Every year for back to school there’s one thing that parents tend to forget to add to the checklist – the notorious Beijing traffic. With the kids heading back to school at the same time in the morning plus their parents going to work, understandably there will be some frustration on the road.

According to the Beijing News, the Beijing traffic police news, this year’s back-to-school traffic is already ahead of schedule but as the week continues, the traffic pressure on the roads around primary and secondary schools will increase in the early morning and afternoon times during drop off and pick up.

Around the National Conventional Center and Shougang Park area, temporary traffic management measures will be taken due to the current 2022 China International Trade in Services Fair from Aug 31 – Sep 5. The roads will be closed off to vehicles and pedestrians in the area until midnight on Sep 5. For those who need to travel through there, officials recommend going by Beichen East Road, Beichen West Road, Hujing East, Kehui South, South 4th Ring Road, Xin’an Lu, and Shijingshan Road.

In Xicheng District, to help with the flow of traffic officials have announced that starting from Sep 1, Xibienmenwai Avenue between Fuxingmen Wai and Zhenwumiao Road will now prohibit U-turns.

Lastly, due to the back-to-school traffic, entrances to parking structures at places such as Joy City, Hopson One, Solana, Sanlitun, Wanda Plata, and other popular shopping centers can expect unusually long queuing.

For the next week, remember to leave more than half an hour earlier than your usual estimated travel time and try to take public transportation as much as possible.

Images: Beijing News, Pexels

No matter your parent philosophies, we all want to raise our kids to be independent and self-sufficient people. I’ve always been impressed by documentaries that show how kids as young as 5 in Tokyo were entrusted by their parents to get groceries from the store by themselves. The kids would even have to take the subway or bus in some cases. It’s a far cry from the bubble of privilege our expat existence enjoys here in Beijing, where the school bus ayi refuses to let my child off the bus to walk the 50 steps distance to the building entrance by himself.

So I began to question, how capable is my 7-year-old at basic life skills such as crossing the road? I came up with a challenge, to get him to go to the market across the street to buy a capsicum, which we happened to need for dinner that night. The caveat was that I would follow him this first time at least, but I would not say anything unless he put himself or others in danger.

Let’s find out how he did…

We asked some parents how they felt about letting their kids wander outside of their homes on their own and here are some responses we received.

“The kids are allowed to roam freely in the compound. I used to send my 6-year-old to the market inside our compound to buy fruit. They did their first walk to the supermarket by themselves aged 10, 9, and 7, together as a group,” Rebecca Archer, resident in Noble Mansion, Haidian.

Jackie Park, the mother of a 6- and 8-year-old who lives in Sanyuanqiao, agrees, “We’re also okay with letting kids play in the compound to go to classes on their own, and to the little mart, or even to restaurants. But we don’t let them cross the street on their own.”

The general consensus was that it was acceptable for the kids to roam within the residences, especially as a group with older siblings. What was stopping them from going further was the local traffic conditions. As one anonymous parent put it, “We’re living in one of the most densely populated cities in the world, and accidents happen all the time, whether reported or otherwise.”

AJ flatly said that he would not allow his kids to go outside of their residence because of, “Simply put, the state of drivers who show little consideration for pedestrians and others.” But even he recognized that “he would have to do it by himself at some point…”

Josie Latham added another layer to the discourse, “It’s also about personality and depends on how sensible the kid is. My older one is naturally more cautious although sometimes absent-minded while the younger one is a total thrill seeker speed demon…!”

Aside from the traffic concerns, Archer also said that while she was not at all worried about kidnapping, she has taken precautions to “drill into her kids a lot about tricky people and situations where adults could lure kids. They’re not allowed to go into any neighbors’ houses or yards unless they check with me first.”

At the same time, we mustn’t overlook our children’s personal choices in the matter. Sharee Hebert’s 9-year-old daughter had the option to walk in from the school bus to their home without an adult but she said no, leading Hebert to conclude, “I don’t think my daughter would be comfortable walking alone outside the compound.”

It’s quite the balancing act to nurture much-necessary independence in our children and consider safety in this busy city. As expats here, we should always remember that our stay here is mostly likely transient and that we will ultimately return to our home countries where our children may not enjoy the same privileges. Let us keep the end goal of raising happy, healthy individuals who are well-adjusted in mind as we continue to navigate these possibly perilous streets.

KEEP READING: Really Communicating With Your Child at Every Age

Images: Vivienne Tseng-Rush, Pexels

After several postponements, this year’s Two Sessions (两会 liǎnghuì), which would usually take place at the beginning of March, have finally been penned to commence between May 21-28 – a full week shorter than usual. These major meetings between the China People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) and the National People’s Congress (NPC) are designed to review the previous year’s achievements and to layout future goals. As such, they will profoundly impact many aspects of Chinese life in ways that will travel far beyond the conference rooms in the Great Hall of the People, where the meetings are held.

