Two wheels are the way to go

Cars may rule in North America but in Asia, it is anything on two wheels (or three) that takes over the asphalt.   Scooters, motorcycles, and bicycles are rampant across this part of the world.  In Canada, parents line up in their cars in places to pick up the kids after school, here we see parents lined up with their bicycles and scooters outside the school gates picking up the little tikes.  As they head off down the road, some kids face backwards and some face forwards, but they all look like they have been doing it for years.  It is not unusual to see a mom ride off with three of them that seem to be attached at the hip and squished together on a little 100cc  contraption of some sort.

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We have seen families of four zooming along at speeds of 50 km/h or more, dad driving, kids munching on snacks and mom on her cell phone.  None of them barely seem to be hanging on but all look comfortable, without a care in the world.  Most female passengers ride side-saddle with their miniskirts hugging at the hips, balancing as they go, rarely holding on to anything.  Even after more than four years in this country, it is a sight to behold.

In Wuhan, it is against the law to have anything over 250 cc.  The vast majority of the motorcycles and scooters are under 125 cc and all the electric ones are much smaller than that.  But this city is made for two wheels.  You can go almost anywhere without heading out into traffic.  Every major road is accompanied with a wide scooter lane off to the side that is as wide as some of the small country roads in Canada.  In fact, at rush hour, it is not unusual to see buses and cars using these lanes as extra traffic lanes.  And it is much easier to get from point A to point B on two wheels than be stuck in traffic in a car or truck.  Anything moving that is small enough can weave between the lines of cars and larger vehicles and get to a destination much faster.  What would take an hour by car might take half that time by scooter.

There are as many electric scooters as gas-powered ones.  Most apartment and condo complexes have electrical outlets in the parking lots where these things can be plugged in and recharged at night.  But when walking around throughout Asia, one has to be wary of all these electric vehicles.  They sneak up behind you on sidewalks because they are pretty much noiseless when speeding along.

But trading in the car for two wheels is a major savings.  They use gas by the spoonful and many can be purchased for less than $500.  Most people don’t have insurance or licenses even though they are supposed to.  A few dollars a week will get you back and forth to work and save a lot of hassle by avoiding crowded buses or looking for a taxi at rush hour.  Anybody considering retiring or working in this part of the world should definitely think about buying one to get around in.  They are fun, cheap, and fairly safe if one drives defensively at all times.  Driving anything here is an experience but two wheels will fit easier than four into a small opening in times of danger!