School "Parking"

Schools here apparently aren't expected to budget any space for parents to pick up their kids at the end of the day, 'cause every school I have the misfortune of passing by at a certain point in the afternoon is like this. People double and tripled parked, completely blocking side streets and even major, congested roads while they hang out waiting for their kids...this incredible selfishness and disregard for others (pictured above, but blaringly, shockingly manifest in all kids of ways in life here) is one of the things that has stunned me the most about modern China. The old China of Laozi and Confucius that I read about never prepared me for this, nor did my extensive reading about Communism. Who knows, perhaps this is a moment in time that will fade away as the country develops, but in the meantime it is what it is!

This Also ≠ Parking

I'm told it's fairly common here to bribe your way out of parking and traffic tickets, and judging from this ridiculousness on the sidewalk along Xinyang Road I can only assume that it's true. If there are any OCD Chinese out there I can only assume they've all had breakdowns and been confined to mental institutions or had to leave the country, 'cause this isn't even the worst of the parking nonsense here!

Event Parking [Mis]Management

Cars parked three deep on Gongnong Street (a north-south artery) - a 6-lane road with space for curbside parking - due to a school event. On the right of the picture one lane of traffic is very slowing moving north, with traffic behind backed up well past the intersection of Gongnong and Zhigong Street down Gongnong and so far up Zhigong that it was blocking up Aidemongdun Road/Chengxiang Road (a major north-south artery). Not a policeman in sight where the actual problem was (the parking craziness pictured above) despite the insanity of it all. There's just so much ridiculousness here when it comes to cars!

This ≠ Parking

There is literally no end to the ridiculousness that passes as parking here in Harbin! Often quite exasperating when you're just trying to walk down the sidewalk. I literally have NO idea how the handicapped I very rarely see out and about in wheelchairs navigate the sidewalks, especially when many of them are blocked by piles of snow and badly parked cars...

It's A Car's World

I'm enjoying a car-free life myself, but the car certainly does seem to be king here in Harbin - this is actually one of the less ridiculous examples of sidewalk parking I've seen here in the city. So much craziness every day...