By continuing you agree to eChinacities's Privacy Policy .
Sign up with Google
Sign up with Facebook
Q: Why do Chinese drivers cut across, cut corners and nearly side swipe you when they drive?
I can't understand these dangerous driving methods, it can't be culture induced, because they haven't been driving cars for that long.
12 years 31 weeks ago in Transport & Travel - China
because the people here are excellent drivers you may think it is dangerous but it is actually very skillful.
people here are smarter than westerners 
Similar to many countries, especially Asian ones. When you have a lot of traffic and almost zero enforcement of the rules it just becomes dog eat dog, every man for themselves behaviour. So if you obey the rules and drive politely you wont get anywhere. So this type of behaviour just permiates through everyday driving. Once it is ingrained it is so hard to change. On the other hand when road rules are inforced from the get go, everyone actually gets there quicker with less risk and those who break the law are more noticable and more easily detected. The tough question is how do you change the behaviour. Not sure you can.
because the people here are excellent drivers you may think it is dangerous but it is actually very skillful.
people here are smarter than westerners
Chinese taxi drivers out of China would probably be the best drivers in the world.
In China I feel cars own the road, while back west the pedestrian has a little more authority.
laura.gage99:
I've always felt like its a hierarchy of size. Don't screw with anyone bigger than you are. And yeah, I'd live to see the taxi drivers do Nascar. We'd have to take away their horns though.
because they're awful drivers. and they'll always be that way because traffic laws aren't enforced.
Skill in driving doesn't equate to safe driving, not in any way.
I'm from the states, and when I first came here I too expected to die every time I set foot outside. But dont worry to much. There IS a system to it I promise. Its like a complicated dace that includes way more different kinds of dancers (bikes, mopeds, crazed pedestrians) than we have in the west. You just cant EVER go into auto pilot like we can at home.
Be careful out there, Alex. Only move when you see other Chinese people ready to move with you.
they dont know anything about physics when they hit something or someone it is a surprise
Hey Waqas. You obviously have not been to many "other countries" or at least many that actually pay some attention to the road rules, have strict driving tests, good road safety education and pretty much honest police who enforce the road rules.
Th answer is simple - Chinese drivers all still think they are riding bicycles!!
waqas: china is one of the world leaders when it comes to traffic fatalities. (per capita) so it has nothing to do with the high population.
chinese driver still think they are riding a bicycle
From what I see Chinese can not drive, watch them park. To be able to stop, go and steer does not mean you are a good driver with any skill. I have driven big motorcycles and fast cars all my life. There is a difference. Before coming to China, I'd seen how Chinese drive in my country. They are awful drivers, no road manners, no thinking, just point a car and go there. They drive like that in China just go, no thinking involved, no safety thought of, not having any degree of skill. Look how many will drive a scooter at night with no light against traffic direction and going too fast to be able to handle any thing unexpected. Thats why so many scooters are smashed and the fix is scotch tape here, not duct tape.It never fails that when i take off with a green light cars will run the red. Its frigging crazy, everyone just steers around what they can and hope to not hit something else. In some ways I like driving in China, no traffic tickets and I now run red lights. At home I hate cops, I've had tickets for excessive noise on a bike, when i was pushing it home with no gas.
When the majority of Chinese drivers fail to do practical driving lessons and sometimes pay the extra just to get there license this is what happens no road sense.
All they are really caring about is showing the rest of the people how "important" they are by driving a car.
If you can figure out why Chinese people basically have no regard for other people, please let me know.
(I think part of the reason must be the extreme population density / poverty / lack of education)
Although it does blow my mind, if the police just put a camera on the traffic lights and then at the end of the day rewatch it, ticketing everyone (I'm assuming the licence plate has something to do with the owner) bamf! not only instant cash but you teach them a lesson
I thought this was normal since no one is using a child car seat in the back anyway.
This sounds great, but who is going to write the code for never stopping, cutting people off, kill them and pay 50 thousand instead on injure and never maintain just one lane and never park to avoid hitting the door of the car next to you.
blame kapitalism for that. kapitalism has allowed alot of dodgy characters get rich. theyre the ones who can afford cars. therefore, they act like they own the roads. that and the lack of cops on the street is a recipe for disaster. never give greedy selish people an inch. theyll alwasys take a foot