This year is especially important as it marks the last year of the 13th five-year plan (launched in 2016), and the government will be eager to wrap up a number of objectives set out to improve Chinese citizen’s general quality of life, as well as progress in innovation and the environment, all amid fallout from the coronavirus, a trade war with the United States, and growing friction with a number of countries worldwide.

Even though much of what is decided is unlikely to have a direct effect on foreigners here, at least in the short-term, there are restrictions on the ground that it’s best to be prepared for. Given that delegates will begin to arrive in the capital on May 19-20 we can expect to see tighter restrictions taking effect then.

Heavy road control and snarled traffic

We can expect security this year to be especially tight

You can expect much of Beijing’s political heart – Chang’an Jie, Tiananmen Square, Zhongnanhai, and the surrounding areas – as well as the North Second Ring Road and Airport Expressway, to be congested as delegates make their way to and from the meetings. We will know more about which areas will be especially congested as the meetings draw closer.

Potential tamp-down on nightlife and large-scale entertainment events

We can expect ramped-up scrutiny and restrictions

Just as Beijing has started to come out of its shell, we can expect ramped-up scrutiny and restrictions of large-scale events as well as an increased police presence at venues. Historically, it’s also a time when restaurants and bars may be raided and customers tested for drug use. In light of the coronavirus and the ongoing restrictions around seating etc., we can expect this year to be especially tight, though perhaps we won’t even notice for the very same reason.

Use of all aerial vehicles banned

On top of the already strict aerial vehicle regulations in Beijing, which effectively ban all drone use within the Fifth Ring Road, the Public Security Bureau (PSB) has also released a notice banning all other aerial vehicles, including everything from light aircraft and gliders to balloons, between May 20-28.

Slowed deliveries

You can expect your deliveries to travel slower

The China State Post Bureau has announced that it will start conducting further checks on post and packages coming into Beijing starting May 14. That means you can expect your deliveries to travel slower than usual and any mail that arrives without the proper security identification will be returned to the sender.

Schools

International and local schools should be unaffected, especially those in Shunyi district, but keep a close eye on communication from your school for any relevant updates.

Expect the internet to be even worse

Can’t access your favorite social media? Yep, that’s going to be the norm for the next couple of weeks.

KEEP READING: Most Beijing Students to Return by June 8, While Others Still Await Dates

This article originally appeared on our sister site, the Beijinger

Photos: Unsplash, ifeng, jfDaily 

A few weeks ago my family and I were involved in a car crash.

I don’t mean to cause any alarm- we walked away completely unhurt and no more than a little put out. The accident happened, like everything else on Beijing’s roads, with glacial slowness. Indeed, it is in many ways a quintessentially Beijing story, and so I present it as such, without comment.

We were riding in a taxi along the third ring road, and, as so often happens, there were four lanes of traffic where only three were marked on the tarmac. A van was attempting to pull into our lane, which it did by the usual method of edging very gradually across. The van driver clearly expected our cabbie to stop and let him in. Our cabbie, however, refused to give way, and continued driving resolutely, bumper to bumper with the car ahead.

I had noticed this situation developing and watched with some amusement for several minutes as the two vehicles gradually, almost imperceptibly, converged. Somebody must blink, I thought, but no, and eventually the inevitable happened. The taxi’s wing mirror made contact with the side of the van, and gracefully inscribed a thin line into the paintwork.

In England, a collision of this kind would result in a red-faced shouting match, with both men determined to establish their moral superiority. In Beijing, the drama unfolded in eerie quiet, although there was no doubting the seething anger underlying it. Our cabbie and the van driver both immediately took out their cellphones, first to photograph the damage, then to call – who? The police? Insurers? I have no idea how these things work here.

Our cabbie then opened his trunk, set up his warning triangle, and wandered off for a smoke. At this point, we began to wonder what we were supposed to do, and more importantly, whether the meter was still running. My wife tried the door only to discover that we were locked in.

Amusement began to turn to concern. Were we expected to stay and act as witnesses? My kindergarten level Chinese is barely up to ordering a mei shi ka fei, let alone testifying in court. I tapped nervously on the window and bleated “Women xia che ba?”

The driver wordlessly released us, although I had to climb across to the back to get out as my door was wedged up against the van. We paid (I was relieved to see the driver had stopped the meter when he had stopped the car) and wandered off down the highway.

