Handlebars to Hubcaps

By Paul Wegerson
Zhongshan Ribao English Edition

Growing up, I was a huge fan of the basic video game Frogger. In this game, the player is a frog that is trying to cross a busy street without getting squished by a bus, bike or steamroller.

In China, I’m brought back to my Frogger days each time I try to cross the road. With the increase of cars on the roads, the stakes are greater than only having to get up and hit the reset button. Once called the ‘Bicycle Kingdom,’ people are trading handlebars for hubcaps, and the personal car is driving China into the 21st century.

My mother, the saint that she is, always told me to look both ways before crossing the street. Taking her advice vigilantly, my neck is more sore than that of a chair umpire at Wimbledon as I scan traffic and Frogger my way through the bikes, motorbikes, cars, trucks and buses that race down China’s roads.

Due to traffic around the Da Fu Yuan it’s no surprise that even the typically calm green pedestrian light shows a character sprinting across the street.

Standing on the yellow median as buses stream by, I’ll often wait for a group before striding on. Typically a brave pedestrian, I’ve been known to shelf my pride and hide behind a 6 year old or a 66 year old who is a more experienced jaywalker than myself. It’s as if they say, “Hey sonny! Can I help you cross the street?” What a role reversal!

While 60 percent of China’s personal cars are registered in Guangdong province, Zhongshan has remained free of many of the negative externalities of this surge. The horn-free zone in the downtown Shiqi District (时期) has reduced noise pollution, and minor traffic jams only occur for a brief half-hour at the end of the workday. In contrast, major cities like Guangzhou and Shenzhen are being crippled by stagnant traffic and smoked out by air pollution.

Zhongshan’s high standard of living is putting more people in the driver’s seat. Just outside of downtown there are many car dealerships selling a range of foreign cars like Italy’s Fiat and the French Peugeot. The emerging wealthy class can purchase German luxury brands like BMW, Mercedes-Benz and Volkswagen.

With much competition from foreign joint ventures, the Chinese domestic auto industry is finding a domestic niche. Over the past few years, prices for Wuling, Changan and other major manufacturers have dropped. This allows more of China’s growing middle class to buy a family car. Connections with the financing industry have even allowed these new drivers to buy on credit.

Although there are more commuters and leisure drivers, the city remains manageable enough to trek on bicycle or foot. I’ve considered splurging on a bike, but with expert handling and a variety of colors, a solid pair of New Balance shoes will remain the only rubber between the road and me. When I want a sunroof in the summer, I can always switch to Birkenstock sandals. ###

This article is property of Paul Wegerson 韦保罗 and the Zhongshan Daily. Protected by CreatveCommons.org, this article may not be reproduced or republished without the express written consent of the author. Do your own work!