Here we are…. in the Shangri-La Hotel in Beijing and we have just completed our first briefing for the rally.
The room bulged with rally shirts and weary travellers; many of whom were reunited with hugs and vigorous pats on the back after previous adventures, camaraderie and often intense rivalry.
We were advised on the road traffic rules in China. I just wanted the route book so I could do my preparation and highlight any distances under 1km for each day!!! That will have to wait until Saturday’s briefing I think though. So todays official event was the delivery of the specific road rules for China. Red lights, amber lights, green lights were all covered; and what to do if we encounter them. We also covered which side of the road to drive on and the minimum speed for driving in each lane of a motorway depending upon how many lanes were there. We also covered what speed to travel in the case of any adverse weather event and if it raining to make the distance between the vehicle in front 100mts. I don’t think the Chinese quite have embraced that rule quite yet. Oh… and driving backwards or going the wrong way against the traffic also isn’t allowed. No mention of not texting whilst driving or it being against the rule for the driver to question the navigators directions!
My favourite though was the three Golden Rules of driving in China.
- Concentration
- Observation
- Precaution
..Classic I thought.
So tomorrow we have a short meeting at 9am .. then off a bit later to collect Penny from the warehouse then my first navigation from there to the hotel. I have butterflies already! The ring roads and overpasses and underpasses and Chinese characters everywhere is a little daunting! Good practice for Sunday morning at the Great Wall of China when we all race off… car number 1 leaving at 8am!!!
@idoamazingthings #pekingtoparis
