I will have to tell you about the ride I took in one of those home made 3 wheel motor cycle type things one time. All I will say here is I could have touched the grill of the on coming bus he cut off.
MAJOR OFF TOPIC POST
I love Sanluanche (Three-wheeled vehicles)! They really add character to some places and every area has a different style. In Guangzhou I took one that was a hybrid of a converted tractor and a motorcycle.
Man: Where are you going?
Me: Too far [for THAT]..
Man: *Smiling* 5 kuai (A discount). Let's go.
Me: (What am I doing?...) *Gets on "vehicle thing"*
That thing was badarse and scared the **** out of me. If you know how the streets cross over one another in Guangzhou (Stacked, sometimes perhaps 9 streets high) you can appreciate how intense the ride was. He drove it so bloody fast and I held on with white knuckles. I also recall that I had to hold on to a metal bar behind me, which was originally designed to attach a plow! And I had two bags with me, as well. I almost lost them as he cut off other people and ascended and descended streets at dizzying heights.
Driving in third world countries can actually help your MA senses greatly. I have become much better at gauging distances and the required speed through driving myself. It's dangerous, yes, but also a thrill. I have driven petrol-powered bicycles fifty kilometres an hour in Chongqing (Mountain city) and made mid-"flight" repairs whilst traffick swirled around me and a hill loomed ahead (Brake failure =S) and been in traffick jams where I was the only human.
Me: *honk honk!*
Water buffalo: *Looks back* Mo0O!!!
Me: ****. You're going to make me late for work! *Accelerates and starts plowing through fifty of the beasts*
Needless to say, I think everyone should have a go at it. As an MAist, I feel the need to be in control of most aspects of my life. Never leave your life in others' hands - take the reins of your beast of burden and RIDE!
My new electric scooter cost 2500元 (~$320).
- It rides 45km/hr (With a speed inhibitor that I haven't removed yet
), 40 with two people. There are faster, but this is actually more than fast enough in the city.
- It is quite big and two bigger people can easily ride on it. My wife and I ride on it very comfortably. It has got an underseat compartment and a big boot. We can put extra clothes, raincoats, chargers, locks, and whatever else in the storage compartment under the seat and groceries and anything else that's not too bulky in the boot. I have taken a bloody huge suitcase with me by putting it between the seat and the steering collumn and hanging my legs over. =P
- It can ride 100km on one eight hour charge. A little less with two people.
- It has got thick tyres, shock absorbers, excellent braking system, and a plethora of other features. It can go up hills, weave through traffick easily, and parking spaces abound. It's even got an alarm. Sometimes rude Chinese will sit on your grand vehicle. Not on mine!
The bottom line is that as I'm riding I sometimes see other foreigners taking busses or walking, often in a dazed stupour. And then, finally, we come to see the difference between expats and tourists. Don't be a tourist, drive yourself.
And the night races are fun. =P
My very first cab ride in Beijing the guy runs red lights at the intersection of a 6 lane and 4 lane roads at about noon... did not even phase my wife... but I about dove under the seat... but then again she learned to drive there.
Taxis are like that in every major city in every country and most cities in third world countries, where they can be found. I have a mate that was in a taxi that was hit by another car and ran. The taxi then chased after that car through several red lights and was hit by at least two other cars in the process. My mate and his wife opened the door and jumped out before the taxi finally came to a stop - in a wall. That was in Chongqing, I believe.
)Beijing is mainly internal style, some great teachers, some good teachers, some not so good teachers. And even the great generally will charge a westerner more. And Beijing, from what little I know about Chengdu, is very different from Chengdu, if for no other reason it is were the Government is... and they are getting the Olympics now too… must be kind to rich foreigners you know 
