Date: Fri, 10 Oct 2008 07:49:20 -0700
Reply-To: Neil2 <vidublu@GMAIL.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Neil2 <vidublu@GMAIL.COM>
Subject: Re: Frydaye - Chinese VW Jetta gets flattened......
In-Reply-To: <5ebe10a0810100411t381b741hedce2d38335efec5@mail.gmail.com>
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Lived in a city of 9m (Tietsin). It depends on where you go. An obvious
line, say at the Forbidden City, will tell folks to queue but otherwise
you're correct. I remem standing in a hallway across or at least near a
window in a large building in Chong Qing one night. I was waiting to buy a
ticket or something and there was one chap at the window. It was obvious I
was 'next'. The bloke comes up and just stand next to, not behind mind you,
the guy at the window. Me blood pzr immediately skyrocketed. I'm sure I
avoided a lot of altercations simply because I wasn't fluent. After about
6-8 months I began to do things 'their' way and it was all good!
There are usually traffic directors standing on podiums in the middle of
busy intersections. They do their jobs professionally. There are plenty of
rules tho'. The system actually works fairly efficiently because here you
just sit and burn carbon when the traffic is clear. There are few lights
there so it actually makes you drive MUCH more defensively because you
subconsciously KNOW there's no one/light looking out for you. Actually,
here (u.S.), anyone who values life looks, both directions WITH the light,
too. Which do I prefer? China. Better food, healthier bodies (until
recently), more autonomy in driving thru traffic, AND I don't get ticked at
someone else's screwed up governing bodies. But I digress . . . The weird
thing about this accident is that it may not be obvious to westerners that
the compact was at fault AND the laws determine who was at fault by WHERE
the autos initially impact one another on their bodies. Not sure what the
rule is when the roof is the impact point!
The downside of this system is when you return you tend to WANT to keep
driving autonomously/defensively. I find meself always running (slowly)
stop signs 'which should be yield signs' and driving a safe speed instead of
under the limit. Early in the morn on the way to climbs I'll run stop
lights wholesale if no traffic is near. Just makes sense. All in all, I'd
say Chinese drivers drive more safely (in their country) than we do in
ours. They are forced to pay more attention and hone skills (like
tailgating) that folks here find to be dangerous and offensive. I know. I
do it in the city frequently.
On Fri, Oct 10, 2008 at 4:11 AM, Chris S <szpejankowski@gmail.com> wrote:
> I've heard that there's no cultural concept of a queue in China and
> people have to taught to stand in line. This problem is also
> reflected at intersections.
>
> On 10/10/08, Mike <mbucchino@charter.net> wrote:
> > Oh, those crazy divers in China. This busy intersection doesn't appear
> to
> > have any traffic signals or rules!
> >
> > They're apparently all new drivers there, and they seem to try to drive
> > cars the same way that they've walked or bicycled for the past several
> > thousand years..........
> >
> > http://www.break.com/index/scary-truck-rollover-destroys-small-car.html
> >
>
> --
> Sent from my mobile device
>
> Chris S.
> Disclaimer: "Death and serious injury may occur"
>
--
Neil2
'82 Diesel Westfalia (USS Tinosa)
'86 Vanagon/Westfalia Wannabe (SaVannah)
Nunquam Pendite Divendium
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