Shanghai Pajamas and Things That Matter For A City

Every so often Shanghai goes through various schemes to improve how it looks. For example, we’ve had the ban on the hanging out of washing and a general disapproving eye turned on the wearing of pajamas in the street. These schemes usually take hold when they’re first introduced for a few weeks then gradually everything goes back to the way it was. Take spitting for example, during SARS there were lots of public service posters about spitting, it declined a lot. The problem is a Shanghai male cannot pass an ashtray or a urinal with out feeling the need to spit in to it. Spitting soon got back to pre-SARS levels.

With the Expo coming up cosmetic improvement schemes have increased. We’ve recently had new skins applied to most building and the subway. Literally a second thin wall built off the first. Looks good. Also on the subway there are videos running on loop giving guidance on how to be polite.

These initiatives, while all well good, miss the fundamental things that make a city pleasant to live in and visit. I doubt most visitors or residents care if they see people on the street in pajamas or washing on the line. Why would they care? It’s local colour. So, what makes a city pleasant to live in? I think it’s basically respect for other people. That is, respect for others health and safety.

Basic Hygiene or The Smoking Spitting Coughers

On 1 March 2010 Shanghai introduced a smoking ban in public places. The ban has been universally ignored and unenforced. Most restaurants still have ashtrays on their tables. No smoking signs are ignored. Toilets are still a smoker’s haven.

Along with the smoking comes the spitting and the coughing. The noisy clearing of the throat that precedes a good spit really disgusts visitors. And let’s not forget the smokers walking along the street blowing their smoke into following pedestrians or holding their lighted cigarettes at just the right height to blind young children.

The Traffic or Dodging The Shiny Metal Boxes

In the West priority on the street is given to those most vulnerable, starting with mothers pushing prams, pedestrians and bicycles. In Shanghai priority is given to the least vulnerable, starting with the buses, SUVs and taxis. None of this if official, of course, it’s just the way it is. The bigger and faster win. Pedestrian rights are, of course, ignored and unenforced. Most pedestrians don’t bother standing up for themselves.

At least Shanghai has pavements. We could walk to most places on the pavements if they weren’t blocked by restaurants expanding, business running electric saws, bicycles parked or being ridden because the roads are reserved for cars. All the pavement blockages mean pedestrians end up walking on the road for long stretches – if you’re pushing a pram or herding young kids it’s a nightmare – which leads to accidents and a slowing of the normal road traffic. You can drive everywhere in Shanghai. You can’t walk or ride your bike everywhere. This is the wrong way around.

In Shanghai vehicles can turn right on a red light. Woody Alan once said about Los Angeles that this was its only cultural advantage. Pedestrians crossing the road are supposed to have right of way but the cars turning right plough on through with no regard for safety. After ten years living here I’ve never seen any vehicles pulled up for not giving way to pedestrians.

Turning left is a whole other kettle of snakes. The classic Shanghai left turn manoeuvre is for each car to cut more of the corner so that eventually they are practically running over the payment.

Pedestrians are not blameless. On busy street corners they need to be supervised crossing the road by the unemployed in beige uniforms waving flags and blowing whistles.

Doggie Doo Everywhere or Navigating the Shit

The number of dogs has increased drastically in Shanghai. After you’ve got a house and a car it seems the next thing you need to buy is a dog. Here’s the thing, dogs need to crap and they’re not fussy about where. And it seems many dog owners are not fussy about cleaning it up. It’s like an obstacle course navigating the shit on the pavement. Dogs are supposed to be on leads in public. Many are not and enjoy running up to small children, frightening them and leaving their blindness causing turds around for the children to play with.

Green Spaces

There are too few parks in downtown Shanghai. Wouldn’t it be lovely if instead of building another retail office destination on the most recently raised city block a park was built? Even better if the park has grass you can walk or play football on.

The Solution

Shanghai has laws and rules governing smoking, spitting, traffic and dogs. In fact there’s a rule for just about everything. But the lack of any enforcement means they may as well not exist. The answer is simply to enforce a penalty for the simple things that make the city a more pleasant place to live. You might think these are only small issues and they are. But that’s the point. It’s the small things that add up to make a city a great place to live.

Pajamas

Finally, an answer for the pajama issue may be in reach with Pajama Jeans - all the comfort of pajamas with the look of jeans. See YouTube video embedded below.