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Posts: 6

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Q: How do you keep your calm with all those people who don't know how to drive?

It's not just car drivers, but also pedestrians, truck drivers, scooter drivers, cyclists. No one here knows how to follow rules and every single time I step out of my apartment, I'm this close to getting hit. Every time I get into this situation, it makes me so damn mad all day long. It's like they've build roads and let monkeys use it. I see more dogs using the zebra crossing properly than people.

 

9 years 26 weeks ago in  Transport & Travel - China

 
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Posts: 2488

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This is a trick question right?? Answer: There is no way to keep calm being surrounded by morons with a death wish.

Nailed it! Man i love these riddles.

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9 years 26 weeks ago
 
Posts: 1198

Shifu

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Acceptance. China isn't the same as the place you have come from. Cars have been in Western countries for over 100 years. In China cars are relatively new to a lot of the population. There is not a culture of driver courtesy, safety, following the rules or any of the things that you take for granted back home. When I commute on my scooter I expect everybody to have zero driving ability and for them to be completely oblivious to other road users. When I come across a driver that shows courtesy, uses their indicator/signal when turning or gives way when appropriate I am pleasantly surprised. If you let all the little things get you down then you will soon have a nervous breakdown.

Scandinavian:

but this is complete bullocks. Why should anyone accept that thousands are killed each week, people who could be alive if only people knew how to drive. 

9 years 26 weeks ago
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laowaigentleman:

I don't accept it. There is such a thing as a learning curve.

 

The unnecessary gridlock caused by drivers cutting into the oncoming lane when they must know the cause of the back up is turning traffic at a t-junction is the most irritating thing. I do the stoic thing and expect it at every t-junction. It makes me less stressed lowering my expectations, but it's a kind of soft bigotry in the end, don't you think?

9 years 26 weeks ago
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nzteacher80:

1.3 billion people aren't going to change their driving habits because a few foreigners point out the fact that their driving is shit. They don't know that their driving is shit. Shit driving is the norm. God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change. The courage to change the things I can. And the wisdom to know the difference.

9 years 26 weeks ago
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Scandinavian:

Why do you ask someone who can stop people from dying to accept that people are dying. Why don't you ask your God to get peoples driving skills up to standard ? Remember to also ask for a new iPhone 6

9 years 26 weeks ago
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DrMonkey:

Why 1.3 billions people in a really large country can't do it, but about the same number of people over several small countries can do it ? Does Japanese or Koreans are as bad drivers as the Chinese, with also a late introduction to cars ? 

9 years 26 weeks ago
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mArtiAn:

  I think it's a fair point, drivers driving like cyclists. I'm 45 and didn't start driving till I was in my twenties, but it's a fair bet i've been driving longer than 99.9% of the population here. And driving etiquette is something that develops over time. I think the missing ingredient in the equation that makes the roads such a joke is a police force that don't seem to give a toss.

9 years 26 weeks ago
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9 years 26 weeks ago
 
Posts: 1198

Shifu

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double post

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9 years 26 weeks ago
 
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Sometimes I just laugh it off, you've got no choice. Got my son on my bike most of the time too and I want to be a good influence, but sometimes......
Had someone cut me up once or something, I forget, and I couldn't help but curse the guy under my breath. "Fu**ing monkies." Then from the floor of the bike I heard my son's sweet little voice whisper, "Fu**ing monkies."
Yep, marvelous influence.

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9 years 26 weeks ago
 
Posts: 921

Shifu

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I have about 120k kms of driving in China and I drive about 25k kms per year. Boy it's hard.......

 

 

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9 years 26 weeks ago
 
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How I keep my calm : I run and I practice ukulele. On the long term, I know I will blow a fuse, so I'm actively preparing my leave from China. You will have to endure that, so either switch off the brain or find a way to blow your steam in a socially acceptable way, and have a plan to leave when you feel it's not bearable anymore.

mArtiAn:

  You run and practise ukelele? What, at the same time? I guess you'd have to with all the people chasing you with sticks telling you to stop playing ukelele. Kidding of course, I play ukelele, though I do not strum, I pick. A strummed ukelele is as inviting a sound as a goose farting in a fog. Except to the tune of Sam Hall, but the wife says if she hears that one again she's going to attempt giving me a ukelenema. 

9 years 26 weeks ago
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DrMonkey:

I got my ukulele just two month ago, so I'm still a beginner, I learn the chords and exercise my fingers. Strumming sounds fine to me, if the ukulele is properly tuned ;) I strum with my fingers to not play too loud. I can already play "The Lion is sleeping tonight" ! If you run while playing ukulele, you fart rainbows, propelling you in the sky. I do it sometime, and I sing while doing it "Nyan Nyan Nyan Nyan Nyan Nyan"

9 years 26 weeks ago
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mArtiAn:

  Hey, don't joke about farting rainbows, i've got a newborn who does just that, it's like an edited toilet scene from The Exorcist. Kid gets some height as well, it's scary, every nappy change is an adventure. It's like the moment I get the first one off, the theme tune to Mission Impossible starts up and suddenly i'm Ethan Hawk defusing a bomb. The wife's standing behind me shaking and sweating, "We're not going to make it Ethan, it's going to blow any minute," but i'm calm under pressure, "D'you wanna live forever?" Nothing left but the nappy cream, but which tube, the red cap or the blue one? The red cap or the blue one? The tension's getting to me but my hand is steady as I, (clip), flip open the blue one. And it's done. We live to fight another day. I slump down against the foot of the bed and smile. But wait a moment, what was that rumbling? No. No. It can't be. Dear God, it is. "Code Brown, people. I repeat, we have another Code Brown situation here." I shake my head and sigh, "Man..... I'm getting too old for this shit." Chinese roads? Pressure? Danger? Don't make me laugh, 'Chineseroadspressuredanger' is my middle name.

