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Q: I really cant stand Shenzhen Drivers
Shenzhen drivers well what can i say
they drive at you,try and knock you down on a zebra crossing,pull out with out looking,dont drive safely for the weather conditions.
run red lights (e bike riders),cut you off,use mobile phones while driving.
cut corners,try and ride between you and a small gap.no one thinks they just do.
I just wish one day that the roads become safer,like Hong Kong.
I almost got knocked off my bike on a zebra crossing.,the bus does not go near work and the metro is to far away,taking a taxi costs way to much.so I have to ride an E bike to work with my son.
I stop at every red light,use the crossings,and ride as safe as I can.its going to happen one day,I know I will get hit by a car or some dick head on an E bike.
If thats one I could change is the way people drive here in Shenzhen,and to make parents with children that ride bikes to wear a helmet.protect your head,broken bones will heal,a broken head may not heal.
I have a car but I rarely drive. This is the reason. Taxi's frighten me more. The safest way to travel is by train. I wish I could take a train to every destination. diverdude1 says it best: they are completely oblivious to cause/effect common sense. I think driving on the road is one of the riskiest things that we do in China.
Englteachted:
Be tolerant and understanding. It is not their fault it is ours for holding them to the standards that we hold every other fucking person to. Chinese are special and therefore should never be judged by use, even when it comes to their own standards.
yep, roads in china are certainly a dice throw. should see here in 2nd tier city,,, I wish I could video it and post on youku/youtube. one of the trippiest, but super common behaviors is mom riding e-bike with near infant in lap. or very small child standing on e-bike floorboard. if they crash,,,, the likelihood seems pretty darn high that eventually they will,,,, that child is going to take a hell of a tumble. well, is it ignorance, obliviousness, or resignation to circumstances that cause them to drive without much regard for rules, and by extension personal safety and the safety of others? who knows,, but I think it is a type of obliviousness.
Perhaps Chinese drivers are more Zen than others. Live in the moment and not concerned about possible consequences.
There is no past, there is no future, there is only this moment.
I have a car but I rarely drive. This is the reason. Taxi's frighten me more. The safest way to travel is by train. I wish I could take a train to every destination. diverdude1 says it best: they are completely oblivious to cause/effect common sense. I think driving on the road is one of the riskiest things that we do in China.
Englteachted:
Be tolerant and understanding. It is not their fault it is ours for holding them to the standards that we hold every other fucking person to. Chinese are special and therefore should never be judged by use, even when it comes to their own standards.
Many things do improve as you go to higher tier cities, but driving doesn't seem to be one of them. If anything they get even more self righteous and douchey.
As a pedestrian when dealing with drivers I generally stand my ground and stare at them, they soon become very sheepish and back off. Doesn't work with busses!
Have you taken the driving test? They get taught wrong, haha.
xinyuren:
The driving test is a joke. If I wasn't there, I wouldn't believe it. But it is an interesting view on the way the Chinese view all things. This is really very interesting. I could write a dissertation on this topic. If you understand the system through which the Chinese learn to drive, to a great extent you will understand China. Getting my license was both frustrating and enlightening.
One of the most striking things about getting on a boat and go from Zhuhai to Shenzhen is the civility that is on the roads. Shenzhen drivers are almost like American drivers in my book.
Pretty sure that is most of China. I have rode a motorcycle in China for years and currently drive an SUV in Canada. Both have their negatives and positives.
Never got in an accident. Actually, I think I drove better in China simply because I knew of the impending danger and kept constantly scanning everything... maybe it was because I was on a motorcycle instead of in an SUV.
Either way, I hate buses (overcrowded and bothersome), dislike taxis (rainy days, crazy driving... can be expensive) and just love the freedom. Just have to be very careful and understand that other Chinese hate it too. I have been in many a cab where the taxi driver was cursing Chinese people for their bad driving lol. Even though he wasn't much better.
I love driving in China since I bought my new car last year. I have driven in China for 7 years driving compact cars and didn't mind it, but certainly had stressful days. Then I discovered the combination of my 2015 BMW M5 and not letting them choose what happens does the trick. Within the first week I noticed that cars, trucks, even busses stopped cutting me off. They actually move out of my way. I pulled into a parking lot and it was full, the attend went inside and made a guy move his car out so I could park. I understand why the Chinese business men and government officials desire these cars so much.
I hate riding in taxis, they are always dirty inside and the drivers are horrible. I have 2 coworkers permanently disabled in separate traffic accidents in Shanghai while riding in taxis that were the taxi's fault.
Trains are ok, but much like planes you still are not at your destination, merely in the right city. A significant portion of the time it is faster to just drive.
Examples; Suzhou to Shanghai seems a no brainer for most as the train ride is about 20 minutes. But when you add an hour for commuting to the train station, getting the ticket and waiting for the train to load and depart and the 1-1.5 hours after arriving in Shanghai to reach my company headquarters. I can drive it in 90 minutes.
