Do shanghai need traffic lights? (or rules?)

Like I mentioned in my previous post, shanghai's traffic is in a state of chaos (as of June 2004, they are trying to brainwash people to obey the rules in preparation of 2010)

In a meeting with an american designer in shanghai, i mentioned that to him. his point of view is "although it's chaotic, its not necessarily less safe"

Not his exact words, but his main point is

"When you know everybody obeys the rules, you may get complacent. you may not check your mirror as often, drive a little faster on green lights and assume it's always safe. However, when you know the majority do not obey the traffic lights (like what my friend said, just for reference), you WILL always check your mirrors, you slow down on junctions, even if its green light, and you never take safety for granted"

I see his point, as the first accident i saw in shanghai was on the 8th week. It's a little hard to believe for me then. Thinking back, I seem to see more accidents back in my country where everybody follows the rules.

Do shanghai traffic need traffic lights at all? during the peak hours, it's slow, but so are the traffic in peak hours with traffic lights.

every time a car cuts a lane during peak hours, he is "bargaining" with the other car. everytime someone accelerate on red light, he is taking calculated risk from experience (he does that everyday right?).

After a few months, i actually feel safer on shanghai roads.

My friends who came to shanghai to visit were as shocked as me when i just arrived. I gave them my advice

"When in doubt stay still, they will avoid you"

it worked pretty well.

this "traffic" theory seems to apply also to the business environment in shanghai.

because you know most people do not obey the rules, and morever, unlike the traffic, business rules and regulations are always changing, you WILL be caution. you dont take other's promises for granted, and you definitely know how to take calculated risk better than people living in strict rules and regulations.

A lawyer once joked,

"anybody can be a lawyer in shanghai, because the rules changes to fast. what you learnt last week may be obsolete today. before you finish reading the law book, the new edition is published"

maybe the only rule shanghai is the fact that there is none.

Chaotic shanghai

This is the first interesting conversation in shanghai that I remember till today

I was taking a cab in the peak hours, i think it was my first week in shanghai and I was still running around talking to people about possibility of working in this city

Caught in a jam.

Me (in chinese): shang4 hai2 hao3 luan4
(meaning): Shanghai is chaotic...(I was refering to the traffic)

Cab Driver (in chinese): luan4 cai2 you3 qian2 zhuan4, bu4 luan4 qian2 dou1 shi4 zhen4 fu3 zhuan4
(meaning): You can only earn money if its chaotic, if its too orderly, only the government earns money

This struck a chord in me. From where I came from. It was TOO orderly, everybody follows instructions from the government. but in china, later I realize, and also what a lot of people says

China is a country that pretends to be a communist state.

People seems to obey the govt, but maybe not really...when you stay here long enough, you can "feel" it. They find loopholes in laws, think out of the box, do the unthinkable (and i dont mean just letting a child shit on the roadside) and always wear a smile.

Well...i dunno if this means a push or a pull factor for businessmen. Some businessmen here like the occasional no hard rules environment, anything goes. For others, its just too risky to go into a contract with anybody in shanghai.

For me, at least during that 20mins cab ride, I was looking forward to the chaos.

How did I end up here

About a year ago a friend of mine working in shanghai persuaded me to take a look at this new upcoming city with growing oppotunities. Being bored of the country i grew up in for 20+ years, i went over for a holiday, and managed to find some local ad firm who is willing to collaborate with me.

It had been a year since...and shanghai has a lot of interesting things to write about...the most interesting things, however, are those politically "incorrect ones".

I like to understand cultures, live like a local (wherever i am) and understand their behaviour (at least i try to). I always thought of myself as an earthling, I never just want to be known as and live as a citizen of a certain geographical area...so shanghai is my first stop i guess...and to write about.

Stay tune for more