Not a cliche; pay attention!

We’ve talked about experiencing Chinese traffic from the perspective of a passenger inside a vehicle, and how chaotic and potentially dangerous it can be. But in that situation, at least you have a shell of metal, glass, and plastic around you.

We strongly encourage you to get out of your hotel and walk around the neighborhood; people are friendly - especially when you’re taking your child for a stroll - and there are endless fascinating things to see. On the sidewalks and park lanes, take your time to window-shop, appreciate the flowers, and watch birds with your toddler.

The problem is that you will probably need to cross the street at some point, and now you’re on the wrong side of the car door. Plus, you won’t have enough time or medical insurance to acquire the sixth sense that Chinese pedestrians seem to display. On the sidewalk, you can be leisurely, but on the crosswalk, you need to be alert, aware, and actively moving...

The rules for you, as a foreigner, are simple:

1. •ONLY cross at a crosswalk. Your actions as an outsider are unpredictable enough for a local driver, don’t complicate the matter by popping up in an unexpected place.
   

2. •Pay attention to the stoplights. It doesn’t matter if the drivers don’t seem to; if you try to cross on a red, you’re in the wrong.
   

3. •Don’t just do as the locals do, do it with the locals. Preferably you’d like to cross while surrounded by a large bunch of people.
   

They know what they’re doing - keep up with them and you’ll be fine.