What Is It Like to Bike to Church in China?

No, I didn’t forget and wear a skirt this morning. I faithfully put on pants, knee brace, socks, etc. that I have put on every day for the past 2 months. After all it was the 30’s and rather cold. These kinds of temperatures make biking interesting.

I put on a heavy winter coat. Mine is a black peacoat, quarter length. If it were longer, I think it would get in the way of biking. I was told before I came here this time that I needed to be sure that I had clothes that were dressy enough. Something like an army/navy camouflage coat would be an embarrassment to them as they expect professors not to be camping chic as it would have been acceptable at some points in their past.  I wrap a scarf around my neck and head, and tie it in the back because winds might otherwise untwist it while I bike. I also need to be sure that I can turn my head and see behind me while I bike without my scarf and hair getting in my way. I put on my gloves, which are those light weight $1 black stretchy knit kind. My brother gave me two other pairs of gloves before I came back in August. They are heavier weight and I wish I could wear them, but they are too bulky to use while biking and also the fingers are too long. I need to be able to grip the handle bars well and thus I need to use gloves that are slick enough but not warm enough. I must be sure that I have on shoes that don’t have much of a heel or I will get caught on the pedals and fall over.

Speaking of falling over! Some new people need to psych themselves up before biking in the traffic in Beijing. I need to psych myself into getting ready to throw my arthritic hip over the frame to get to the pedal. I have discovered that if I stand on a curb it makes it easier to get my leg over. However, this involves finding a curb….on the right side of the bike, because you first have to push the kick stand up on the left side of the bike, and it is hard to hold the bike up and work your way around the bike. You must also make sure that the pedals are in the down position. I twice tried to mount the bike off the curb onto a pedal that was in the up position and push off to biking. This ended up with me lying on the ground, once in the middle of a bush. Think beached whale or turtle on its back with legs flailing in the air. At least Rick was present and was able to set me right. Not hurt, just embarrassed. After I agonizingly get my leg over the frame, I need to sit on the seat and push myself forward until I get up enough speed to put both feet on the pedal and go. Biking does not hurt at all. It is not weight bearing. Wonderful freedom.

While biking this morning, I saw a grandpa point out Rick biking ahead of me to his little granddaughter. I assume he also pointed me out. There are many more expats in Beijing,than some other places we have lived and we are not quite such an anomaly, but I suppose not too many foreign grandpas and grandmas on bikes.  People usually don’t laugh nor sneer, but they do stare. It depends on the day as to how I feel whether I am going at a pretty good clip, passing others, even electric bikes, or if I am meandering along and others are having to sail past me.

On the way 2 miles to and from church we actually can usually go with the traffic on the right side of the road, rather than sneaking against the traffic. It does not make all that much difference. Half the bikes and motor bikes are going the wrong way at any given time, but you always feel better going the right way. However, if you are going the wrong way you have to always take a guess as to which way to zig as those coming against you are zagging. In the US one would nearly always go to the right. Here it is always a question. There is some rule that dictates this, and I think it is the shortest distance, but I am still not sure, and it makes many encounters a game of chicken. Often, I just put my foot down and sit there and let them go by me. After all I am not going that fast.

In the past year I have been hit 3 times. They were my fault. I fell to the ground, but was never hurt. The people were very solicitous and wanted to get me back on my feet before I was really ready and I had to reach into my Chinese in a chaotic situation and tell them to “dung yi shia”: “wait a minute”.  It works and I get on my bike and go on. You need to pray for people as we go to church.