Two-wheeled safety advice offered by volunteers

On Mondays in autumn and winter, Hao Jixin often works as a voluntary traffic guide at busy crossroads in Beijing, offering safety advice to motorcyclists, scooter riders and drivers.

The 62-year-old only learned to ride a motorcycle about four years ago. She is a member of Beijing A Regiment, a motorcycle club in the capital that was founded in the 1980s and has about 2,000 members.

The members have been urged to act as volunteers offering guidance to ensure that road users obey traffic rules and stop their vehicles if people are using a pedestrian crossing.

The club has taken part in volunteer road safety activities since January 2018. Each weekend, the volunteers offer their services at crossroads in Xicheng district.

The club's founder, Li Ping, 63, known as "Madam Smile" for her happy personality, said, "As motorcycle riders, we always bear in mind that obeying the traffic rules is the most important thing for us while on the road, and we want to pass this advice on to more people."

Li said that when she formed the club more than 30 years ago, she set rules for motorcyclists who wanted to join. "They need to have the necessary licenses and permits, and must promise to obey the traffic rules－a prerequisite for us to consider them as members," she said.

The riders must also wear protective clothing and helmets when they take to the road, she said.

"The club is like a big family, with members coming from various walks of life, but they have the same enthusiasm for motorcycling. Safety is always the priority, but our members also have fun," Li added.

She has had a passion for motorcycles for more than 30 years. When she was in her 30s, two motorcyclists took her for a ride in the suburbs of Beijing, and since then, she has embraced the feeling of freedom when she rides on roads through the mountains.

"Weekends and holidays mean so much to me, because on those days I have time to ride through the outskirts of the city," she said.

Plans discussed

On Wednesdays, eight to 10 club members gather at Li's home to cook Beijing cuisine and discuss plans for the coming weekend.

In a corner of her living room, a map of China is dotted with little red spots, marking the places that Li and other club members have visited over the past decade.

Three-wheeled motorcycles, known as kuazi in the local dialect, were a fashionable means of transportation and entertainment among young people in Beijing in the 1980s and '90s, and even became part of pop culture.

However, in recent years, a large number of people, from commuters to delivery workers, riding motorcycles and scooters have frequently been blamed for breaking the traffic rules.

Club member Gao Zuguang, 69, said, "The fact that blame is being leveled is one of the reasons we are taking part in the voluntary activities to offer more safety guidance to the public while ensuring that we ourselves only travel at a safe speed."

Gao said riding a motorcycle has made him appreciate people's kindness. "When we travel to other places, we know little about the locals, but the people we meet on the road are always willing to offer a helping hand when needed and also give us an enthusiastic welcome," he said.

"The feeling of happiness and freedom is what I enjoy most during every ride. This is also the reason I have pursued this hobby for more than 30 years."

Riding a motorcycle poses huge safety risks. In 2018, a total of 10,663 people died in motorcycle accidents, and for the past five years there have been about 10,000 such fatalities annually.

Su Lijun, 60, who leads a team of motorcyclists at the club, always reminds riders that if they want to race against others they should do so on a professional track, not on the roads.

"At our club, no matter where we plan to ride during the weekend, obeying the traffic rules is always the first thing we consider," he said.

When new members join the club, Su slows the speed at which his team rides. "The newcomers cannot control their speed and direction on mountainous roads with sharp bends as skillfully as they should, so I set the speed as the lead rider to ensure everyone's safety," he said.

Su has experienced several traffic accidents, including one last year that left him hospitalized for nearly a week.

"It happened on a bend on a mountain road, where I had a hard time controlling my bike," he said.

As a volunteer, he uses his experience to advise other riders. "To reach their destination on time, I see many delivery workers riding at speed, which is very dangerous, although I understand that each order matters a lot to them," he said.

Su said the workers drive fast to support themselves and their families by avoiding a penalty for late deliveries.

"My words of advice usually work and they make a conscious effort to stop at pedestrian crossings," he said.

Public resentment

Members of the club also believe it is essential to offer road safety advice to the younger generation.

"Poor behavior by some young riders has heightened public resentment toward motorcyclists," Hao, the volunteer, said.

She added that she once took part in several outdoor activities organized by young motorcyclists. "They drove really fast on the road and some of them lifted their front wheels as a stunt, making me feel very unsafe," she said.

"Such actions tarnish our reputation as motorcyclists, and we try to avoid them at the club. I enjoy riding my motorcycle and having fun with others, but we never risk our lives. I hope more riders will remember this."