Safety Lessons

Since our arrival in China we've had some great lessons in safety. Just walking on the sidewalk takes thorough precautions, ones we've never really had to use before. In France, you always had to make sure you weren't about to step in dog pooh, but other than that you were good. Here, proceed with caution as it's a gauntlet of people, bicycles, scooters/motorcycles, and even cars. Yes, people will drive on the sidewalk! It becomes a little nerve racking when I'm by myself. I just know Bliss is going to be wondering down the sidewalk, oblivious to the world around him, as a 2 year-old should. But I have to remind him that we are no longer in quiet ol' Decatur...but busy Foshan.
We've seen some doozies since we've been here. Blasen's seen a few more than me since he's out more. He saw a man in shorts, no shirt, flip flops, no hardhat or safety goggles, running a jackhammer. The fire extinguisher on his bus was a 2L soft drink bottle, filled with water, duct taped to the side of the bus saying that it was a fire extinguisher. A lot of the scaffolding on the buildings under construction are bamboo. (It must be pretty strong, but it just seems off.) I have to explain to the kids that when it's raining outside it's not a good idea to go to the pool, regardless of the other children down there still swimming around. Last Saturday, we were crossing the street and saw a lady right in front of us get hit by a motorcycle. Thankfully, she got up and wasn't really hurt. Granted, she had a red light and the motorcylce had a green light, but still. Blasen says it's safest not to make eye contact. That way the driver knows that you haven't seen him and he is more likely to stop. If you do make eye contact, it's a stare down to the last second. Who will stop? I don't know. You better pray that you're lucky. The larger the vehicle, the less likely they are to stop. For example, a bus would as soon run you over than stop for you.
Last week, I was in our small little kitchen, and I see a flash out of the corner of my eye out the window. I look and there is a car on fire in the middle of rush hour traffic. Thankfully, it had pulled over to the side of the road. That thing was engulfed in flames in no time and people were just driving on around it. From my experience with burning vehicles(yes I've had experience or rather my poor mother), i.e. the blue Excel, you should steer clear as it could blow a flaming tire across traffice or something. It took awhile for the fire trucks to arrive. We had a good view and I took some pictures.
Bliss enjoyed watching it burn for about an hour and was disappointed when they had it put out. It took awhile as the fire kept flaming up. I assume it was the gas tank or something. I felt sorry for the guy. That's got to be a horrible feeling. It even looked like a taxi...I hope he wasn't carrying any one.
We just laugh and think of our somewhat over protective society. It's really that way because of lawsuit hungry folks. We created it ourselves. No one but us to blame. DHR would likely have me in jail by now if I was home. My 1 year old doesn't ride in a car seat, doesn't sleep in a crib, and stands on a chair at the table for meals. Poor Zade is going to have it rough when we get back home and he has to be tied down again.
China seems to be lax compared to the US on somethings, but they wouldn't give Blasen a package today at the post office just because it had my name on it. They didn't care if he "said" he was my husband or that, something tells me, we are the ONLY Archibalds in Foshan, maybe even China. So, I guess the kiddies and I get to go down to the post office with our no speaking Chinese selves to request our package. They'll end up regretting not giving it to Blasen, I'm sure, after we leave. I'll let you know how that goes.
Yet another adventure...