I’ve just bought a bagel that could be used to commit some serious bodily harm. No wonder the street vendor was so surprised when I wanted to buy one. I think they usually sell them by the truck load to build houses, but this thing is sure not edible.

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again I think China will surpass the west in far fewer years than it took the west to develop into the superpowers they are today. The first difference I notice din China between now and when I was here about 10 years ago is the fact that for every car on the street there are 5 scooters. However the scooters are all electric. The problem with them is they function in stealth mode and you cannot hear the little buggers creeping up behind you. They may be good for reducing noise and air pollution but they are not good for my heart, crossing the road and also driving in china is SCARY.

Riding a bike in China is certainly a new experience. Drivers seem to have no concept that motorbikes are vehicles on the road. They overtake so close to you that if your elbows were slightly pushed out they would probably be taken right off.  Drivers also live on their hooters driving here is quite a noisy experience. My worst experience of road rage has been in china.

I was overtaking a huge truck and a driver in a new fancy SUV drove up behind me so close I could almost feel him breathing down my neck and was literally quite nervous that he was going to hit my back tire. He put his hand on his horn and just sat there blasting me. I waved my arm in the air indicating the universal “where the hell must I go, I’m busy overtaking you freaking idiot” signal, and at that moment passed the truck and pulled over. Well this guy almost side swiped me trying to push me off the road. He would down his window and went nuts at me (I may not be a good rider but I was completely in the right) so I gave him the universal “you’re a tosser now piss off and leave me alone” signal (the first signal being just an innocent wave of the hand, the second being a little rude). OUCH this just made him mad. So he turned in towards my bike again and I just slammed on breaks, he pulled in front of me and started slowing down trying to get me off the road. My heart just started beating really fast because then I realised this guy meant business and had every intention of getting me off the road at all costs. DAVID to the Rescue 🙂 fortunately our 4×4 was close behind me at this point and had seen what was happening. David rushed in and pulled in beside me and which point I dropped behind him. He got in close behind the black SUV and just sat there. The guy in the SUV pulled (we are on a double lane highway) to the left road and right road trying to shake David or get David to pas shim. But that was not going to happen and David just sat on his tail, with me behind him sweating bullets and shaking. Eventually the guy slowed down to almost a stop but perhaps at that point saw that there were 3 people in David’s car, or realised that I was with David and he was not leaving me alone, and they SUV driver just sped off.

It was a really crazy and scary moment and I hate to think what they guy would have done if I had stopped or if he had succeeded in pushing me right off the road. I am not a violent person but I really wished I was on a superbike and I would have kicked that guys door in and then just taken off at break necks speed. I’ve never wanted to key someones car so badly.