[sustran] Outrageous driving behavior in Kunming, China

[eric britton]

From: jane. [mailto:voodikon at yahoo.com] 
Sent: Friday, 01 July, 2011 10:48


 
Pedestrian overpasses have been erected all over Chinese cities, reportedly
to improve (motor vehicle) traffic flow. Here in Chengdu, pedestrians climb
three or four flights of stairs or a ramp graded at about 45 degrees (many
feature slippery surfaces, and you slide back an inch or so for every step
you take, particularly if you're pushing a bike up--on the downhill, walkers
in high heels or flip flops often just grab onto the handrail and do their
best to slide down--and that's in dry conditions) in order to cross the
street. Surface-level crossing is not an option at many intersections.
Bikers carrying heavy loads pedal a kilometer or so out of the way to cross
the street, or they simply ride down the wrong way to avoid pushing their
bike up and over. And that's nothing to say about people in wheelchairs or
those without the fortitude to walk the extra distance or elevation.
 
Despite the inconveniences for pedestrians and cyclists, at least one driver
in Kunming, Yunnan, is trying to claim the pedestrian bridge as another car
roadway.
 
http://gokunming.com/en/blog/item/2297/video_kunming_driver_crosses_pedestri
an_bridge