Suzhou - Qingdao 6 hours my door to hotel, the trip by train takes 6.5 hours, plus the time to and from the railway station, plus wait time.
Airplane 2.5 hour flight, 2 hours to the airport + 2 hours for security clearance + delayed flight times.
I will drive to Zhangjiajie the last week in Oct from Suzhou. Driving is always my first choice when I travel because I go where and when I want. No tour buses for me thank you.
xinyuren:
Yeah, the key to getting anywhere fast in a car in China is to out-bully them on the road. You have to drive as selfish and as them. But that gives me even more stress because I hate driving that way. Maybe I dont have the right temperament to drive in China.
Robk:
When I go back to China to visit, I want to go about getting my Chinese drivers license... I don't think there is an agreement with my country. How did you go about getting yours?
Be tolerant and understanding. It is not their fault it is ours for holding them to the standards that we hold every other fucking person to. Chinese are special and therefore should never be judged by use, even when it comes to their own standards.
Englteachted:
Is there a behavior that you find so intolerable that you must confront people when they do it?
Mine is direct in your face harassment. If a teenager is snapping a photo of me, I don't embarrass them but I let them know in an angry tone that it is wrong.
When dealing with adults, I've learned the best course is to embarrass them. When was polite, they tried again (despite the I'm sorrys). They simply tried to be sneaky. What's worse, most tried to lie about it. Now I've figured the best course of action is to snatch their phone, they can't deny it when I show them the photo on their phone. What Chinese did to themselves is no reason to harass me. Does this make me a bad person?
I don't carry the anger from a confrontation, I let it out. Yes, we should understand the motives, thoughts, attitudes and history (lack of education also) but why can't the same be said for me, the one being harassed?
Englteachted:
I'm not a BSer so I am not eloquent in my speech, I speak honestly and directly. And daily harassment has it's effects.
2 things happened on the way to work this morning
1.we are riding on the correct side of the road cars are passing us and this guy on an e bike is on riding on the same side of the road coming towards me,if I pull out Im going to get hit by a car so I stop in front of him well he does not go around me he rides through me between a parked car and my bike, hits the front of my bike and carries on riding. doesnt say sorry doesnt give a shit.
2.we go through an intersection when its our turn,you know how drivers can turn right on a red light well this guy turns right as we were almost through the green light and misses us by about an inch,did give a shit man,Im still shaking from this as thats how close it was.I could have reached out and touched the guys car.
I went and told the police officer in the police box,he just be careful,Im careful everyday its other people that are not careful and play with your life.
just a bad morning
Englteachted:
Be tolerant and understanding. It is not their fault it is ours for holding them to the standards that we hold every other fucking person to. Chinese are special and therefore should never be judged by us, even when it comes to their own standards
Robk:
It is infuriating and some of these people do deserve a swift lesson. But those imbeciles (the dangerous ones) are ignorant and think you should stop for them... regardless of the traffic laws. I don't have any tolerance when it comes to dangerous drivers.
When I am on the motorcycle, I also prepare for some moron to try and cut me off or fly out of an intersection because I don't trust their driving at all.
Once, in my city there was a small gang of us (foreigners with motorcycles) and if we found a car driving badly (cutting red lights or cutting us off) we would circle around it and start yelling at the person. Scare them silly haha. It was satisfying.
Another time, a car cut me off... I was going straight he was trying to get from the far left lane to the far right lane to turn right.... right at the intersection lights. I glared at him, put up my hands like (WTF are you doing) and pointed for him to move out of the way. He and his girlfriend looked scared and she yelled at him to move back.
If you can't drive then you shouldn't... because eventually someone else will pay the price.
Englteachted:
We're in agreement then? Each of us has our redline, you understand? Who am I to call you a bigger asshole for defending your redline simply because yours is different from mine?
I understand your position as well as the offender not just the position of the offender.
Englteachted:
I'll give you an example, I don't care too much for the drivers, because I don't drive. So if you angrily confront a reckless driver it is not my place to tell you to be polite and understand the history and culture of the offender. I should also understand your history (with dealing with these assholes) You are not deserving of the label, a bigger asshole because you angily confront someone who offended you directly.
today is the day when i really dont want to be in China any more.this place just does not get better,just my feeling of the day.
xinyuren:
I have those days, god, I do! Probably you can't do what I do and just stay inside or go on vacation. Maybe the only thing you can do is appreciate your family and look and them and see it's all worth it. Have a peaceful day, Rob.
I've been through Shenzhen a couple of times, and the driving there is still significantly better than in Wenzhou!!!
WZ only came into money in the last decade or so, and through investments - so, lots of tuhaos with expensive cars, battling the right to be first against the poor farmers (no doubt relatives of theirs) in super cruddy crap cars (20 year old Santanas, etc). And, the roads to match (ie, crappy).
I've been through a few cities here, and Wenzhou has been the worst for cars..
