They Don't Do It Like We Do

Driving.



The simple process of piloting a vehicle from point A to point B. Elemetary really. Unless you add other drivers. Then it gets more complicated. Add China to that and I don't see why there aren't bodies stacked at intersections like cord wood. Remeber my previous post about the no rule following. Yea, the single best example is driving in China.



I don't drive in China, my boss won't let me. Even if he did I still wouldn't drive here. These people are nuts, they refuse to follow anything one might consider a universal requirement to sharing the road with others. There do exsist traffic control measures its just that no one pays them any mind.



The best way I've found to describe how the Chinese approach driving is to say that it is modeled after a mob of people leaving a sporting event or concert. Its not that anyone is pushing or shoving just constantly jockying for positon. No one does it with any malice but they also don't behave with any consideration for their fellow drivers.



Still there are some guidelines that can help one navigate the streets and highways in China.

1. The lines painted on the road are at best, a suggestion


2. Speed limit signs are pretty


3. Your horn is to be used to inform other drivers/pedestrians/animals that you are approaching or nearby


4. No one will get upset at you for using your horn in guideline 3 nor will they do anything about your audible notification


5. Commitment to a lane or queue is for the weak


6. Trucks are slow moving obstacles and at all costs are not to be trapped behind


7. Seatbelts are oppressive and a stripe painted on your shirt should fool the police


8. There are as many lanes as cars can fit


9. There is no minimum speed on the highway nor is there a lane designated for slow moving traffic. However the left lane is suggested.


10. Passing on the shoulder is encouraged


11. The shoulder is for passing, parking , walking and impromptu markets


12. If you can fit into the space, then go

The above 12 guidlines are just that, guidelines. Please feel free to ignore any of them or make up new ones.

Still with all of their insanity behind the wheel, I've seen only one fender bender and it was at a stop light. The only conclusion I can draw is that one of the drivers was following the rules and the other wasn't. In fact most intersections don't have any controls at them. The road is shared by bicycles, scooters, scooter-pickup things, pedestrians, mule drawn carts, people with dollies, tractors, if it needs to move from here to there it gets on the road.

As an aside, VW positively owns the roads in China. Three of every 7 cars on the road is a VW or an Audi. BMW and Mercedes are also well represented. There are surprisingly few Hondas, a few Nissans and a number of Toyota's. China also has its own auto industry and a strange lot they are. Some are elegantly styled sedans and some are three wheeled bubbles. There isn't a single new truck on the road, not one. And ALL the cars are dirty.

Also, the roads here are huge. They are wide four lane affairs with enourmous roundabouts and intersections. But they have about 1/100th the number of cars on them we in the US would have. The're either planning well in advance or are just showing off. I think its the latter. Even with the absence of obvious traffic accidents and wide open spaces I still wish my seatbelt worked.