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Q: Why do the Chinese walk with oncoming traffic?
Why do Chinese people walk with oncoming traffic, seems absurd to me? I always walk against the traffic as I want to know who or what is going to hit me and I can at least try to take evasive action. Also, why do so many Chinese idiots cross the road against the lights and often with kids in their arms or holding their hands. Every kid at school should be made to watch CCTV evening news and watch the the e-bike riders and pedestrians get written off all because they didn't obey the traffic lights.
You are right. I have seen various nasty incidents on the news during my time here, including one of the rickshaws in Chengdu.
Chinese people are lazy and ignorant, and arrogant.
In Chengdu, they built a new footbridge. Every day, Chengdu TV recorded and confronted people who didn't use it.
It's the same problem as with most other things wrong with China. People just don't care. I often see people walking on the road when there is a perfectly good sidewalk right next to them, and yes, this is often grandmothers with children. It's the village mentality that just hasn't faded.
LAR:
Yes Scan, that's it. They just don't care. And, as I've read they think that they're bulletproof.
Not long after i arrived in China, i made the same remark to my ex. Her cousin insisted on saying that thisis how it is in China. She had a proud expression on her face after trying to find logic in this absurdity.
Have you also noticed how they let those small kids always walk on the side with traffic while the adults are walking on the pavement side?
Well, I've got an unproved, unsubstantiated, layman's theory about that.
Not too long ago - let's say a generation? - there were few cars in China. So... no traffic lights, no yield or right-of-way signs, etc. At that time, the roads were probably congested with bicycles, scooters, pedicabs, funky lorries/trucks, carts driven by beasts of burden and... pedestrians going every which way with no great concern about becoming a number in some morgue or roadside buzzard feed. I'll bet that was the typical urban scene about 30-to-50 years ago. How many pedestrian "deaths-by-auto" occurred at that time? Dunno. Maybe the occasional goring by an overworked ox gone mad?
Anyway, back to my simplistic theory. Around 30 years ago, China loosens up and fast-tracks economic growth, industrial output and crass consumerism. Over that span of time, a bunch of people are lifted out of dire poverty by their bootstraps by migrating in droves to cities to work in factories and other industries, entrepreneurship is sanctioned and heavily promoted by the Lordships in BJ, and the nation is driven in a madcap way to build wealth.
Who owns the auto industry in China? The petrol stations? Who builds the roads? Who legislates and regulates motor vehicle and road laws? Who, for the past 20 or so years, had encouraged Chinese citizens to buy, buy, buy cars? The government, of course.
So, what happens? Overnight, citizens are buying driver's licenses and fancy cars, retiring Dad's Flying Pigeon and Grandpa's oxcart, and taking to the roads where, lo and behold, the same people (or their offspring) who walked those roads 50 years ago are STILL there --- walking! Nobody, but nobody has taught those folks a thing about road safety and how to preserve one's physical integrity when dodging in and out of traffic or walking with the traffic flow.
Okay. I know what you're thinking and I agree with you. It's common sense, right? I mean, to walk facing oncoming traffic so you know when to leap out of the veering path of a fat Hummer or sleek Porsche commandeered by a tweaked-out drunk with 1 or 2 years of driving experience.
On the other hand, common sense comes with experience or... education. It's really up to the same people who own the mass media and auto companies to educate the masses via public service announcements in all media, compulsory course in driver's ed, and effective oversight and implementation of the law.
Junior was never taught to drive like I - and maybe even you - by my dad who, in turn, was taught to drive by his dad who was taught to drive by my great grandad. So, if we check back in another generation or two, I'll bet things will have improved a bit, don't you think?
I'm not making any apologies for the poor driving or the pedestrians who risk becoming roadkill in this country. I'm just trying to understand it from a socio-historical perspective. I will apologize, however, for this disjointed mini-dissertation...
Scandinavian:
You are forgetting a thing about the past. Way back when, the few cars that were on the roads did not have to follow any rules, they could plow through people as they wanted, as they where owned by high ranking party officials. Seeing this in their youth, is what taught the modern Chinese person how to drive.
