My Rickshaw Ride

Ok, so when I got to China, Jake asked me how I got around. Taxis, subway and more taxis was always the answer. Well, he was a bit disappointed that I never got run around like they did in the books about ancient China, most specifically the rickshaw. So, we were traveling from the Dirt Market back to the subway and we saw a rickshaw and we had to ride in it... We actually went in two different ones, one was a motorized motorcycle/bike thing (I think the lady could pedal or just give it the gas) the other was a bicycle and trailer for adults -- they were both kind of cold to ride around in as the blankets did little to block the wind and keep the cold out. On the way back it was almost scary how close they would get to cars that were still moving and trying to maneuver and this guy, well actually the taxi drivers too were ALWAYS in a hurry! If you want to cross the steet, or get around in this country, forget everything you know about rules of the road, nothing applies. If you have a red light, and there isn't too much traffic, crowd the road with the rest of the pedestrian's and if you have the walk signal, you had better watch out for the bicycles and taxis and actually for any car on the road!! CRAZY! The roads are built in circles, throw out the grid that we are familiar with and just draw circles around the city with a few small roads in between and you have their driving pattern. It made me appreciate the US60 and nice wide streets when I got home, that is for sure.
The metro is unlike any other metro that I have ridden, they cars don't come as frequently as the ones in Moscow, and when people get on or off, you pretty much have to shove your way off, or on. They don't follow the American rules of wait and let everyone off before trying to get on, I guess it is more fun to push and shove either way. I did like there subway system though for the most part, as it was VERY user friendly and if you had a question, just stand there and you looked foreign enough someone would ask if you needed help in just minutes of standing there. The Chinese are very friendly to Foreigner's.
Taxis are WONDERFUL, if you can get over the maniacal driving that you will see, and experience. The last night I was there, we decided to take a Taxi rather than brave the cold and long metro ride home, well, there was heavy traffic, and we were getting close to our destination, when we came within a half inch of taking out a lady on a bicycle. I am not kidding, the only reason I know she wasn't hit, because she got back up and took off in a HURRY! The drivers in China, use their horns CONSTANTLY!!!!! There is no communication better than the horn there. I use my horn on occaision here, but I think that if I had to drive there it would become my new best friend!