Linfen young mothers balance their young in front of them before the handlebars of their silent electric scooters, and Jeff tells of a family of four on one scooter: dad driving, mum facing him on the saddle, youngest holding her, and another child holding him. No helmets, but the traffic flow and confidence seems to win the day. Pedestrians, donkeys, minivans, trucks, beaten-up old taxis, shiny black sedans, and bikes – both pedal and motorised – share the roads, with pedestrians wandering the edges three or four deep at times because the footpaths are crowded with parked cars and bikes … It is so different to the rule-riddled roads of home. Linfen police do stand at the intersections at times, trying occasionally to calm and direct traffic, but they are as laid-back as the road users and only occasionally apprehend anyone walking across in the face of oncoming traffic or a donkey driver meandering across the pypoteneuse.
Young students travel two to a bike, one peddling, the other nonchalantly perched on the back, seemingly balanced by years of practice. And their balance is perfect: the cyclist may mount curbs and steer sudden corners but the passenger will happily prattle on, body swaying naturally to adjust, gymnasts without apparatus, seesawing on the fulcrum of their fundamental …
No comments:
Post a Comment