Red_Fox:
You're right. I forgot about the bigwigs in their luxury sedans who probably drove over anything and everything that was unfortunate and arrogant enough to be in the way of the almighty car. Thanks for the added insight. A pity, isn't it? Whilst back home in the west, we're ditching the car for souped-up bicycles so that we can do our part to reduce our carbon footprint (I'm not a tree hugger, btw.), get a little exercise, save some money on gas/petrol, and enjoy the ride, here in China, the car is all the rage. (Footnote: I miss both my vintage 3-gear Raleigh Roadster AND my Jeep Grand Cherokee with the tanned leather seats...) Cheers!
Simple answer, apparently the perception is if you can see a pedestrian or other vehicle, YOU have to give way, if you CANNOT see the pedestrian or other vehicle, you don't. This also applies to pedestrians, therefore if you walk with the traffic but at a slight angle, you cannot see the oncoming traffic which can obviously see you so THEY have to give way.
This is a widely held perception, albeit to us a suicidal one, and most definitely NOT the law, but it is how many locals view things.
Red_Fox:
I don't get it. Ordinarily, a driver has the upper hand - a windscreen as wide as the sky and 3 rear view mirrors. How can a driver NOT spot an obstacle (i.e. pedestrian) in his path - unless he is truly blind? And if that is the case, strip the guy of his drivers license.
Scandinavian:
Chinese cars don't have rear view mirrors, they have multiple make-up mirrors
Hugh.G.Rection:
That's the entire point of this perception, those joining traffic or trying to cross the street know you can see them, so they put their back to the traffic and cross at an angle, they KNOW you can see them and they can't see you therefore YOU have to give way. Trouble is this has now lead to a "don't look don't see' mentality where many drivers on straight roads refuse to look at any side roads so that they don't 'see' the maniac pulling out and so don't have to give way.
pbrown22:
I think Hugh is right. I was told before that the "law" in China when driving is if you initially hit someone (either a person or a car) while driving its your fault no matter what.
Suicide Hulk here. It's not just Chinese people, though. Some of have have gone native.
I walk with traffic, and I'm infinitely more dangerous than Chinese people when they cross the road. In fact, I recently rode my bike across the road with oncoming traffic during a red light, stopped quickly and positioned the bike 90 degrees left to avoid getting hit. I was literally 1 second from becoming one with the asphalt. It scared the SHAT out of the rich guy in his Audi who almost took me out.
People stopped in Changsha at the four-way intersection near walmart, but I was always walking across the road wondering why they're less Chinese than me.
Chinese Frogger is actually an art, albiet a very dangerous one. People do not stop for you, they just keep going. You have to do your best to get the hell out of the way, or you'll be ran down. This is China, so they might back up and finish the job to avoid paying for the rest of your life.
Red_Fox:
I, too, have become "Chinafied". I jaywalk better than Jay or his/her mother in this country. It's actually kind of fun and a time-saver to boot. On the other foot, I would never jaywalk at home for fear of getting a ticket or a police beating or a week-long stint in the county jail. Gotta love my fellow Mericans: We swat flies with cannonballs.
LAR:
"On..........................cannonballs.' Yaaaaaaawwwwwwwnnnn. Drop the stupid "mericans" comment. Pendejo.
Red_Fox:
@Lar - Sorry to offend your sensibilities old boy. The cannonball idiom is actually a translation of a popular Spanish idiom used today in Spain usually when referring to the heavy-handed reactionary nature of U.S. military or police action abroad or at home. Often the case when a minor offense results in highly disproportionate punishment. It's a graphic idiom and says a lot about the American national character.
Ok. So you don't like Merican. Rectification: American. Is that better? :-)
Btw, "pendejo" is an insult used primarily by Spanish speakers in the Americas. It actually means "pubic hair", but in the vernacular, it means "dumb guy" or even worse. Anyway, I'm not offended. Were you having a bad night last night? Hope you feel better today. Cheers!
In my mind, design of interval time from green to red in some place is not appropriate, which results in breaking the rules.
derek:
You are assuming they only cross at lights? Think bigger my friend. You know better than that.
biodamon:
I just put forward my idea. And it definitely exists in China.
What's wrong with all of you?
I too walk on the incoming side of traffic. I would like to see them and not just hope that they see me as well.
