Shenzhen Has NO Bike Lanes?! WTF, It's a Total Mess!

[Cathy Gulgowski]

Sure, no problem! Now let me explain to you about Shenzhen – it is a place with plenty of good food to enjoy, but its transportation can be quite complex and somewhat challenging.

Since I'm here for work, I now reside in Shenzhen, which is a large city in southern China known for its advanced technology. Thankfully, my accommodation is only two kilometers away from both the company and project location.

Regarding the transportation:
• Shared electric scooters, which you could ride simply by scanning a QR code, are abundant around the city and rather convenient.
○ However, it's priced at RMB¥3 for every ten minutes; that seems slightly expensive.
○ ️ A word of caution! There are two things you must pay attention to when riding an electric scooter:
• First, head protection is mandatory!
• Second, carrying passengers on these vehicles is strictly forbidden!
• If caught by the traffic police, even if for the first time, the penalty is RMB¥200; no second chances there! (This was told by a local friend of mine, though I haven't been arrested myself yet, hehe.)
○ Additionally, I tried taking the late night bus, at a similar fare of RMB¥3 per trip.

In terms of urban construction and traffic experience:

• The greening of cities in Shenzhen indeed deserves an applause, since greenery is everywhere.

• Nevertheless, the width of the roadside greenbelts feels too excessive, and bike lanes or "non-motorized vehicle lanes" are scarce.

 • Consequently, motorcycles, bikes, and pedestrians all share one path, with private e-bikes or bikes everywhere as well! It's all pretty chaotic over here.
 • I can't imagine how people who commute by bike feel every single day, so frazzled and agitated.
 • Talking further, regarding the special walking path for blind people, it appears to be nothing more than a showpiece, with many portions occupied. Therefore, it may discourage blind individuals from going out alone.
 • Besides, the rules on signals in this city vary from where I previously resided such as Zhengzhou in the North.
      • At certain intersections where pedestrian crosswalks will simultaneously light up in two directions, all cars will need to come to a full stop and then wait, adding a layer of safety.

• Moreover, in most cases, the vehicular traffic yields the way for the pedestrians. This is indeed worth some praise!

A couple of petty complaints:

• Overhead speakers on public buses still promote not to be obsessed with mobile phones, appreciating beautiful sceneries instead.
• I wonder what scenery can be clearly seen when looking up - tall skyscrapers or the messy roads mentioned above.
• Therefore, despite being an international metropolis with vibrant economy, this disordered setting certainly detracts from its allure and impression.

Food Recommendations (you deserve them!):

• For lunch, I tried "Fei Da Chu," a renowned Hunanese restaurant specializing in spicy dishes. It tasted spectacular!
• In the evening, I sampled "Sinking Jade." Although mainly an institution dedicated to Cantonese dimSum and tea drinking, the establishment had fewer dining customers than expected, enabling me to enjoy their offerings without long waiting queues.

Shenzhen Dwellers:
• Shenzhen natives are wonderful- they have soft voices with pleasant accents and remain friendly even to strangers. It indeed made a great impact on my visit considering the quality of human relationships.

Housing & Surroundings:
• Located close to Yuanfang Tiandi mall in Longhua District, this complex is said to be among largest malls in Shenzhen! When I visited in the evening, it exceeded my expectations, being both spacious and brimming with famous brands.
• Sadly, due to the short notice and tight schedule provided for the business trip, I haven't been able to explore areas too distant nor did I manage to appreciate all its features.

[Abel Schulist MD]

You could check out Talent Park in the evening. I think it's pretty good.

[Candace McDermott]

Okay, I'll see if I have time.

[Shawna Keebler-Satterfield]

Breaking the law with no consequences, hit-and-runs, speeding, and honking at everyone they encounter – it's a real showcase of 'fine' attributes.