jiejie

Today is the second time in 3 days that I've given up on finding empty taxi in a tough location and have defaulted to a form of Beijing transportation that I've almost never used: the motorized cycle pedicabs. Both times from The PLACE shopping center on Dongdaqiao Lu to Worker's Stadium north gate, or Yashow Market on Gongti Bei Lu. Both times, at the very beginning of the afternoon rush hour, so even buses get mired in traffic in the bus lanes, while you are standing the entire time. It's waiting for the cross streets that kill ya. Since the pedicabs use the bicycle lanes, they often keep moving even when traffic on the main road is at a dead standstill. While the taxi is undeniably heated to toastiness, those waiting charges turn what's normally an RMB 11 or 12 ride into something closer to RMB 20. Might as well pay the pedicab driver the RMB 20 they want, and get there faster. With the front blanket down (an interesting experience in locomotion when you can't see anything), and if you are wearing long johns under your pants, + layers under your coat, hat, gloves and good socks, traveling in the cold in an unheated "vehicle" is bearable.