Red Lights

Why have red lights if people don't stop? The Canadian in me thinks it's just wrong! But after giving it considerable thought, I think maybe it's OK. For me, stopping at a red light is a rule, it's something I have to do. Here it's more of a guideline. It's more of a yield sign. And it's not like the red light carries no meaning. It gives order to the chaos. It indicates who has the right of way. At first, intersections in China seem to be free-for-alls. But now I'm starting to think there is some order to the chaos.

First of all, size matters. There seem to be different rules for vehicles of different sizes. A bus or a big truck for example will usually stop at a red light. (Note the word usually. There are no absolutes in Shanghai.) A car will yield and probably only go if it's safe to do so. Mopeds, bikes, pedestrians, they seem to like to live on the edge. They will go anytime, anywhere, throwing regard for their personal safety out the window. Old ladies will make mad dashes to jay-walk through busy traffic; mopeds will play chicken with cars. And why? Why not wait 45 seconds until the light changes? When the light turns green, you still have to fight your way through people running the red light but I would argue that it is considerably easier. So why not wait?

I don't have an answer to the red light question, but I have noticed something else. I think any traffic manoeuvre is OK if it's accompanied by a blowing of your horn. Going through a red light? No problem, just blow your horn. See an old lady jay-walking in front of you? Keep going, but blow your horn. Going the wrong way on a one way road? Blow your horn. This 'rule' goes for mopeds too. There’s a foreigner on the sidewalk who’s in your way, as you drive down the sidewalk? Definitely, blow your horn! I heard that the government passed a law outlawing needless horn blowing, and it's actually much quieter now than it used to be. I haven't confirmed that yet, so it's still just a rumour. It may have been something done in Beijing during the Olympics.