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Q: Do pedestrians and road users intentionally ignore on-coming traffic?
It sounds like a piss-take, but it's an honest question; maybe more for the Chinese users of this site than the rest of you. I had a friend in Shenzhen tell me years ago that people intentionally pretend not to see you so that you would 'give way' on the road. I thought that was ridiculous, but i'm beginning to wonder. So many people seem to cross the road at an angle with their backs to the oncoming traffic, and it seems common for people to pull out into a road, seemingly without looking at all, except maybe peripherally. Is that actually an intentional thing? Is that actually a conscious and intentional choice made with the aim of 'getting in front'? Because to me it seems laxidaisy, bordering on crazy.
Oh you mean jaywalking? Well then you should have just said that. And yes they do have jaywalkers in China. Many of them you also have drivers that don't follow the rules anyways. It's an aggressive place with who will cross the road first. It reminds me of the game chicken except this time it's between a vehicle and a person. GEE I wonder who will win?
mArtiAn:
No, I don't mean 'jaywalking'. Perhaps you should re-read the question. Where you from anyway?
mArtiAn, I think you're right, it's intentional. I've been looking at this the last few days and I think it's worse than that. I now 'pretend' not to look otherwise everyone cuts in front of me but my peripheral vision is working overtime. I think the locals either don't have the same peripheral vision or have managed to turn it off! The reason I say this is because when I'm riding my e-bike in a crowd of other riders, (and often pedestrians, cars etc too) the amount of times I come up beside someone and they swerve right into me when I am actually alongside is too funny, I'm used to it now and brace and even lean in so they usually bounce off me.
I agree with your friend that they do it intentionally. I do the same as Hugh, brace myself, and watch them bounce off.
That always amuses me a little, especially the look of indignation on their face, because it is a foreigner.
I used to live in SZ. Next to my bus-stop was an intersection. I would sit there and watch drivers come off the smaller road to pull out onto the larger road. I must have watched a thousand cars, trucks and even more e-bikes do this. I honestly do not ever remember seeing one of them look or yield. It ranks as one of the strangest behaviors I've ever witnessed anywhere on God's green Earth. Seems way stupid and sorta suicidal to me.
diverdude1:
not many actually... I arrived at bus-stop a couple of times when they were cleaning up from accident. but in over 3 years in SZ, I seen aftermath of quite a few wrecks around the city, and truth is I wasn't even out&about that much.
pbrown22:
I've witnessed the same kind of suicidal behavior many times myself. I heard there is no such thing as "the right of way" when driving in China. If another car hits you its their fault no matter you cut them off or what. Combine this with the belief that they think they'l never get anywhere if they wait for others to go first then it pretty much explains this behavior.
Do the car drivers ignore oncoming traffic, especially if it is only a bike or an e-bike? Yes.
Everyone plays "I didn't see you" here. No one wants to stop or give an inch. Heaven forbid anyone should be delayed a few seconds for the sake of courtesy. Here, driving, riding or traveling on or in anything is a winner take all competition. Sometimes the fact that one traveler is foreign only seems to make it worse. Apparently endangering the lives of others does not bother anyone here, or as near as I can tell, bothers precious few. Size determines the pecking order. If you're riding an e-bike or bicycle then you can bet that car will cut you off because "FU I'm bigger than you." So you better hit the brakes. I was riding with a Chinese friend (with my eyes closed) when he said he thinks if he is in his car, he should not be required to stop. Heaven help us.
OK, rant over.
