We mentioned earlier that the roads are getting doused with water as air temperatures rise above 35 degrees and surface temperatures hit 50, but only when we read this Shanghai Daily article did we learn that a big bucket (or container) of ice was placed on 16 older trains on Metro Line 1 whose air-conditioning doesn't seem to keep the heat down enough. Since we weren't on any of those subway lines (we might venture on one tomorrow though!), perhaps some of our readers can tell us how effective this measure was. Our first impression was that the ice would take up room in the subway carriage, which might cause some aggravation during rush hours, when every inch of space is fought for. People who bring large objects or bags that take up a lot of space tend to get dirty looks or outright verbal abuse from others, especially during rush hours. People used to fight for seats -- now might they fight to get a coveted spot near the ice? Another report (in Chinese) says that despite clear indications to the contrary people are using the ice containers as trash cans.

Photo from Shanghai Daily.