10 things people in Beijing ignore that no one else would

Spare a thought for the metro station bag check guards

Ignoring all of the weird and wonderful things you encounter every day is a base-level coping mechanism for most people who live in big cities all over the world, and we're getting pretty used to Beijing throwing curveballs at us on the daily. From share bike graveyards to the world's best-dressed dogs, these are the things Beijing residents ignore that would catch a lot of other people slightly off guard.

Bikes being literally everywhere

You're never more than ten feet away from a bicycle in Beijing... probably. It seems like everywhere you look you'll see at least one Ofo or Mobike waiting expectantly to be unlocked. On a street corner; outside a metro station; in your apartment compound; in your fridge. We complain about the city's two-wheeled infestation – but then we complain even more when we need a bike and can't find one.

There being a QR code for everything

Similar to share bikes, there's almost always a QR code in your line of sight (or at least in your peripheral vision). From tiny market stalls to advertisements on the metro, you can't escape these small scannable squares.

Your local wet market or street food spot disappearing overnight

'I'll just grab an apple on the way to work' you tell yourself, before arriving at your favourite fruit store only to discover that it's a Watsons now. You decide to get a bing or some baozi from the local vendor instead, but soon find out that the hole in the wall has been filled in and the wall is now part of a China Mobile. You wanted breakfast but will have to settle for buying lip balm and a new data plan instead...

Dogs who are better dressed than you

A dog in a jacket. A dog in shoes. A dog in this season's must-have trends. A dog sweating in the middle of July because it's wearing a cardigan.

Old people using the latest technology

Much like Beijing itself, seeing a senior citizen using a smartphone or an iPad is a wonderful blend of the past and the future. We don't bat an eyelid at witnessing a pensioner using their phone to scan onto the subway or ordering at a restaurant using a touchscreen menu. My grandma doesn't even know how to use 'the internets'...

The bag check guards on the subway

Where else could a security guard ask you to do something and you just completely ignore them and walk past with zero repercussions? Nobody handles rejection as well as a Beijing subway bag checker and for that I salute them. No ego. No anger. No eye contact. No worries.

A 500RMB bill for brunch

You had free-flow. You had four types of eggs. You had so much avocado. You knew it was coming and you paid without flinching.

People driving scooters and bikes on the pavement

Anything with less than four wheels is considered a pedestrian.

People sleeping in public

It takes a certain confidence to voluntarily lose consciousness in public – it takes a certain trust and a certain world view. Or, it just takes a comfy bench and a bit of afternoon sun. Or a weekend trip to IKEA. Everyone is doing it at IKEA.

Public sweating

It's not just overdressed dogs that struggle in the heat of the Beijing summer. Sweat patches great and small are part and parcel of living here when the mercury starts to rise. There's no shame in having a tribute to Houhai in your armpits and seeking refuge in an air-conditioned shopping mall when being outside is getting too much.

For more relatable irreverence, hit 'Read more'.

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