"Americans Are So Stupid"

[hypoclear]

drivers in China are pros??? That to me is like saying a drowning man is a top deep sea diver.

 

I think their driving habits do reflect their social organization = disorganized. When you look at it, there are fewer cars on the road compared to the amounts of roads here in Shenzhen.

 

Now jump over to NJ where few roads and many cars and NYC where more yellow cabs as well. The thing is and was pointed out in an article in the NY Times "How to walk on the street" or something to that affect. Just as people intuatively know how to use the sidewalk they do this as well when driving there.

 

Now this is high volume, less road surface traffic, if SZ was half as organized we could run the macys thanksgiving day parade down any street in SZ and still have room for traffic!

 

Speaking of walking down the street, in New York city you can walk at full stride, cross streets and maybe take a quarter step on the other corner before resuming your pace and people don't bump into or shove you.

 

Over here my wife has pulled me out of the way of those sneak attack propane delivery bikers and bottle water guys many times. The sidewalks are broad and tiled but on a regular day a party of 3 becomes a walking road block And lastly the reason chinese do not look at each other while walking and talking is, if you don't pay attention for just 10 seconds or so you could end up with a faceful of person when you turn your head..

 

In the end all forms of behavoir are socially agreed upon, whether spoken, law or just plain habit. It frees up you mind and awareness for more important things rather than the fatigue of constantly having to attend to such simple matters as walking on the street.

 

Maybe this is the difference between a developing and developed country?

 

Mark

[robhon]

Ah Mark, I think you hit the nail on the head. There are more drivers in China who drive for a living but I'm not sure I'd go so far as to call any of them "professional drivers." The traffic in China, even in SZ where things are better than GZ or CQ, is highly disorganized. They have incredible opportunities to fix traffic problems and allow for far greater numbers of cars on their streets to get places soooo much faster.

 

One of my last days in SZ I was commenting to Youyue as we were trying to cross a street something about this. We could barely get across, baby and all, and along with a swarm of other pedestrians, because so many drivers were running the red light. Just on the opposite corner were 4 motorcycle cops sitting there chatting and doing nothing in particular.

 

The US definitely has far more drivers who are barely qualified to sit behind the wheel but rules of the road are much more strictly adhered to. I predict China's traffic problems are going to very quickly become FAR worse and will continue to do so until they begin to enforce rules of the road.

 

But I'd also say, I think this is a normal phase for a rapidly developing society.

[chinadave2001]

I stand by what I said earlier. "Professionals" simply drive for a living. I think there are two separate things here. The drivers are very skillful drivers which is why it seems that they have fewer accidents. They are skillful because this is what they do for a living. Unlike the US where every person in the USA over 16 can drive and does with an attitude. If American drivers were thrust in a Chinese cirty and expected to drive, they would really have trouble, it seems to me.

2. I agree that the Chinese system seems devoid of any rules, but that's not completely true. Some rules are simply different than ours. For example, traffic that is entering the traffic flow has the right of way. It is the job of the folks who are in the flow of traffic to look out for other cars coming in...To foreign eyes, this creates a great deal of tension as Taxis seem to enter into the flow of traffic with little regard for who is already there....

I agree that our system is more efficient and safer - it needs to be considering who is out there driving.....

[keelec]

Oh,

It sounds like mass chaos is coming..... What would happen to China if the number of people owning cars doubles over the next decade??????

 

New York may be one of the cities in the USA with the least cars per capita (and worst traffic problems). Mass transit is generally better in the city than owning a car, and there is no place to park in NY. Thus, many people opt not to own them.

 

Hmmm, half of the cars in New York are painted yellow..... Does that mean that the drivers there are better than in other parts of the country?

 

------ Clifford -------

[Guest blsqueaky]

I have to admit that when I am there, I still think that I am here in the U.S., especially when crossing the street. My wife will start to cross with the traffic comming, and I will stand there till I see a very large opening. There are times that she will grap my hand and say lets go, and I am sorry, but this is not the way that I am. Oh, just had a bad thought, I am going to have to change her of that habit, crossing the street.