Photo: Michael Coghlan via Flickr

This blog is sponsored by the Hilton Beijing Capital Airport. Call 6450 4827 to book a Family Staycation. 

While the vast majority of Chinese parents agree on the necessity of using child safety seats in their cars, fewer than 20% of them have actually used them, according to a recent poll.

The survey was conducted by the General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine, which talked to 4,375 parents with children under 13 in Beijing and four other cities (Shanghai, Guangzhou, Jinan and Chongqing).

Survey results indicate that only 19.7 percent of respondents had ever used safety seats at all.

Usage rates in central Beijing are higher than the overall poll average, though still only 28% report using them.

Unlike the United States and many EU countries, China does not have regulations on the wearing of seat belts nor on the mandatory use of child safety seats.

Misconceptions reign among Chinese parents, some who responded to the survey by saying children are safer held in their parents’ laps than in a car seat.

Some parents surveyed said child safety seats were not necessary because they are only traveling short distances and moving at slow speeds, while others say the seats are to difficult to use, bulky or are of questionable quality.

The China Daily quoted a Beijing mother of a 4-year-old girl as saying that she purchased a safety seat and used it until the child was 18 months old, but then stopped.

"She wanted to move freely and wanted to be cuddled by us. She did not like the restraints of the safety seat," she told the newspaper.

According to Nils van Doorn, who has been selling child safety seats in Beijing and Shanghai since 2009 via his shop Baby International, the devices are recommended for all children under 1.5 meters tall.

Children under four should have their seat facing the back, he said. "In the case of a car accident, the impact force on the fragile neck and spine of the child is significantly lower when the seat is positioned that way," van Doorn said.

Between the ages of 4 and 12, children should use a booster seat, he said. "The booster seat allows the child to use the safety belts in the car but adjusts their position, because otherwise the belt will go over their throat, and if the belt gets pulled in the case of an accident, it will strangle the child."

Van Doorn said that while he’s seeing more and more local Chinese buying car seats, there still tends to be a knowledge gap.

"There’s still a significant lack of awareness on the dangers of not using a car seat in the general public," van Doorn said. "In the West, there’s a public understanding that not using car seats for children is dangerous and a taboo. Even though parents in China  might somehow know that not using a seat can be dangerous, they seem not to fully understand that they risk their child’s safety and even life." 

The WHO estimates that around 10,000 Chinese children die annually in automobile accidents, which works out to more than 27 children on an average day.

"China lost almost three times as many children in car accidents as the U.S. in 2012, even though it has fewer than half the number of vehicles," van Doorn said.

"I still can’t understand how in a country where overprotection of the mother and child seems the norm — just think of the RMB 100,000 many pay for the new mother to spend a month-long post-partum period in a special treatment center — trying to save a bit of money on a car seat has always been a big question mark for me."

 Image: Baby International

Private cars became the number one means of conveyance for commuters in 2013 with Beijing drivers spending just under two hours per working day stuck in traffic, the Beijing Municipal Transportation Department announced Thursday in its annual report.

Of almost 31 million passenger trips within the Sixth Ring Road per working day in 2013, 33 percent were made in private cars, pushing cars into the driver’s seat in terms of popularity among commuters. Another 25 percent went to work on the bus, with 7 percent traveling by taxi. With 65 percent of Beijing commuters traveling by road, no wonder the highways are jammed. About 21 percent of people used the subway, with cyclists rounding out the numbers with 12 percent.

As a result, the average driver crawled along Beijing streets for one hour and 55 minutes per working day, an increase of 25 minutes per day, the department said. Average vehicle speed during morning and evening rush hours is 25.8 km/h, a slight improvement over 2012’s average speed of 24.2 km/h. The evening commute was more congested than the morning rush hour, the report said, by about five to eight percent, referring specifically to road traffic, and not necessarily including crowds on the Beijing Subway.

That means four days per week for Beijing drivers, as current license plate restrictions mean car owners must leave their vehicles at home one day per week. However, no-drive days and a 20,000-vehicle per month cap on the number of new cars that may be sold (to new buyers; owners of existing vehicles may replace them at will and without penalty) are having little impact to reduce traffic congestion, the report said. Electric vehicles may be purchased without limit at present.

These numbers are not dissimilar to New York City. In fairness, in New York, especially Manhattan, car travel is expensive and relatively inconvenient compared to other travel methods, yet 29% still travel by private car.

Fifty-six percent of New Yorkers use public transportation, but only a tiny fragment (1%) use taxis. Perhaps surprisingly, only 1 percent of commuters there bike, (take that, New York!) but 10 percent walk to work.

This post first appeared on thebeijinger on February 13, 2014.

Photos courtesy of thebeijinger