How to overcome the fear of driving on the road?

[Doug]

I agree about the orderly but we are not looking for pedestrians and motorcycles and J-walkers constantly, like in China. As Randy says, I noticed people were watching me much more than when I drive in the USA. That was good, because I always fear I will hit somebody because I am not so used to the chaos. I love the chaos, but just not used to it. In the USA I am used to people not YEILDING nearly as much as in China.

[Randy W]

In either environment (U.S. or China), I use the BRAKES as a guideline - anytime you need to use your brakes unexpectedly (other than at an intersection or a planned stop, or in stop-and-go traffic), you may just be driving too fast.

[Catherineli]

The responses between pedestrians and drivers are quite different between the two countries. In America, I was told not to wait until the vehicle passes when walking on the street. The drivers will let me pass first or if I stand there and wait, the driver will think I"m waiting his time and not happy with me. I feel it's rude of me walking in front of the car. I'll have to learn the rules as I almost forget after staying in China. No I don't think I should drive in China. I can't afford to develop some bad habit. I have no problem in driving. I only fear driving on the busy road.

Do you guys always walk before the car, if you are not driving, and you never care a car running to you?

[Randy W]

 

The responses between pedestrians and drivers are quite different between the two countries. In America, I was told not to wait until the vehicle passes when walking on the street. The drivers will let me pass first or if I stand there and wait, the driver will think I"m waiting his time and not happy with me. I feel it's rude of me walking in front of the car. I'll have to learn the rules as I almost forget after staying in China. No I don't think I should drive in China. I can't afford to develop some bad habit. I have no problem in driving. I only fear driving on the busy road.
Do you guys always walk before the car, if you are not driving, and you never care a car running to you?

No - I'll ALWAYS wait for a time when I can cross the road without causing a car to have to brake. In China, it is sometimes necessary do this a lane or two or three at time, and wait between lanes for subsequent lanes to open up

 

Doing that would be dangerous in the U.S., since you might get hit by an inattentive driver.

Edited December 27, 2014 by Randy W (see edit history)

[Catherineli]

I totally agree that we'd better wait causing no one any trouble on the street. But shamefully to say in China we have to stand between the lanes to be squeezed by the dashing cars from both directions. Once I was among several standees waiting on the "zebra-cross" for the cars to pass over. Suddenly a driver poured out some water from his bottle through his window to our body when shooting past us. I never like to reveal the bad part of life with you Americans about China.

[amberjack1234]

I totally agree that we'd better wait causing no one any trouble on the street. But shamefully to say in China we have to stand between the lanes to be squeezed by the dashing cars from both directions. Once I was among several standees waiting on the "zebra-cross" for the cars to pass over. Suddenly a driver poured out some water from his bottle through his window to our body when shooting past us. I never like to reveal the bad part of life with you Americans about China.

We hear about them all the time Catherine from our Chinese wive but like you we don't discuss these things with other friend and family here in the US. We do discuss them here and on the other forum among ourselves. For everyone else we like only to tell about all the wonderful thing in China.

[Dennis143]

I agree about the orderly but we are not looking for pedestrians and motorcycles and J-walkers constantly, like in China. As Randy says, I noticed people were watching me much more than when I drive in the USA. That was good, because I always fear I will hit somebody because I am not so used to the chaos. I love the chaos, but just not used to it. In the USA I am used to people not YEILDING nearly as much as in China.

It appeared to me that the rule in China was if the other car could get it's nose in front of your car it would therefore have the right-of-way.

 

If someone tried doing that here they'd be asking for some big trouble. It would essentially be the same as cutting in line. Even on busy bumper to bumper traffic, we normally will wait for an opening before trying to change lanes.