Driving in Shanghai is a chaotic, confusing and often dangerous business. Major east-west roads cross the city; they are divided into east (dong), middle (zhong) and west (xi) sections and are often named after Chinese cities, such as Yan’an Lu, Nanjing Lu and Beijing Lu. Major north-south roads are divided into north (bei), middle (zhong) and south (nan) sections, and some of them are named after Chinese provinces, for example Shanxi Lu and Xizang Lu. Those commuting from the outlying residential areas of Hongqiao will most likely use Yan’an Lu, which runs from Hongqiao Airport all the way to the Bund and through the Yan’an Tunnel into the financial district of Pudong. Major roads like these can be highly congested, especially during rush hours. Cars are supposed to drive on the right-hand side of the road but often weave in and out of lanes trying to gain the best advantage. Speed limits on the city’s single-lane roads are 30-40kph, on the major roads they are 70-80kph, and on the city expressways they are 100kph, although the congestion rarely allows for speed demons to get their fix. Road signs are written in Pinyin as well as Chinese characters, but they can be confusing: at a T-junction, for example, the sign will not show the name of the road running left or right but rather the name of the road that you will reach if you take that left or right turning. How far away the said road is anyone’s guess.

Shanghai does not have a congestion charge, but the government tries to reduce the number of cars on the roads by limiting the amount of licence plates it issues: approximately 80,000 per year. These licences cost upwards of ¥30,000, an affordable sum for members of a growing middle class with rising disposable incomes. Other expenses facing drivers include car insurance, ranging from ¥2,000 to ¥8,000 per year; a monthly ‘road maintenance fee’ of ¥250; petrol costs of approximately ¥5.50 per litre; and parking fees which average ¥10 an hour in public places. Violation of minor traffic rules will incur fines of up to ¥200, and two points will be put on the licence of somebody caught speeding, ignoring a traffic light or using a mobile phone when driving.