The riding is actually bringing back a lot of memories when I first came to Shanghai some 10 years ago and it was an exciting way to zip around the city. Then and now! The benefits are good exercise, it`s fun, saves money, no worries about cops anymore (compared to riding an unregistered motorcycle) and amazingly it is still faster than a car for short to medium distance trips.
The biggest change in Shanghai now from 10 years ago is the sheer number of cars on the road. Despite efforts by the government to limit car plates through the market (on average they now cost $50000)and to increase road capacity, the traffic jams have only gotten worse, and worse, and worse.
In many ways the bicycle is just as good now to get around as it was 10 years ago. After leaving a dinner party last night I got home on my bike before some of my colleauges had even managed to find a taxi. An impossible ordeal on a Friday afternoon or evening to find a Shanghai taxi. Don't even attempt.
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