Roads and traffic: What the hell is wrong here?

  • 66 replies
  • 20741 views
*

Lotus Eater

  • 7671
  • buk-buk..b'kaaaawww!
Re: Roads and traffic: What the hell is wrong here?
« Reply #45 on: June 30, 2008, 09:08:08 PM »
Definitely NOT just a 'Chinese' attitude.

Here I've found most accidents - even fairly small bingles - collect a crowd of on-lookers.  Lots of advice given etc.  BUT .. no-one can move the cars/bikes etc until the police come, because to move the vehicle implies liability. 

Re: Roads and traffic: What the hell is wrong here?
« Reply #46 on: July 06, 2008, 06:22:23 PM »
OK, the Chinese are cold-hearted and racist at times. People in other countries can be, too. So it is ok.

Re: Roads and traffic: What the hell is wrong here?
« Reply #47 on: July 06, 2008, 06:28:40 PM »
I do love China, the only time I sometimes dont like it is when I am on the road or waiting in a que at a supermarket or restaurant. 

Re: Roads and traffic: What the hell is wrong here?
« Reply #48 on: August 22, 2008, 11:13:34 PM »

Hola!

The problem that I see is that there are so many damn cars on the road, and the scarcity of space. I think there is something on the lines of at least 1,000 new automobiles every month in Hangzhou alone, making traffic that much worse. And these are HUGE ASSED SUV pieces of shit. Big sedans. No dinky rice burners here.

Most drivers in China are new drivers with very little experience. Driving requires experience. Also when it comes to traffic laws, China is a very free place. The police are not enforcing the laws, and depend a lot on cameras to catch scofflaws in action. Anyone can drive drunk here as long as they can somewhat keep it on the road and do not kill anyone. This is changing slowly, but for an evil, authoritarian, Communist nation, people aren't too afraid of the cops, and the cops aren't out to bust balls.

I don't miss driving one tiny, tiny bit. Driving sucks. There is the expense of the automobile, the gasoline (running now at about 6 RMB a liter), the insurance, the tires, the mechanical upkeep, the oil changes, worry about theft and damage, being worried about others on the road. The feeling that if the car breaks down or fails, my life is upside down, and me at the mercy of asshole mechanics with their greasy paws out. Paying the government expensive regisration fees. I can pay 1-3 RMB for the bus, or less than 20 RMB by taxi to getv around the inner city. In the United States, for the same services would be much, much more expensive. China has a decent rail system. Why drive to Nanjing, when I can rail it? In many parts of the United States, if one wants to go 100 kilometers from one town to the next, the car is the only mechanized option, and I am not talking about little places either. Fuck China getting the MEGLEV, when is America getting a MEGLEV?

Even if I was a billionaire, I would not drive, I would just have a driver at my beck and call. All these cars are ridiculous. The Chinese government needs to do something on limiting all these cars on the road, especially some of these behometh pieces of crap.

Senor



Re: Roads and traffic: What the hell is wrong here?
« Reply #49 on: August 25, 2008, 10:15:41 AM »
Good post Senor. bfbfbfbfbf. Right on the mark.

And yes, Chelsea Tractors suck, especially when used to show off to your pals or pick up the kids from school/or going to Tesco's. A friend of mine uses them as a urinal. afafafafaf

-Hey, look at me in my SUV.
-No, get a McKaying life!

*

chinalin

  • *
  • 208
  • The Great wall in winter.
    • Lin's China Travels
Re: Roads and traffic: What the hell is wrong here?
« Reply #50 on: November 20, 2008, 06:02:55 AM »
I love this thread.  I think we mostly all feel the same about the traffic here, and the rules, or lack of.

Last night, I was in the city centre, and had been shopping, and was on my way to a regular restaurant.  When I approached one of the busiest intersections in the city centre, I was very pleased to see a policeman on point duty.  So, I thought that when the pedestrians got the green light, it would be much more controlled than usual (which is pandemonium with cars just running the red light, as if, well I was waiting to get there, and now I can go, too bad if the light changed when you were twenty metres up the road, or more!!)

But, when the lights changed to red, and two cars (miraculously) stopped at the stop line, the policeman on duty waved them on, and continued to wave cars through, against the red light.  By the time the pedestrians got a chance to cross the road, there was 9 seconds left on the green 'walk' light!!  Go figure!!

