Playing Frogger in Real Life
The arcade game introduced in 1981 involved frogs crossing a busy street, trying to avoid getting run over by cars. An episode of Seinfeld featured George Castanza playing a human version. Of course, that was TV.
In downtown Chengdu, the capital city of Sichuan Province in China, crossing the street is the real-life game of Frogger.
No doubt about it, crossing the street in Chengdu is an adventure and in some cases death-defying.
 "This is a very challenging place to be a pedestrian," said Rex Viehman of Houston, Texas.
A seasoned traveler to Asia, Viehman was visiting Chengdu for the first time and survived his street crossings, where he said pedestrians are the low man on the totem pole and where "bigger is best on the road."
"You've got to watch behind you, too," he added. "The guys on bicycles are so used to getting beat up by the guys on scooters, they get to take it out on you as a pedestrian."
It wouldn't be surprising to see someone with tire tracks on his or her back, though we didn't spot any.
There are 11 million people in Chengdu -- about the size of the Greater Southern California region -- and they're all in a hurry to get there first, wherever "there" is.
They travel on motor-scooters, motorcycles, bicycles and adult-sized tricycles (usually with a basket on the back). Many use two feet. Others use one foot -- pressed down heavily on the car's accelerator.
Clearly, cars are kings of the road and you'd better pay attention when crossing the street lest you be hit by a king. And know this: A green walk sign displayed on the other side of the crosswalk doesn't necessarily mean it is safe to cross. Best to be alert.
In the U.S., pedestrians have the right of way. In Chengdu, pedestrians give cars -- and everything that moves faster than them -- the right of way.
At a typical intersection, you look to see if anything is coming. When the coast appears clear, you quickly walk or run to the crowd of people 20 feet away gathered together in a safety zone of sorts waiting for the green.
There is something to be said about safety in numbers while crossing the street in Chengdu.
If something surprises you as you make your way across the street, it might be best to keep going because the driver of the bike, scooter or motorcycle is anticipating your next move. If it's a car, stop and let it pass.
The driver we had was notorious for cutting off pedestrians in the crosswalk. It really was a wonder he never killed anyone, or hit anyone, and never put a dent in the car. He always got us to our destination without incident. By the end, we had became impressed with his Indy-like actions. I¡¯m not sure how close we came to a heart attack, however.
"The safest place to be is in a taxi cab," Viehman concluded. "You're taking your life in your own hands as a pedestrian."
And you thought I was kidding?
Take a look for yourself, this Real-Life Game of Frogger.
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