Crazy Drivers and Street Cleaners

A couple of other observations from today….first, China's drivers are absolutely crazy. I was crossing the street today on a crosswalk with a green walk light when a bus nearly ran me over. Jessica was walking with me and yelled out and I looked up to see a very calm bus driver roaring straight for me. He didn’t seem worried at all that he was about to make me into a hood ornament. Pedestrians never have the right-of-way in China. There are always bikes, scooters, motorcycles, and cars turning across walking paths. Also, when riding in a taxi it is normal to nearly have 10 accidents on the way to your destination. They just weave in and out into gaps that are way too small, even for the small cars here. However, having said all of that, I haven’t seen a wreck yet while I have been here. Unrelated to this is another interesting thing about Hangzhou—the street cleaners. It is quite often that you hear a little song coming from a truck driving down the road, like an ice cream truck. Then, you see that the truck is a street cleaner. So, when in China, and you hear a little song playing, step back from the road because you will be soaked if you are too close! The street cleaner truck is pictured below from our hotel window.