck with the Lexuses and minibuses. And the problem here is that the roads are so narrow and the motorists are so unused to cyclists they just don't see them, or if they do, consider they have any right to be on the road at all. I know the sound of a Lexus horn only too well as I have had one in my ear all the way from Magazine Gap to Admiralty - and that on a Sunday morning. Stupid pr**k. Not surprising there are so few cyclists. A good an example of a vicious circle as I can think of.


And as this is a soap box I might as well say that last week I got pulled up and threatened with a court summons for pushing my bicycle along a paved road in a country park. I was doing this to avoid a particularly evil stretch of road between Repulse Bay and Stanley where the double-deckers give you about six inches and there are no shoulders.


Actually, I even wonder with HK's rapidly deteriorating air quality whether you do yourself any good riding here at all. The air pollution index has been high for the past few months and the HK government's 'high' classification is 'severe' in other developed countries.

Still, my hat off to all the other lunatics who ride a bike in HK.

The fact is that the notion of cycling is completely opposite to how Hong Kongers want to see themselves. They (we) are so obsessed with the 'highlife' kind of lifestyle that just to be seen on a bike would be embarrassing. And I agree totally that this has something to do with the fact that mainlanders use bikes as an affordable mode of transport.

Luckily I don't ride here. This is due to the unfortunate fact that I only spend a few weeks here every year and it would be fairly stupid to invest in a bike for that length of time.

The only recreational cyclist I have ever seen on HK island (barring kids on bmx in playgrounds) was a mountain biker climbing the peak - respect to that man!!!!

You originally from hk? Whereabouts do you live?

The truth is indeed don't bother riding in hk you will just get carbon monoxide poisoning. Was window shopping and saw a pair of binoculars for $33000 today... got me wondering - what's the point if hk visibility is only a mile or two?

 

[scarab]

Originally posted by pineapple
The fact is that the notion of cycling is completely opposite to how Hong Kongers want to see themselves. They (we) are so obsessed with the 'highlife' kind of lifestyle that just to be seen on a bike would be embarrassing. And I agree totally that this has something to do with the fact that mainlanders use bikes as an affordable mode of transport.

Luckily I don't ride here. This is due to the unfortunate fact that I only spend a few weeks here every year and it would be fairly stupid to invest in a bike for that length of time.

The only recreational cyclist I have ever seen on HK island (barring kids on bmx in playgrounds) was a mountain biker climbing the peak - respect to that man!!!!

You originally from hk? Whereabouts do you live?

The truth is indeed don't bother riding in hk you will just get carbon monoxide poisoning. Was window shopping and saw a pair of binoculars for $33000 today... got me wondering - what's the point if hk visibility is only a mile or two?

Agree with most of that Pineapple. No, not orgininally from HK but been here quite a long time. I only ride here because I have a road bike with me that I use for long tours - Europe and Asia, and I like to get some exercise.

I live in Wan Chai, which means I have to ride the Peak too. Actually there's quite a few of us at it on a Sunday morning - all on road bikes. Don't know any of them but there's definetely some sense of camaraderie in adversity.

Actually, in a strange way it's quite a nice ride especially in the Spring and summer when you can start at 6 a.m. Plenty of aerobics going up and you fly down with little traffic until you get to Stubbs road. Thereafter it's hell but it sure wakes you up.

 

[Patrick SH]

Hi Scarab,
I leave in Shenzhen, across the border from Hong Kong. But I work now in Changzhou (Jiangsu province, north west of Shanghai).
I still comes during the week-end to Shenzhen and I had a very nice ride a few weeks ago with my friends from Shenzhen and Hong kong. The Hong kong group included Flying ball 's Mr Lee.
You should come and join us some times!

Changzhou is less fun. I have a short commute (5 Km) by bike. Some time on holiday I ride along the Yangtse river.

Echinacea,
There are still many bikes on the road. Even the old Golden Lions and Shanghai forever are not "****". They last many years and cary sometimes very heavy loads!
The latest production bikes are less good!

Polution is a problem, specially in winter because of the industries and coal burning to heat the houses.

Patrick.

 

[scarab]

Originally posted by Patrick SH
Hi Scarab,
I leave in Shenzhen, across the border from Hong Kong. But I work now in Changzhou (Jiangsu province, north west of Shanghai).
I still comes during the week-end to Shenzhen and I had a very nice ride a few weeks ago with my friends from Shenzhen and Hong kong. The Hong kong group included Flying ball 's Mr Lee.
You should come and join us some times!

Changzhou is less fun. I have a short commute (5 Km) by bike. Some time on holiday I ride along the Yangtse river.

Echinacea,
There are still many bikes on the road. Even the old Golden Lions and Shanghai forever are not "****". They last many years and cary sometimes very heavy loads!
The latest production bikes are less good!

Polution is a problem, specially in winter because of the industries and coal burning to heat the houses.

Patrick.

Patrick, I've ridden a couple of times in China - once from the border at Tashkurgan in Xinjiang Province down to Kashgar- a great ride. And once from Shenzhen airport to the HK border. With this limited experience, I'd say that mainland motorists are more considerate than those in HK. I guess the reason is that they are used to bicycles. In HK they don't know what bikes are or how to drive reasonably when they do.

I always fancied a Flying Pigeon myself, if only for the name.
My second choice would be a Light Roadster! And I'd ride it wearing one of those long green PLA winter coats ( had one of those once) and the hats with ear flaps.

 

[el Ingles]

Seems that SARS may be back , story told is some lab tech was sloppy while playing god and got contaminated , hope it´s wrong , could be as the tests are comeing back some yes some no .

 

[pineapple]

No I think you're confusing two cases. One Taiwanese lab dude who got sars, and another random punter in Guangzhou whose tests are coming back ambiguous.

Or maybe I'm getting confused now.

Anyway I'm leaving Hong Kong in three hours so I'll be safe soon.

Either that or I'll be contaminating the world.... mwaaahahahaa