Bicycles.
36% of all bicycles in the world are made in China.
I really began to love the versatility of the bicycle.
I spent hours trying to photograph and video-tape bicycles.
I photographed on corners where thousands would go by in an hour.
I photographed at night, from buses, from taxis,
from the back of motor driven tricycle cabs.
I got on my bike and juggled the camera while I shot.
No matter what these photos seem inadequate to
capture this city/country all on bicycles.

The bicycle is the mode of personal transportation for everyone in China.
They're ridden everywhere with everything and everyone on them.
It is virtually impossible for a private citizen to own a car.
Many of our Chinese friends told us of their dream of learning to drive.
Shanghai is the most densely populated city in the world and if even a few had a car there simply wouldn't be the space to park them all.
There are still busses, taxis and trucks and they all honk their horns.

When I finally started riding the bicycle I bought I began to appreciate the horns.
Every motorized vehicle will honk as soon as they see a bicycle (about every 2 seconds).
When they get within 50 feet they honk again, then at 40, 30 feet and then the last honk tells the bicycle rider to take a little swerve towards the curb.
In addition, each bicycle is sold with a small bell
located right by the thumb on the handlebars.
It is rung constantly also to warn other bicycles.
When I was riding I thought it would be possible to ride a bike there if you were blind but not if you were deaf!!

The traffic laws are simple enough.
A bicycle has right of way over a pedestrian.
A car has right of way over a bicycle.
A bigger car over a small car and a truck over everyone.
The amazing and particularly Asian twist to this is that if a car hits a bicycle, or a truck a car, the larger vehicle is automatically at fault.
So while a car can go ahead at an intersection it has the responsibility to make sure that it doesn't hit bicycles or pedestrians.
Now, remember: this is a country with few lawyers!


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