Protection from the Elements

Last night and today, the second typhoon of the summer came through near Shanghai. It brought with it 30 MPH wind and hard rain for virtually 24 hours now. We are trying to stay dry and have been pretty successful, but it’s not so easy for the millions (not an exaggeration) of bicycle and scooter riders here in Shanghai.

There are a variety of interesting methods these folks employ to stay dry. No matter which method selected, each strategy employs an oversized plastic poncho, a ballcap, and two clothes pins. The hat is placed under the poncho to provide a “brim” for the water to roll off, and the clothes pins are used to secure the front of the poncho to one’s handlebars – providing a “tent” to protect the legs and feet from water. Here are a few of the more common strategies:

“The Rollback” – This strategy involves tying plastic Wal-Mart sacks securely around each foot and each hand. The downside is this method requires another person to adequately fasten one’s hands with Sam Walton’s multipurpose totes.

“The Big Wheel” – This is the most dangerous of all methods, but very common. It’s utilized by those with motorized bikes and scooters. The rider puts his feet up near the handle bars – parallel to his hands – in order to protect his legs and feet from the water below. It puts the rider’s balance in a very precarious position. The risk of injury is quite high, but keeping one’s pants dry trumps safety.

“The Huckleberry” – The Huckleberry is the most common tactic and involves rolling one’s pant legs up to the knees (ala Huck Finn) and wearing flip flops or going barefoot. This strategy keeps the shoes dry (as they are kept in a backpack), but puts one’s bare legs and feet at the risk of a sudden “foot stop” that might be necessary or any random critters that might want to munch on the exposed flesh.

“The Rat’s Ass” – This is the second most utilized method and it’s when people take absolutely no precautions whatsoever to protect themselves from the elements. They ride to work as if it’s a perfectly sunny day and they don’t give a rat’s ass that it’s going to rain 6 inches today.