Shanghai is generally recognized for both its rapid economic progress and rising ranks of wealthy residents, but an ominous byproduct of both these hallmarks - traffic congestion and traffic accidents - have given the city a notorious reputation for having unsafe intersections and constantly gridlocked streets.

A 2014 report on the state of traffic in Chinese cities shows that while Beijing continues to take the crown as China's most congested city, Shanghai has quickly moved up the list in recent years to third place. And according to 2015 research conducted by a European mapping firm, Shanghai ranks 24th out of 146 of the world's most gridlocked cities.

This gridlock in China's major cities can be directly attributed to the recent unprecedented growth in the domestic auto market. According to the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers, in 2015 over 24 million vehicles and passenger cars were sold, with 3 million households in Shanghai now owning at least one car. There were over 1,000 traffic accidents and 900 fatalities across Shanghai in 2014; the two leading causes cited were drivers not obeying traffic lights and not letting pedestrians pass.

To combat the dual issues of congestion and bad driving, the Shanghai government launched a three-month traffic enforcement campaign at the end of March, which was kicked off with a high-profile, citywide crackdown. According to Eastday.com, on March 26 and 27 traffic police dealt with nearly 40,000 cases ranging from illegal parking to red light-running to pedestrian jaywalking.

Most municipal residents agree that the campaign has been long in coming and is very much needed, but locals wonder if the positive impact the campaign is having is a long-term solution or if drivers will just return to their usual bad habits as soon as police abandon their intersections. To get an outsider's perspective, the Global Times recently hit the sidewalks to ask pedestrian foreigners their opinions on the state of Shanghai traffic.

Eva Barriga, graphic designer, the US

Although I'm here for just two days, I've already experienced rush hour in Shanghai - it's horrible. It's really dangerous to cross the roads here. People have to be alert all the time because some drivers might turn right even if the light is for pedestrians. Today I noticed that there are many policemen at each intersection, and I think such kind of enforcement is a good thing. But it would be more effective with stricter penalties. I don't know what the punishment is in China, but in the US if you park illegally, the police will tow it away and then you have to pay about $100. Violators need to know that there are consequences so that they dare not to do it again.

Iskra Dobreva, sales, the US

Both Chicago, where I live, and Shanghai are big cities, but the population here is 10 times bigger than Chicago, so probably that's why the traffic is so terrible here. I walk a lot, but when you are crossing an intersection on a green light the cars and motorcyclists just turn right, they don't wait for pedestrians. They turn right at full speed! It seems that the bigger the cars or trucks, the more power they have over pedestrians, because they know that people will back off.

Iskra Dobreva, sales (left) and Eva Barriga, graphic designer, the US

Lotte Ediskrem, Norway

I've lived in Shanghai for two years, and I drive a scooter to work. I remember the first day I drove my scooter on the road - it was so scary, both my hands got sweaty. The cars here will continue to drive even when it's my green, and they'll honk their horn at you. It's become an acceptable thing to everyone. If you know the rules but you see nobody else following the rules, then after a while you accept the common use of the rule instead of the rules themselves.

Naomi, DJ, Russia

I have lived here for six years, so I assume that makes me a local. There are too many cars in Shanghai, much more than six years ago. Honestly speaking, I don't think policemen are helpful, but it doesn't mean that we don't need policemen. They are important when a traffic light is broken or some other emergency happens. I am really scared of the taxi drivers here. Sometimes I wonder, 'what are you doing? You can't turn left here!' Let me tell you my suggestion on the traffic: if everyone respects each other, then we will live in a safer and more peaceful place.

Naomi, DJ, Russia

Sasha Gasparian, student, the US

I've been in Shanghai for only two months. Most often I walk or take a taxi so I don't think the new traffic crackdown affects me much. The biggest violators are the drivers. Many of them are too aggressive. Once I took a taxi and the driver honked all the time and barely drove straight. I felt very worried because I had my daughter beside me.

Zach Fatla, businessman, the US

I'm sorry to say this, but Shanghai's traffic is terrible. Drivers here are indifferent and selfish. They never care about other people. Often there will be people driving against traffic or e-bikes in the wrong lane. I drove when I was in the US, but driving in Shanghai will never ever be my consideration, never. I'm very satisfied with Uber. Their drivers are reliable and their English is better than the average taxi driver.

Zach Fatla, businessman (left) and Sasha Gasparian, student, the US

 

A foreigner drives a scooter without a license at the intersection of Changde Road and Nanjing Road West. Photo: Yang Hui/GT

The article was written by Qu Xinyi
Newspaper headline: Traffic talk