Crossing The Street in Beijing

Making it to the other side of the road in Beijing

Rupert-Angus Mann

As the Olympic start line approaches, new underpasses and footbridges are appearing all around Beijing, making life a bit easier for the pedestrian. However some intersections in the city still require a bit of nous to cross safely. As a newcomer you may find yourself swept along by the current of Beijing pedestrians like a leaf down the river and although it takes time to learn when it's safe to cross (don't look to the traffic lights for guidance), you may find these hints from a bruised and wizened walker useful.

Although Beijing's traffic can be hectic, you will be hard pressed to find an enraged driver yelling insults as westerners may be accustomed to. Instead you may find yourself being discretely nudged out of the way by a purposefully approaching bumper bar. If you look up at the driver with a bewildered look don't expect to see an irate traveler waving you out of the way. You will probably see a placid driver, not even looking at you, indeed seeming to not realize you are there. Pretending there are no pedestrians on the road is a common technique for drivers wanting to get through a crowd of people here, watch out for it!

As a pedestrian you can take a similar approach, many Chinese swear by it, just appear not to realize that you are crossing the street, head straight for the far side and (90% of the time) cars will stop for you. This comes down to a battle of wills really, of who will be the first to give up their trajectory. Of course the pedestrian has a lot more to lose (their life/safety), the motorist has only to worry about a dent or a scratch in the paintwork. Usually the more steadfast your resolve to make it over, the more likely cars are to stop for you. Foreigners can be even more confident, Beijing drivers are very reluctant to nudge them out of the way or run them down, nonetheless be very cautious if you try to cross the road this way.

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The good news is that not all vehicles can get away with pushing through a crowd. The average driver on their way home would not be allowed to pass easily through a crowd if they tried. They are not important enough. The vehicles to look out for if you find yourself within a group under threat are buses, taxis, fast moving cyclists (especially those with poor brakes) and, of course, the police.

With the exception of a hurtling cyclist (who will plough into a crowd because they misjudged the stopping distance of their two wheeled steed), buses, taxis and police all have the right and tendency to push straight through pedestrians who are in their way. A twenty tonne bus with real purpose and uncompromising direction will usually manage to part the waters with little difficulty. Listen out for the shrill calls of a female voice coming from the bus, if you also see a hand hanging out of a non driver side window waving forcefully then you can be sure your mob is in their sights. At this point it is best to step aside and let the bus through.

During rush hour, things become more unpredictable, this is a time of heightened stress and urgency, not only will you have cars and bikes to worry about but also fellow pedestrians. When more and more eager people build up on either side of a crossing, like two dammed rivers, this is when you should be ready, inevitably the traffic ceases and these two opposing forces collide, better to go with the flow here, it is move or be moved.

As the collision approaches you must keep pace with the crowd you are part of, too slow and you will get a shove in the back or have your ankles stepped on, if you move too quickly you could end up flat on your face. Upon collision, you must have your wits about you, use the force, your rosaries, anything you have. Try to focus on your own area, don't look for a point on the far side of the road and just head for it, (unlike many western countries, people will not make way for an eager looking chap with head held high, such a fellow is likely to collide embarrassingly with an old woman or someone's luggage). No, its best to focus on your feet, take a Zen approach, nothing is important other than this very piece of asphalt. Watch for low swinging hand-bags and look particularly for any hidden bicycles meandering along, the peddles can be very painful.

If you find yourself at an intersection where traffic has stopped over the crossing you have a choice to make. You can wait till the traffic clears or attempt to venture a path through the waiting cars and buses. If you choose to wait, you join a small club of cautious pedestrians watching in slight amusement/bewilderment as 100 people attempt to fit through a 20 cm gap formed by the back of a bus and the front of an old Citroen.

When striking a path through the halted traffic you should consider a few things. The most direct path is not always quickest, you may get to the other side quicker if you choose a non-direct solitary route, perhaps going a few cars back, in, out and around. Be careful of Mercedes, Porsches and other shiny cars, leave a scratch across the bonnet and you will have a dragon to contend with. Try to look to the faces of drivers whose cars you will walk in front of, if they look particularly annoyed, and not very happy, go behind their car, sometimes the gap you are attempting to fit through can grow instantly smaller.

In a city that is fast becoming more pedestrian friendly, if you are a walker who enjoys a challenge then get your shoes on while there are still unpredictable and dynamic intersections to cross. Step into the fray, watch for cyclists and speedy taxi drivers, don't lose your cool and take comfort in the knowledge that in a city of 17 million residents there is strength in numbers, so if all else fails, just go with the flow!