Hangzhou: A Veteran Cyclist Makes Homemade Posters to Promote a Night Cycling Code of Conduct

 

　　Whenever night falls and the weather is good, hundreds or even thousands of cyclists set out from all corners of Hangzhou to sweat it out on Longjing Road.

　　It’s great that more and more people are actively engaging in sports, but a veteran cyclist in Hangzhou, Jiang Junjie, has noticed that many riders on the Longjing night cycling route have various bad cycling habits, some of which can have fatal consequences. Recently, the enthusiastic rider made his own posters to advocate for a Night Cycling Code of Conduct on Longjing.

　　Three Major Bad Habits in the Eyes of a Veteran Cyclist
　　Not wearing a helmet, riding against traffic, and using blinding flashlight beams

　　Recently, at the entrance of Wenglongshun Tea & Candy Shop at the top of Wengjia Mountain, known as the “Cyclists’ Home,” everyone can see a “Longjing Cycling Code” posted at the entrance. Its creator is Jiang Junjie, a cyclist with the online alias “Qinian.”

　　Jiang Junjie is from Huzhou and currently works in investment in Hangzhou while also serving as a moderator on China Cycling Network. He has loved cycling for many years and is skilled in road biking, mountain biking, and BMX.

　　“The cycling atmosphere in Hangzhou has really changed a lot over the past two years. Two years ago, most people cycling on Longjing were part of group rides, with slightly more people only on Tuesdays and Thursdays during the week. Now, as long as the weather is good, there could be thousands of riders in a single evening.” The observant Jiang Junjie has noticed that among the growing number of night cyclists, many have more or less bad cycling habits, and these small habits can sometimes have fatal consequences.

　　In Jiang Junjie’s view, the three most common bad habits among night cyclists on Longjing are not wearing a helmet, using blinding flashlight beams, and riding against traffic—all of which can be seen every night.

　　“Many cyclists don’t wear helmets, thinking they’re not only troublesome but also uncomfortable. But in case of an accident, a helmet is like a seatbelt in a car—it protects your head. Longjing is a mountain road, and you can reach speeds of 30 to 40 kilometers per hour going downhill, so safety should be a top priority.” Jiang Junjie said that flashing or shining flashlights directly ahead is especially common among young people who think it looks cool, but this doesn’t light up their own path and instead creates visual interference for oncoming riders. “Also, when riding around curves, some like to cut across and ride against traffic, which is also very unsafe.”

　　As early as two years ago, Cycling Network conducted an on-site survey on Longjing Road and found that a cycling accident occurred there every three days.

　　So last summer, based on what he observed on the road and his own experience, Jiang Junjie drafted a Night Cycling Code of Conduct for Longjing and posted it online. “This year, even more people are cycling than last year, and I felt it was necessary to let more people know and remind everyone to ride safely and civilly, so I decided to make posters to spread the word.”

　　The text was ready, but to make the posters more intuitive, Jiang Junjie also took photos of the sections where accidents are more likely to happen and included them in the text as reminders. “The design of the posters was done with the help of another cyclist. After finalizing the design, I printed dozens of copies, mainly intending to post them at bicycle shops in Hangzhou and atop Wengjia Mountain. When I discussed this with the shop owners, I didn’t expect everyone to be very supportive.”

　　At the scene, reporters saw that the Night Cycling Code of Conduct for Longjing advocated by Jiang Junjie consists of eleven points, but it reads more like patient advice from a veteran cyclist to “newbies,” covering topics such as how to use night cycling gear, how to ride correctly on curves, and which sections of Longjing Road require extra caution...

　　“Besides these, I also want to advocate for switching from night cycling to morning rides. Visibility is poor at night, and if there are too many cyclists, it increases safety risks. Morning rides can help divert some of the crowd. Many young people think morning exercise is only for the elderly, but once you try it, you’ll find the morning air is especially fresh, the scenery is particularly beautiful, and you’ll feel especially refreshed for the rest of the day.”