Oh silly me, I did think that having the cops controlling the intersection might mean that the traffic lights would have some meaning, for a change!!

Lin,
Zhaoqing, Guangdong Province.

 bxbxbxbxbx

Re: Roads and traffic: What the hell is wrong here?
« Reply #51 on: November 20, 2008, 07:31:26 PM »
Chinalin, do you mean to tell me there's a magical place in China where the police direct traffic?? This I gotta see.
"I don't need to compromise my principles, because they don't have the slightest bearing on what happens to me anyway." -Calvin
3 greatest things in the world in one website: http://www.boozefoodtravel.com
http://www.TotalTaipei.com
My Taipei travel guide: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B073RSMVG

Re: Roads and traffic: What the hell is wrong here?
« Reply #52 on: November 20, 2008, 07:34:55 PM »
There is a place in Dalian.  Female traffic director. She stands on top of a 'round podium' thingie in the middle of the street.  She does stop cars - no light either, and then lets turning cars have a chance to turn.
Be kind to dragons for thou are crunchy when roasted and taste good with brie.

*

chinalin

  • *
  • 208
  • The Great wall in winter.
    • Lin's China Travels
Re: Roads and traffic: What the hell is wrong here?
« Reply #53 on: November 21, 2008, 12:54:28 PM »
Yes, China-matt, sometimes in downtown Zhaoqing, there appear to be many police on the major intersections.  But generally traffic, be it vehicular or pedestrian, seem to ignore them, like they are not there!!  Just this one time, when the cars etc., were getting a bonus, (managing to run a red light under police instructions) they actually followed instructions.  I think there is a police academy somewhere here, and these guys seem to be doing work experience, or something.  It does not seem like they carry any authority at all, if you watch the way the locals follow (not!!) instructions!
Lin. bxbxbxbxbx

*

Lotus Eater

  • 7671
  • buk-buk..b'kaaaawww!
Re: Roads and traffic: What the hell is wrong here?
« Reply #54 on: November 21, 2008, 03:18:08 PM »
Police direct traffic in Xi'an and Beijing.  Often 2 or 3 police at the one intersection WITH lights.  fascinating.

*

psd4fan

  • *
  • 798
  • 在哈尔滨黑龙江中国
    • WillExcel TESOL
Re: Roads and traffic: What the hell is wrong here?
« Reply #55 on: November 27, 2008, 11:01:20 PM »
I hope to live out my days here with my future wife and family. As long as I am in this country I will never get behind the wheel of anything bigger than a go-kart.

*

Lotus Eater

  • 7671
  • buk-buk..b'kaaaawww!
Re: Roads and traffic: What the hell is wrong here?
« Reply #56 on: November 27, 2008, 11:51:57 PM »
I so wanted to have a video camera and be able to stay to film the other day.  I was in the uni bus heading out to the new campus when we were held up at an intersection.  Lights working perfectly - but 2 traffic police in the centre directing.  And directing with precision choreography!!  It was spectacular to watch.  CLEAN white gloves, arms at at precise angles, military turns.  At one point they faced away from each other, directing traffic flow east-west and then on cue, spun about, faced each other and switched their direction, hands at exactly the same position, stopping traffic.  Exactly in time.  It was beautiful to watch.  hhhhhhhhhh

*

AMonk

  • *****
  • 7817
Re: Roads and traffic: What the hell is wrong here?
« Reply #57 on: November 28, 2008, 12:02:49 AM »
The question is....Did they also co-ordinate with the lights?
Moderation....in most things...

*

Lotus Eater

  • 7671
  • buk-buk..b'kaaaawww!
Re: Roads and traffic: What the hell is wrong here?
« Reply #58 on: November 28, 2008, 12:22:01 AM »
Not even sure they looked at them!  But it all worked.  ahahahahah

Re: Roads and traffic: What the hell is wrong here?
« Reply #59 on: November 29, 2008, 05:04:28 PM »
DS, you beat me to the post.  bjbjbjbjbj The place is Renmin Square, Zhongshan Road. The main east-west arterial road in the city. And it works.  bfbfbfbfbf Probably because it's at the entrance to the square, not a major intersection; possibly also because there are lights at Beijing Street and Xinkai Road just a little ways down in either direction.