Heads Up, Shenzhen Pedestrians: No Joke, Be EXTRA Careful!
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Hi, friends! I've only been in Shenzhen for three days, but here are some impressions I'd like to share:
First of all, let's give a thumbs up to the drivers of Shenzhen! Whether they're operating cars, buses or taxis, they make a point to yield to pedestrians (they let people cross the street first), and that's truly fantastic!
However, there seems to be some tension between the "little electric scooters" (electric bicycles and mopeds) and pedestrians:
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It appears there is no designated lane for these electric vehicles.
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Therefore, you might catch them racing on sidewalks, going at incredible speeds. On numerous occasions, I nearly clashed with food delivery couriers due to their quick rides. It really caught me off guard!
- This may come as a surprise to many foreigners, as sidewalks are generally designed solely for pedestrians in many countries.
- Alternatively, you might find them riding shoulder-to-shoulder with cars on roads.
A heads-up for visitors to Shenzhen:-
Challenge: When walking on sidewalks, always stay vigilant of the swift electric vehicles zipping past, which can suddenly appear from your side, particularly those food delivery scooters which hurry by due to time constraints.
- Solution: When walking, avoid constantly looking at your phone, and take several looks around you, especially near intersections or as you emerge from shops – stay safe at all times!
In sum, walking around here leaves me wishing I had an additional pair of eyes on the back of my head!
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I once encountered a woman riding an e-bike the wrong way with her child, going about 20 km/h – not super fast, but she hit me. She fell, her kid started crying, and I got a bruise on my arm. And then she started yelling at me! She kept arguing, but I ignored her. Finally, I just said, 'It's your own fault for hitting someone, yet you act so entitled. Your child is truly unlucky to have a mother like you.'
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That's just outrageous.
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It's not that people want to ride on the sidewalk, but there are often no dedicated bike lanes. The rule is you can only use bike lanes or sidewalks; riding in car lanes gets you fined. However, most roads in Shenzhen lack bike lanes, leaving only sidewalks. So don't just complain about e-bikes on sidewalks; I see plenty of people riding in car lanes as if they own them. There are also e-bike riders who conscientiously follow the rules. If you want to blame someone or complain, tell the government to build proper bike lanes. For those new to Shenzhen, understand that e-bikes are on sidewalks not out of choice—people are just trying to follow the rules set by the government.
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Hong Kong and Macau are better; they fine people until everyone behaves properly.
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Hahahaha, and then there are the roads that are already narrow but end up crammed with haphazardly parked e-bikes. Plus, at night, private cars block the entrances and exits of bike lanes. This illegal parking is even worse near 'urban villages' – that's just a fact, don't get defensive and try to shut people up.
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Not necessarily just urban villages, but take a look outside crowded places like Longhua Uniwalk.
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The current situation in Shenzhen: cars yield to pedestrians, and pedestrians yield to e-bikes.
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Cars yield to pedestrians and e-bikes. Pedestrians yield to e-bikes. E-bikes can go the wrong way, run red lights, honk incessantly at pedestrians, and compete for road space with cars. E-bikes are basically invincible.
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Try to walk as close to the side as possible. Don't deliberately try to make way for them, as that can actually make you more likely to get hit. If they honk from behind, just ignore it and keep to your side.
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Some of them don't even honk; they just brush right past your shoulder, even when you're already walking on the very edge. It's truly lawless.
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In Shenzhen, e-bikes and pedestrians often share the same path.
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Exactly, some roads just don't have bike lanes. The ones with those large sun umbrellas are especially scary – it feels like they could slit your throat!
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It's clearly a government planning problem. If there are no bike lanes, of course e-bikes will use the sidewalks. The regulations even allow e-bikes on sidewalks. This is a conflict between the people and the government, but you've misunderstood it as a conflict among the people themselves.
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It is a government planning issue, but the behavior of many e-bike riders is genuinely poor. In some places where there are bike lanes, they still insist on riding on the sidewalk, honking non-stop.
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When my husband first moved to Shenzhen, he also rode his e-bike on the sidewalk. I told him to be careful not to hit anyone. It was only a couple of days ago, after he'd actually spent time there, that he told me e-bikes are supposed to use the sidewalk and aren't allowed on the main roads.
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Learned something new.
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Shenzhen is really unfriendly to e-bike riders. There are no dedicated bike lanes, so you're forced to share with pedestrians on sidewalks. And when there's road construction, you sometimes have to ride right in front of bus stops. Coming to Shenzhen has really killed my love for e-bikes.
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Yesterday, I got off the bus, and the area next to the bus stop platform was fenced off, so I couldn't walk there. I had to walk on the road, which was full of cars, and I even got honked at. I was speechless.
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Oh my god! This is near my home! I rarely use this specific road unless I'm going to the community health center, KFC, or Yi Dian Dian. But for the stretch near Fuan Noodle King, I've complained over forty times about e-bike issues, and it's still not being taken seriously.