 

Now in another reagards, from visiting Shanghai, GZ and Beiijing, each city has been different. While in Shanghai, I was pushed out of the way by other to get on a bus, and I asked the lady I was with, and she said, Oh, they are from the north, also when walking into a store, they will not ask if you need help until you ask them. I noticed the same in Beiijing and GZ. Now HK, another whole story.

 

Now one thing that I thing that I have figured out but not real sure as far as driving there, is the beeping of horns. It is like a code, 1 beep or 2 beeps, usually when changing lanes or another one coming into a lane. Some trip I just might figure this out.

 

Mark, yes, I would say that drivers in China are pros. I drive a semi, and I myself would never even attempt to drive in their conditions. I can just imagine having one of their truck drivers come over here and drive in our cities, and to him, it would be a piece of cake.

 

Everyone, there is one thing that I will say, and that all of us have been going to different places in china, whether it be cities, or the rural areas, and we are all seeing totally different things, and that is what makes the CFL so great, we all get to teach or show each other what our experiences have been like.

[hypoclear]

About the pro drivers in China, now I see and yes the big rig drivers are good. The port here in Shenzhen is growing rapidly and I think is shipping more than HK right now. So we see lots of them on the road. The rest including the panel trucks etc are not so good. I have seen them whack the metal divider railings on my street on a straight strech.. hmmm??

 

As for running red lights with the cops on the corner, we were in a bus at an intersection when 1 of china's finest decided to direct traffic...after 3 to 4 light cycles and mass confusion we were moving again.

 

I have also seen 3 accidents in one bus ride but also have gone days without seeing any. Most accidents are the fender bender type, although i did see the front end ripped off a car but it was a new one and i think it was more of a safety engineered thing than the speed and force of the impact.

 

Right now Beijing is building like crazy for the increased cars and 2008, it will no doubt finish things but the pace of cars sales is such that.. yes it will be mass confusion in a decade from now. I think of mexico, although I haven't been there, but didn't it have cars back in the 50's and isn't it stilll a free for all on the roads? and isn't it also a developing country?

 

My point is if society isn't organized on basic levels it isn't going to be organized at the higher levels, I.E. driving, NYC does have a lot of traffic and it is dense driving, but it is not choas and is very organized. There are the local rules of the road just as there maybe here. But i would still have to say it is better in the states even with every tom dick and jane driving over there.

 

As for the different areas of china, I've only been here in SZ and a short vacation in Beijing and a number of trips to GZ and they do all have a different feel to them. Than after 10 months here in China I was able to go to HK and wow.. you don't realized how developing it is here until you get back to civilization..

[tonyontherock]

Oh,

It sounds like mass chaos is coming.....  What would happen to China if the number of people owning cars doubles over the next decade??????

 

New York may be one of the cities in the USA with the least cars per capita (and worst traffic problems).  Mass transit is generally better in the city than owning a car, and there is no place to park in NY.  Thus, many people opt not to own them.

 

Hmmm, half of the cars in New York are painted yellow.....  Does that mean that the drivers there are better than in other parts of the country?

 

------ Clifford -------

Yes. New York drivers are much betterin skills than the rest of the country. I have seen people backing up a whole block without either hitting or being hit by cars going the other direction. What puzzles me is why they did not simply turn arround on those one way streets. It makes driving a bit easier.

NJ has the worst drivers. Same attitude as in NY, just without the skills or judgement. Skills aside, NYC drivers definitely have the worst manners. Once a limo side scaped my car and refused to stop, I chased him from midtown into Brooklyn and then he got lost. The plate number? stolen, of course. A sawed off shot gun is as necessary as a jack as far as car assessory goes. I only attempted to use a club (the anti-theft thingy) on a guy once after ascertaining positively that he was not packing.

As far as driving in China is concerned? I will not attempt it. It is easier to assess if some one is packing in NYC than trying to figure out if another horse cart is going to dart across a highway. In the latter, even a sawed off 12 guage won't help.

[robhon]

Hmmm, somehow I always considered the definition of "professional" to include a level rational behavior. Is the bus driver (like the one I had once in China) who drives at excessive rates of speed on winding mountain roads actually a professional? He certainly does it for a living. He certainly has a skill level beyond most who drive. He also lacks a certain level of "professionalism."

