Transport in Beijing - By Bycicle

By far the most convenient means of getting around in Beijing is still by bicycle. Although the traffic conditions are less and less suitable for riding a bike, for distances up to around 10 km, it is still probably faster to ride the bike than to take a bus. We recommend that everyone staying for longer than a month should get a bike, as it will facilitate transportation invaluably.

Most of the times, distances are too long to be covered by foot, but taking the bus is just way too slow. Adding the time it takes to walk to the bus stop, waiting etc. makes many people not want to take a bus at all in Beijing. Buses are also generally not well maintained, and breakdowns are not uncommon at all, which can be very uncomfortable if time is a factor. Not to talk about traffic jams. However, new buses are being introduced, which should make taking a bus a more comfortable experience, and the government hopes it will also considerably improve Beijing’s air quality ahead of the 2008 Olympics.

New bicycles can be bought from 120 RMB and up, while used ones normally sell for 50-60 RMB. You do not need a fancy bike, as bicycle theft is a very flourishing business in Beijing, and your first bike will probably not be your only one in a couple of months. Just make sure the lock you put on it is not worth more than the bike itself, otherwise you will feel very sorry for the lock when the bike gets stolen. If there is a reason to buy a new bike instead of a used one, it is that most used bikes on the market were stolen from someone and by buying it you would support this already flourishing “sector”. People have reportedly found their own bikes on the market.

Although riding a bike is still probably the most convenient means of getting around in Beijing, you must be careful and watch out for the traffic, because the once very wide bicycle lanes are getting narrower by the day and cars are intruding onto them, sometimes in the opposite direction as you would expect, and they just love listening to the sound of their own horn, but often forget where the brake pedal is located in the car. Same things apply for the traffic lights as written in the “On Foot” section. Be especially careful with taxi and bus drivers. These are the two most dangerous kinds of animals on the roads. You can notice that at least half of the accidents you see on the roads involve either a bus or a taxi, often both. One dangerous move is when the bus enters the stop and pulls over to the right, where people are biking. If you are biking right behind it, you have three choices:

1. Stop and wait for the bus to go on. This is probably the safest choice, but also the slowest and the stinkiest one. However, we encourage everyone not to put safety at risk for the half minute you would gain by either

2. Taking over from the right, in which case you should watch out for the people getting off the bus, because they do not watch out for anyone coming from behind. (Also make sure the bus does not “squeeze” you to the pavement) Or

3. Taking over from the left, which is ok if you start pulling to the left in time as soon as you see the bus coming in, but make sure there are no cars coming behind you.