By Hong Liang (China Daily)
Updated: 2008-04-08 07:37

On a rainy morning in Shanghai, I saw an old woman, stooped with age, standing precariously in the middle of a zebra crossing at the busy Renmin Lu near Luxiangyuan Lu. None of the speeding cars and buses stopped for her. They did not even slow down.

She was able to make it to the other side only because a taxi stopped in the middle of the road to pick up a fare.

We all know that pedestrians have no rights in Shanghai. This brutal fact was made clear to me less than a week after I arrived when a colleague was knocked down by a speeding bicycle in the pedestrian-only entertainment enclave of Xintiandi.

Nothing seems to have improved since. Shanghai has built many more elevated highways, glittering shopping malls and towering office buildings, but the convenience of pedestrians has not been factored into the master plan. As such, Shanghai's claim to be a world-class cosmopolitan city must be taken with a grain of salt.

There is no shortage of traffic lights, pedestrian bridges, well-paved walkways and strong fences along major thoroughfares to discourage jaywalking. Traffic wardens are posted at many road junctions in the city center to guide pedestrians. Cleverly-designed signs urging motorists and pedestrians to be considerate are posted at strategic locations along the many highways and byways.

But anyone living in Shanghai long enough knows that observing traffic lights when crossing a road is no guarantee of personal safety, and pedestrian walkways are not necessarily a sanctuary from the maddening traffic.

Our right to cross the street when the light turns green is often violated by right-turning vehicles whose drivers hide behind sheets of metal and glass. Our right to walk peacefully on the pavement is constantly challenged by riders of an assortment of two-wheeled machines. Because we are on foot and unprotected, we find ourselves always to be on the losing side when confronted with these bullies on wheels.

The situation is sometimes aggravated by the rather unusual traffic arrangements that seem to be designed with the sole purpose to confound motorists and pedestrians.

For instance, on Xizang Lu, right-turning cars to Huaihai Zhonglu must take the middle lane while the right lane is reserved for through traffic. On Huaihai Zhonglu, left-turning cars to Xizang Lu have to fight for the right-of-way with pedestrians crossing Xizang Lu when the light turns green. Thoroughly confused?

If you are, you had better watch out when you come to Shanghai.

Those of us who have lived in the city for a while sometimes find these potentially life-threatening traffic idiosyncrasies rather amusing. But to suddenly find cars hurtling down at you from behind while crossing the street can be a most nerve-racking experience.

People in the know told me that there is nothing wrong with the traffic management system, which they said, is good enough to rival the best in the world. But in most other cities, the same system works harmoniously because motorists recognize pedestrians' right of way. Here in Shanghai, motorists rule, and chaos ensures.

Perhaps it is too much to ask Shanghai motorists to be more considerate. In that case, traffic lights should be set to stop all cars, allowing pedestrians a safe passage in the allotted time. This is the Hong Kong way.

E-mail: jamesleung@chinadaily.com.cn

(China Daily 04/08/2008 page8)