 

Personally I don't consider anyone who openly breaks laws and willfully endangers the lives of others to be a professional.

[Guest blsqueaky]

Hmmm, somehow I always considered the definition of "professional" to include a level rational behavior.  Is the bus driver (like the one I had once in China) who drives at excessive rates of speed on winding mountain roads actually a professional?  He certainly does it for a living.  He certainly has a skill level beyond most who drive.  He also lacks a certain level of "professionalism." 

 

Personally I don't consider anyone who openly breaks laws and willfully endangers the lives of others to be a professional.

Rob, I wonder right now if I even should address this comment, me being a driver. I consider myself a professional, in both my driving and appearence and attitude, and yes, I will drive 5 mph over the speed limit, and this is not like I see as far as delivery vans, greyhound and some others that drive 10 to 15 over the limit.

 

I think that I better shut mouth before I get in trouble here. Sorry Ron in advance.

[robhon]

Hmmm, somehow I always considered the definition of "professional" to include a level rational behavior.  Is the bus driver (like the one I had once in China) who drives at excessive rates of speed on winding mountain roads actually a professional?  He certainly does it for a living.  He certainly has a skill level beyond most who drive.  He also lacks a certain level of "professionalism."  

 

Personally I don't consider anyone who openly breaks laws and willfully endangers the lives of others to be a professional.

Rob, I wonder right now if I even should address this comment, me being a driver. I consider myself a professional, in both my driving and appearence and attitude, and yes, I will drive 5 mph over the speed limit, and this is not like I see as far as delivery vans, greyhound and some others that drive 10 to 15 over the limit.

 

I think that I better shut mouth before I get in trouble here. Sorry Ron in advance.

I don't think keeping a similar speed to the traffic around you (albiet over the limit) to be unprofessional. The truck driver who was doing 95 in a construction zone while on coke and killed my uncle... that guy was most definitely unprofessional.

[se_lang]

Hey blsqueaky

I had a driver cut me off and miss me by about a foot I wrote and complained to the safety dept for that compan(Calark) here is what I wrote them but have not recieved a response, who else can I complain to?

 

Yesterday coming home for the holiday weekend On I-35 just before exit 343 I was cut off by one of your trucks. He was stuck in the exit only lane for exit 342 but needed to get in the main flow of traffic he did have his turn signals on but did not wait for an opening, he made his own by slowly entering my lane then when I started to back away to give him room he did not even wait for me to clear his rear trailer good,missing my van by less then a foot. what make this even more annoying is the fact he only exited at 343 to stop at fuel station. You might want to teach your drivers what the right of way means. the Trailer # was 3039, plate # 046-46z I believe TX plates, 29 Nov late afternoon.

 

You might want to have your webmaster fix the email link, If I had not found this link I would have wrote this letter to D.O.T

[robhon]

I actually called one of those "tell me how I'm driving" numbers. This guy startled the hell out of me when he came up behind me on the San Raphael Bridge doing about 90 when I was doing about 65. He'd actually scratched out the very last number in the phone number. I just kept calling every possible number until I got the right one and reported the bugger.

[Bryan_Qunying]

That's OK, one night just before Thanksgiving, I was going onto the tollway when a UPS truck (Double Trailer) decided to go through the (IPASS) lane faster than the 5 MPH limit. (Go figure! ) His lane murges into the lane I was in. I had already cleared the tollgate when he runs me into the left shoulder. I was in my Comcast truck, so I had one of those stickers on my truck. This idiot called the number and complained that I passed him on the wrong side of the road! I know he was the one that called, because I gave him the bird from inside my truck. He was the only one that could see it! He also reported that I gave an "Obscene Jesture".

 

Has anyone ever had a report where someone complained that you were not going fast enough over the speed limit?

[Guest blsqueaky]

I have to admit, in our profession, just like in any other, there are the bad apples. I have made my share of mistakes, and also made my share of phone calls to safety departments of various companies. This is all that we can do. I kknow that with the company I work for, a call comes in like that, the safety department does investigate and they take action.