Bicycling in China

I believe I have the best job in the world. As a professional meeting facilitator, I travel the word, and meet the most interesting people: (this week I met the head of Channel 5 for China TV and the editor of China's Vogue Magazine). I facilitate mission critical meetings for companies and participate in some of the most important conversations imaginable. One week I could be facilitating a session at a Clinton's Global initiative, another I could be facilitating a table group for America Speaks, a collaborative process for 5,000 people. I might be asked to help launch the new head Marketing for the Canadian Olympic Committee. Sometimes I can take my folding bicycle along and get in a few morning or evening rides. This time I left the bicycle home. I was way too busy and besides, it’s very cold in Shanghai and absolutely freezing in Beijing. However, I did get to walk a lot and can tell you a bit about the bicycle in China these days.

The first thing you will notice is that sadly the automobile has replaced the bicycle in China. As economies advance, people all want a car. I can remember Kurt Vonnegut's description of how thrilling it was for him to get behind the wheel of a gigantic gas-guzzler back in the day. There are so many cars in China now it's hard to get your head around it. I have never seen traffic jams like I have seen in Beijing. And yet, amongst all these cars, the bicycle still lives. It is the vehicle of real work. I saw every kind of bicycle imaginable. Lots of trikes hauling all sorts of stuff dominate the side streets. Many folks still commute by bikes. It's not unusual to see a family of three all on one bike. The child in the middle and the parents book ending on a single bicycle, towing behind backpacks and briefcases. 

Two big problems for bicyclists are distance and pollution. Let me try to describe distance first. There are almost 20 million People in Beijing. In Philadelphia, we have just over 1.5 million. If you were your bike from Philadelphia to Reading, just as you got to the outskirts of Reading you would still be surrounded by 20-30 story high rises. I am talking radius here; it's that dense in all directions! Secondly, so many cars combined with construction dust and coal burning electric plants combined for incredible smog. It's common to see people riding with surgical masks to filter out road dust and pollution. Motorized bicycles also dominate the landscape. They dart about, switch lanes, and create continuous hazards for all concerned. The days of the standard issue black bicycle of the 60's one 70's are long gone, replaced by an onslaught of motorized bikes and very large cars. China now has road rage - big time. People ride fast and loose. There are no helmets, and people simply ride in their street clothes. There are no "roadies riding in lycra;" there are few bicyclists riding for the ride. For the most part, the bicycle is functional - a cheap form of transportation sorely needed in this amazing economy.

Winter also comes in hard and harsh in Beijing and yet the Chinese ride right on through it. They have special made gloves made out of a synthetic shell and a lamb wool interior that cover the entire handle bar. This ingenious device is simple yet effective, brought on by the necessity of riding everyday in very cold weather. People who bike-commute here also dress warm and simple. They layer themselves and ride to their jobs. Fashion, for the most part follows function. The gear is very practical. Clothing that enables one to ride and stay warm win out over anything else.  I am cheered by the dominance of human ingenuity and courage right here on the streets of Beijing. These folks are tough, hardworking, and non-complainers. They exude a high degree of pride, pedaling through the elements resolute and determined to win. One of our day trips is to the Great Hall of the People. I am reminded that this amazing structure took only 11 months to create. Like I said. It's hard to get your head around.

Tempted though I am about sending a message about how rediscovering the bike could be a strategic part of a solution to global warming, I will hold off. We all know this in their heads. Visiting China helps to move this conversation to our bodies. As one Chinese woman said to me, "You got to get out more."