Biking in Wuhan

My first year in China I had a bike for about 2 weeks. Then... it was stolen. I decided not to buy another one because I was a little scared to bike in Wuhan. Then, last year I bought a bike... and I LOVE IT!

It's been a bit cold so there was about two weeks where I didn't bike anywhere. It's too hard to put all the layers on with the helmet (that's right, I'm safe) and fight the cold weather. However, this week was mild, so I hit the road again! Now, I'm confident.

Here are some tips to biking (or driving, really) in China.
1- No matter what, DON'T hit the person in front of you. This may seem obvious, but people, cars, and bikes swerve around quite randomly. So, it's your job to always pay attention and swerve with the traffic.
2- Use your bell! That's why you have it. Give a little dingaling to warn the walkers that you're coming. It might not always work, but at least you tried.
3- Keep focused. I realize that if I start day dreaming, I run into trouble (sometimes literally).
4- Realize that you may hit someone but it'll be ok. I have hit a few people since I started biking. People jump out from behind buses or around corners and you can't always stop in time. But it's ok, make sure they're ok, say sorry, and just keep going (unless it's major- which wouldn't really happen on a bike)
5- Have fun! Enjoy the thrill you get from biking in Wuhan.

I love my wheels. They give me freedom from crowded buses and traffic jams! Plus, they help me stay in shape :) Wanna come visit? You can give biking a shot as well.