Reduce Your Carbon Footprint in China.. By Getting Your Elbows Ready!

What is up with people taking the Beijing Subway during rush hour?! My jaw literally dropped when I witnessed the subway doors open, which triggered swarms of people simultaneously shoving their way in and out of the subway. There were a few subway attendants, who looked like 18 year-old looking girls dressed nicely in their red uniform skirts, shouting things in Mandarin which I would guess to be requests for people to line up and let people out of the subway before others get in. However, their words were lost in the wrestling match of subway patrons. What shocked me even more was when the door closed on some guy’s back, this young subway attendant proceeded to use all of her force to SHOVE his back into the subway door! I was shocked... should I join the madness or cop out and take a taxi? No, I've made a commitment to reduce my carbon footprint so the subway it is! I stayed and was one of the last people to make it into the next train with the door closing almost on my face. When the subway pulled up to the next stop, no one got off, except 7 people on the platform proceeded to shove their way onto the train. Literally sandwiched between a business gentlemen and a teenage girl who kept coughing everywhere, I couldn’t wait to get off the train! I've only used the subway for 3 days but now have no problem using my elbows to aggressively navigate myself on or off the subway.

I think that Beijing definitely has the ability to fix this problem. First of all, get those 18 year-old female attendants off the subway tracks and roll in some of the military to control the madness. Create some barriers for people to line up and enforce these rules for a few months. Beijing's subway system is very modern and has the potential to be so much more than an elbow and pushing society! When I get back to Toronto/London, I'll have to remember to lose this bad trait for fear of getting slapped with a lawsuit! Until then... my elbows are ready!

Photo credit: abc.net.au