More Hong Kong Biking

I had my second commute here last Saturday morning.  I rode from the hotel to City Hall.  It only took about 10 minutes or so to get there.  I walked the bike up Luard Road to Johnston, and then followed the tram route all the way to Central.  Then I walked the bike through the plaza and under the road to City Hall, which was my adjudicating venue for that morning session.  It was pretty low traffic going west toward City Hall.  Later though, riding back to the hotel following the tram line again, there was a bit heavier traffic, more buses and taxis zooming by.  I was a bit more anxious because I found myself in the far right lane of 3 or 4 lanes going the same direction.  I wasn't completely confident it was where I was supposed to be, however, it wasn't long and it became a right turn only lane.  It was in fact the perfect position for me to have stayed in because I needed to make that turn to continue following the tram line.  After the turn I was back in Wan Chai and the hotel.  In the picture above you can see 3 different modes of transportation; bus, tram, and bicycle.  Which one gives you more freedom?

But that was around 6 or 7pm.  Before that, I had spent the day on Cheng Chau Island with my new friend Lim Soo.  We met through our blogging activities, and if you haven't checked his out yet you should... i-brompton.  Cheng Chau does not have any cars, and in fact you will see alot of bikes in the video above.  It was a beautiful day, and we had a good time.  The island is best known for its annual bun festival.  There are more places to go on the island, and there are some great views from the top, but we'll have to get much lower gears to get up there!

Commuting by Bicycle in Hong Kong

On the way to work.

On the way back to the hotel.

Yesterday I had to adjudicate in Kowloon, which is the area of Hong Kong on the north side of Victoria Harbor.  Instead of taking the subway system, I decided to take my bike.  They allow bicycles on the ferry, and send cyclists to the lower level.  This is not because cyclists are thought of as 'lowly' (at least I don't think) but because the top is usually pretty crowded, and there is more space for the bikes down below.  I was the only person on deck going and coming back.  Getting to the ferry on the Wan Chai side is not a simple matter of just taking a leisurely ride.  In fact, it really involves very little riding, and more just walking the bike across the cement footpaths that go over the streets.  My hotel, the Luk Kwok, is on a major roadway, Gloucester.  There are no crossing streets nearby, but the walkway above is just outside the front doors.  The best way to get to the ferry terminal is to simply take the bike up the steps, and walk it across.  I could ride a little bit on the other side. 

 Once I got to Kowloon, there was not an easy way to cross Salisbury, another very busy roadway.  I walked the bike again in the underground walkway to get across.  I should have just ridden Salisbury though up to Nathan Road.  Nathan is what I took most of the way up to my venue.  I was unfamiliar with the roads though, and the street signs were not always immediately visible.  Awareness has to be over 100% to ride in areas like this in Hong Kong.  You have to watch out for taxis, buses, cars, and pedstrians.  Also, for an American, it takes more energy to keep thinking opposite in your mind so that you look in the correct places for traffic movement.  I rode up to Waterloo, which was my destination street.  On the way home I was a little more comfortable, and could take my time more since I didn't have a set time to be back.  Instead of riding all the way down Nathan, I rode down Shanghai, which is a one way going back.  That cuts down a little bit on the traffic activity.  Shanghai ends at Austin, where I turned left to get to Nathan.  However, I was going to have to quickly turn right onto Nathan.  So, I stayed in the right most lane (remember they drive on the left here) to position myself better for the right turn I was going to have to make.  This meant I was right in the middle of traffic.  But I rode at the pace of the cars, and there were stop lights within fairly short distances, so this helped keep speed of other vehicles lower.  I successfully made the turn, and completed my trip back to the ferry by making another right turn onto Salisbury.  That was a very large intersection with alot going on, but it was very controlled with the stop lights, so no problem there. 

 Drivers in Hong Kong definitely are not looking out for people on bikes.  However, I tried to ride like I do back home, more in the middle of lanes, trying to be visible, and I communicated with drivers by hand signals and eye contact.  Those communications did help, and I did get some positive response from that.  With all of the busy cars and buses driving anxiously and kind of erratically, it does seem a bit crazy to get out there on a bike.  But I did it successfully, and probably will do it again.  Kowloon really is an excellent place for bikes.  There are lots of stoplights which actually helps to control traffic, and it is flat.  In fact, there already are alot of people riding bikes there, but they don't go very far, or ride very well.  If more people will ride them as vehicles, get out there in the lanes to be visible, and assert their place in the road, I think bicycling for transport will be more respected here.

Second Hong Kong Ride

Sam, Science, Chris, Me, Felix, Clemence, and John

Yesterday was an amazing cycling day here in Hong Kong.  I only had one session of adjudicating, which ended around noon.  I took my bike with me in the car from the hotel.  The venue that I was judging in was in Fo Tan, and the cycling track was walking distance away.  In the video above is only the very first part of the ride.  Total mileage by the end of the day was about 25 miles.  It ended in the northern part of the New Territories, not far from China.  My first destination was Tai Po to meet Sam and the Hong Kong Vintage Cycling crew.  On my way along the Tolo Harbour, I met an Australian, John, who was out for a leisurely ride.  We ended up talking, stopping for a drink, then having lunch in Tai Po's train station while waiting for Sam and his friends to arrive.  After we all met in the train station, all 7 of us (me, John, Sam, Clemence, Science, Chris, and Felix) continued on our bicycles.  But Sam and crew led us off of the beaten path, on roads, sidewalks, through the lost village, ultimately back on cycle track in Fanling ending in Sheung Shui.  For much of the ride, Sam and I switched bikes.  His is a gorgeous vintage Hercules that rides like a cadillac.  It was truly a special day of cycling and making new friends, kindred spirits.  

First Ride in Hong Kong

I have been in Hong Kong now since last Saturday night.  I've been hard at work adjudicating for the schools music festival, but I did get out on the bike last Sunday before sessions began on Monday.  I had to buy a helmet and gloves, so I rode from my hotel, the Luk Kwok in Wan Chai, to Bicycle World, a shop nearby.  The ride was about 4.5 minutes each way.  I actually walked the route first to get a sense of the traffic, and to practice thinking 'opposite' than what I'm used to.  They drive on the left side of the road here like in England.  A cyclist is more likely to get doored from the left instead of the right.  You need to stay in the left most lane leading to your destination, and you need to look over your right shoulder more often than your left.  I had to manuever a major intersection that brought together 5 different roads leading at different angles, and had two trolley tracks going in both directions through the center of it.  As you see in the video, I made it through successfully.  I did see other cyclists out, but I didn't see anyone wearing a helmet.  My next planned ride is on the cycle tracks of Sha Tin, and next week I plan on commuting to my sessions in North Point from Wan Chai on Hong Kong Island.  The cycle tracks will be fairly leisurely, but the commuting on Hong Kong Island will be similar to what you see in the video.  (The video in fact was taken on Hong Kong Island.)  It can get a bit hairy out there.