Date: Fri, 10 Oct 2008 12:05:42 -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: <ccafde090810100926j25f9902bl6f3c8ed5cc74a71@mail.gmail.com>
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BenT,
While I understand your response, your position is weakened by citing
typos. Unnecessary. Although Mike is incorrect (any signals or rules), he
did write 'apparently' and 'seem'. I would disagree with your adjective
(irresponsible). I would term it incorrect or Amerikun, given his entire
statement and the fact that he seemed to imply he didn't have first hand
experience.
I do see a rationale for driving autos differently than riding bikes or
walking because the potential for bodily harm is much greater. This is
precisely why I advocate 'bike only' corridors in Portland, which BTW is a
very bike conscious city. I can't speak for other cultures but Amerikuns,
as individuals, are slow to adopt *habits* which make traffic combinations
(bikes/autos/public transport) acceptably safe (unless they own bikes
themselves). I suspect that would be the case for any human. This is
evidence by the rapid change of perceptions of new bikers/motor bike riders
in mixed traffic. But I digress. And no, this 'type' of accident does NOT
happen anywhere. It only happens in jurisdictions which use human signals.
Mike, I believe, was referring to traffic using human signals only.
I've no experience with SF drivers so cannot comment on them. IINM, I did
not imply the accident was caused by the VW driver OR the human signals I
referred to in China. In fact, I believe I implied they were better drivers
than we (u.S.).
I believe you misunderstood Mike in that he was not implying Chinese drove
autos thousands of years ago but that they haven't adopted traffic
rules/habits that are diff than their bike/ped rules/habits, was he not?
And, seems to me it's quite easy to agree on bipedal transport thousands of
years ago (in China) via art and lit. Tho' I wish peeps would use that same
logic when thinking/arguing about the age of Earth!
Cheers!
On Fri, Oct 10, 2008 at 9:26 AM, BenT Syncro <syncro@gmail.com> wrote:
> On Fri, Oct 10, 2008 at 3:15 AM, 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
> >
>
>
> What do "divers" have to do with busy intersections in China? You really
> should get out more. This type on accident can occur anywhere. Just turn
> your TV to the Spike channel on late
> afternoons. Sure there is a greater ratio of inexperienced vs. experienced
> drivers in China. But making an absolute statement they are "...apparently
> all new drivers
> there..." is irresponsible.
>
> The two postings that followed makes a good example. I am not saying they
> are inaccurate but the posters clearly locked on the idea of China rather
> the accident video. Do you think they
> would have written something totally different had you said something like
> "Those crazy drivers in San Francisco..."
>
> By the way, the bicycle has only been with us since circa the 18th century.
> So no, the Chinese or anyone else for that matter could not have been doing
> this for '...the past several thousand years..."
> Hard to say how the Chinese walked thousands of years ago w/o having any
> first-hand accounts. I suspect they walked the same way as other people
> elsewhere in the world -- mostly on two legs.
>
>
> Regards,
>
> BenT
>
--
Neil2
'82 Diesel Westfalia (USS Tinosa)
'86 Vanagon/Westfalia Wannabe (SaVannah)
Nunquam Pendite Divendium
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