9 years 26 weeks ago
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9 years 26 weeks ago
 
Posts: 372

Governor

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Yeah acceptance and joining them is the only way. In my city, I was told that the didn't even have any roads, let alone cars here in this city, until around 2002. My business partner was one of the first to have enough money to buy a car, a Buick station wagon, which he had to have shipped from Shanghai at the time, and he still drives actually. So given the fact that most people here probably didn't start learning how to drive until maybe 8 years ago, it explains many of the problems. When I first arrived though, I was a model citizen. I said I refused to be like them and that I would always follow the rules. But when I realized how stupid that was, I quickly changed, and honestly I love it. The freedom to do what I want, when i want, how I want and not get get in trouble, is just great. It has sharpened my reflexes. I almost get hit by a car at least twice a day, and bike someone on an ebike at least 5 or 6 times a day and most of the time I'm barely conscious of it, Me reflexes do the work and I just keep on going, singing American music and the top of my lungs. 

 

However, this I will say. People with small children on their bikes, I will never understand, EVER. If this happened in America, your child would be taken away from you. Every time I see a small child or baby on a ebike or bicycle, especially in main street lanes instead of the ebike/bicycle lane...I cringe...I can not stand that. Granted, even the ones who have a car, never put their child in a car seat or even put a seat belt on them, but at least the child has a slight better chance of surviving a car crash, than a bike crash.

DrMonkey:

Take the behavior "embrace it", and clone it to half of the population. It's why things are the way they are in China, giving up ;)

9 years 26 weeks ago
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9 years 26 weeks ago
 
Posts: 9631

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Our car has a 5 star crash rating by EU standards. When I drive I keep a distance, I can live with some a-hole cutting in front, I will drop back and rebuild a safe distance. If someone is right in my rear mirror, I let go of the accelerator and as soon as they pull out to overtake, I will floor it. I really can't stand the selfishness causing other people danger. 

 

Oh, obviously music at a volume that keeps the honking out. 

DrMonkey:

Hummm... Queens of The Stone Age would be a good match.

9 years 26 weeks ago
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Scandinavian:

yeah. I personally have a peculiar mix of old Bowie and Rammstein playing. 

 

 
Wer zu Lebzeit gut auf Erden
wird nach dem Tod ein Engel werden
den Blick gen Himmel fragst du dann
warum man sie nicht sehen kann
 
Erst wenn die Wolken schlafengehn
kann man uns am Himmel sehn
wir haben Angst und sind allein
 
Gott weiß ich will kein Engel sein
 
Sie leben hinterm Sonnenschein
getrennt von uns unendlich weit
sie müssen sich an Sterne krallen (ganz fest)
damit sie nicht vom Himmel fallen
 
Erst wenn die Wolken schlafengehn
kann man uns am Himmel sehn
wir haben Angst und sind allein
 
Gott weiß ich will kein Engel sein
 
Erst wenn die Wolken schlafengehn
kann man uns am Himmel sehn
wir haben Angst und sind allein
 
Gott weiß ich will kein Engel sein

9 years 26 weeks ago
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laowaigentleman:

You have the same taste as me. I play Live Aus Berlin before heading to work everyday. 

 

I have Bowie's entire back catalogue.

 

Ride the Lightning, Master of Puppets and Pantera's Cowboys from Hell are my favourite driving songs.

 

I only drive when I'm down in Hunan. My city's too dangerous.

9 years 26 weeks ago
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9 years 26 weeks ago
 
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Well, I'm glad you ask. You see, I'm INSANE.

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9 years 26 weeks ago
 
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I just try to be as careful as possible as I assume some half-retarded fool is going to try and cut me off at any moment. 

 

Usually it is a taxi driver or some self-entitled loser driving a benz or audi. I honk at both of them obnoxiously and shout at them sometimes. They look embarassed and scuttle away. 

 

Chinese people just aren't worth the effort. 

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9 years 26 weeks ago
 
Posts: 1059

Shifu

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I ride a mt bike to work everyday and people on scooters,people that drive cars and ride bikes all I can say is no one gives a fuck about anyone.

people that drive cars to busy using there mobile phones than looking at whats in front of them when driving.

people riding bikes on the same side of the road as you but opposite direction on a busy road.people on scooters ride at you.bus drivers driving and using there phones.

the amount of times I have nearly been knocked off my bike because of some dickhead.I do get road rage.I cant help it.

 

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9 years 26 weeks ago
 
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  Actually i'm seriously considering getting a fog lamp and an air horn put on my bike. The fog lamp to shine at drivers coming toward me at night blinding me with their lights on high beam, and the air horn for pretty much everyone else.

DrMonkey:

Dual vuvuzelas fed with an air compressor. 130 dB of awesome.

9 years 26 weeks ago
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9 years 26 weeks ago
 
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I am relentless as pedestrian.

I must cross two zebras (without traffic lights) on my way to school. When I cross zebra, all cars must stop or avoid me.

No 'assimilation' in China on the matter 'pedestrian doesn't have right way'. I know, I look 'strange' to all fellow Chinese, who behave on zebra like they are in the Zoo or in cinema/theatre.

 

My today's print would be 'Follow me, you're in China' on the back of my T-shirt.

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9 years 26 weeks ago
 
Posts: 2310

Shifu

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depend how I woke up in the morning. if right foot first, I stop and smile while pointing at their fault. if I woke with left foot first, that they better drive 40meters around me or they will get some damage to their car Smile

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9 years 26 weeks ago
 
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Governor

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Drinking. That's how I put up with everything 

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9 years 26 weeks ago
 
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