Dangerous Streets

The streets here are the most dangerous I've ever seen - not really for cars, but for pedestrians ! The problem is not so much the cars, but the bikes, which are everywhere and I mean everywhere - sidewalks, alleys, everywhere. And of course the signal lights are merely advisory for cars or bikes - a red light is more like a yellow in America.

So, when you step off the curb, you really take your life in your hands - look all ways at all times, and constantly. Bikes come at your from all directions and never, ever have lights, making night-time especially problematic. In fact, I have changed hotels so I didn't have to cross some of the alleys - the main streets are mostly cars, but any minor street is mostly bikes, thousands of them, so many that you sometimes cannot actually get across the street.