Are you feeling lonely? Need to feel surrounded? Check out Shanghai, China

With 18 million + people moving around Shanghai, I would say walking and using public transportation is the easiest way to get squished, run over by a bicycle, moped, car, truck . . . Yesterday, a boxing coach from the gym I work out at told me how he got run over by a truck last week.

All the work vehicles are old school diesel stick shifts. He just happened to be walking on the sidewalk (yes, the sidewalk) and a truck was loaded with construction junk blocking his path. My friend Paul decided to step off the sidewalk right when the driver decided to do a panic backup over Paul. Paul got lucky. He got pinned between a post and the truck until the driver calmed down enough to move the truck forward. Paul got out with his knee banged up a bit, but is walking okay. Don't let this scare you. It could happen to anyone, but probably not for a while . . . read on for the real day to day stuff.

Just to give you a little idea of the traffic here . . .

When the crosswalk turns green we all wait at least 5 seconds for the cars that will run the red light before we begin combat crossing (playing chicken with the cars, mopeds, and bikes).

Red lights are optional. If the driver looks both ways before running the red light, its all good. (refer to the above line about waiting when the light turns green for pedestrian safety)

Law enforcement is also optional. I once saw a truck get a ticket for not having the right license, and a bus get a ticket for driving on a road it wasn't supposed to be driving on (I think it was a big show for us whities-I mean they don't really have set traffic laws!). I also saw a policeman whistle at a moped to stop and the moped almost ran him over before breezing on past him.

Good thing there is lower dangerous crime here because no one pulls over for a cop with flashing lights. I think the ice cream truck gets more respect.

The metro/subway between the hours of 4:30 and 7 is for the brave, the stupid, and the poor. And of course those in a rush and those who get sick in taxis (see the uploaded video for a full understanding of the metro. Note: this video is about half the capacity of a full subway. I have been in on those full subways, where you just pick a strangers lap and sit in it or back up into it because that's the only place there is room).

The law of size really applies in traffic: Mopeds and Bicyclers will stop for cars. People will stop for everyone, and buses stop for NO one. When the bus moves towards me, I get out of the way!

When things get rough, I like to use the skills I learned in basketball. I walk with my elbows out in busy pedestrian areas to discourage people from pushing me.