Traffic rules here in Shanghai are very flexible. In major intersections you would see people crossing the street even if they don't walk sigh is on. They would cross anywhere and anytime. Same goes for the bikes and mopeds. It seems that these people riding these small vehicles just go for it and sometimes drive as if they were the only ones on the road.

When the walk sign is on, you still have to be careful because vehicles who are turning left or right into the street will go for it, given the space in between pedestrians. You really have to watch out for them.

There are intersections now where traffic police monitor and shout at those who run the light or shoo the pedestrians who begin to cross or even go down from the sidewalk. Slowly traffic order will be established when the local people start obeying the rules.

Just recently in the news one biker just crossed the street as the bus came and struck him. He was dragged underneath when the bus skidded and turned on the street. Fortunately for the biker it was a wet and rainy day that the bus skidded instead of ran him over. The biker escaped death and was seen walking out from underneath the bus. All this was captured on traffic camera.

Line queueing is followed but there will still be a few who will manage to slip into line when you are not looking or aware. This happened to Peter twice: one, at yu yuan gardens while he was lining up to buy some dumplings; and the other, at the grocery store cashier, when these two old chinese couple (or so he thought) just cut in front of him, turned out they weren't even together. Just be aware of your surrounding to make sure no one will cut in line.