From A to B

I've been on a bike more this year than any other, and I've thought a lot about our modes of transportation (thanks, SMG). Since my trip to China, I've stepped back into this side of the world, where everyone is dependent on cars to get around. I wish I could walk outside the door and see people, not vehicles. It's strange not to know your neighbors, and how much emphasis is placed on manners in the first stages of meeting someone. I don't think this is such an issue in Asia. People may have invaded some personal space and stated things I would consider rude during my travels abroad, but there was always unpredictable human interaction to observe. Sometimes it's just too quiet around here and I need to find that excitement myself.

Traffic in China is absolutely ridiculous. It's not gridlock, it's a collective consciousness of flowing harmony. Whereas everyone here stays in their lane, signals when changing lanes and then waves to excuse themselves, drivers in China can sense the presence of others, yielding instead of using aggression (like Tai Chi vs. Kickboxing). This resembles chaos, but it is rare to see accidents, which is hard to say about the Capital Beltway. People are not alert to their surroundings here, much like they are not aware of the dynamics of interdependence. Also, I never witnessed road rage in China.

When I explain the concept of pain to my patients, I often use traffic to illustrate the blockage of qi in our pathways. Maybe there was an accident (trauma), a construction zone (excess), or everyone is going under the speed limit (deficiency). All of these things will affect the flow of qi, the energy that helps to nourish our body, and stimulating certain points will help to unblock the stagnation while relieving pain.

After looking for videos on driving and biking in China, I started feeling a bit carsick. I remember having to close my eyes sitting in the back of a taxi in the beginning, or constantly ringing my bell on my bike to let people know I was approaching. Think about being a pedestrian in this. In most taxis in Hangzhou, a clear divider between driver and passenger is standard. This is to protect the driver so no one can strangle him from behind or attempt to assault him. I never really thought about how dangerous of a job it was for them until I took cabs every day for $1.50/ride. I also had to get used to being rejected a ride (in the pouring rain) if I wasn't going in the same direction as the driver. Eventually I gave up and walked home. If you have some time, watch this video and pay attention to the bike ponchos in the rain, people holding their umbrellas on bike, the pedestrians, the cargo on foot and bicycle, and how there is no such thing as "too close."