In England, the traffic keeps left. In Germany, traffic keeps right and in China, cavorting on the left AND the right will do.

Well, that often seems to be the rule for bicycles.

Being an avid biker myself - free exercise and a better health and all that - I find myself dealing with a myriad of traffic problems most of the time. Most major roads in Chinese cities have, historically, wide bicycle lanes but these have to be shared now with motorcycles, scooters and the ubiquitous electric bike, the silent speedster.

To add to the melee, both bicycle lanes are (illegally?) used for both oncoming and outward bound two wheelers who appear to be oblivious to the "right-hand" rule. That is, they persist in keeping left which, inevitably, leads to many clashes with law-abiding cycling denizens.

I am very much aware of the futility of one brave soul trying to educate 15 million Shanghainese, yet, I occasionally succumb to the temptation and do NOT deviate from my lawful right-hand course which, naturally, leads to an abrupt halt of both myself AND the offender.

I then say in the sweetest way that, was he aware, in China, we follow the right-hand rule and that if both I and he follow that rule, we will not only never meet but neither will we bother each other! Usually a polite apology follows and I experience that serene feeling that only Saints and Gods beget.

Potholes are fun too, especially the type that are deep enough for your front wheel to sink about 20 centimetres into. This, for sure, will lead to what is known by aficionados as "Wheel lock" and rider and bike will land upside down on the other side of the rut. Fun, if you land on both feet, a disaster when one has eggs in ones' basket.

Sadly, the trusty old bike is now rapidly becoming "persona non grata" on many Shanghai city streets and brown-suited marshals usher bikes and motorcycles, pedi-carts and anything on wheels onto the footpath to give the Shanghai pedestrian a taste of the true meaning of vying for space.

Getting from Pudong to Puxi by bike is now virtually impossible as the plethora of bridges and the myriads of tunnels all shun bicycles and two wheelers of any pedigree.

In the circumstances, the best I can do is to make preparations for a bicycle museum as soon, my trusty steel steed might be a relic of the past too.

starcomment@yahoo.com