Friday Fun: You know you’ve been driving in China too long when…
So its the last Friday before Spring Festival, plus its nearly lunch time which means that you will spend the next five hours doing practically nothing. So why not tell us about your China driving habits:
- Speed signs are no longer mandatory, but have become suggestions
- Parking on the sidewalk is a suitable solution to the lack of parking spots in the vicinity
- You know full well that parking on the side walk is a 100rmb fine, but illegal parking on the road is a 200rmb fine
- You will purposefully drive from Shanghai into Jiangsu province or Beijing into Hubei province to fill up on cheaper gasoline.
- You no longer fear police cars on the road
- When returning to your homeland, you have trouble adjusting to local traffic rules
- You firmly believe that driving in China prepares you for flying Apache helicopters
- You are no longer surprised when two or more cars pass you when the light turns green, even though the cars in question were ten cars back last time you looked in the mirror
- Red lights no longer count as important, especially if they’ve only just turned red
- You are disgusted when a car wash center wants to charge 30rmb ($4.75) for a full internal/external car wash, as you know the car wash center down the road is only 15rmb.
- Spitting out the window is no longer unacceptable, in fact it has become encouraged behavior
- Smoking/being on the phone/cooking a full roast dinner whilst driving has become the norm
- When you plan a short journey by taxi, you factor in the fact that the taxi driver will get you there at warp speed, so you end up disappointed when the taxi driver goes slower than expected.
- In your mind headlight settings have two options – High Beams or Off
Let us know your thoughts via the comment box.
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I once drove to Shanghai on a near empty tank, it was a mistake. I filled up with the usual 200rmb’s worth of 93 gasoline and it barely made a dent. Shanghai 93 is about 7.55rmb per litre, where as the gas station near my home is 7.11rmb. Jiangsu highway stations are usually in the 7.22 area.
- You’ve been driving in China too long when you dare talk back to an officer of the law. Been stopped for a traffic violation? Advise the officer he’s an idiot, but back home, that’s a tazerin’ (or worse)
My last trip into down town Shenzhen a taxi was making a U turn and blocked both lanes in front of me. I noticed the sidewalk was almost flat with the curb so I didn’t even have to slow down. Up the sidewalk and around without touching the brakes.
Not being afraid of the police is definitely true, as is having to adjust when driving back home.
I’ll add mine:
1) You tailgate to “protect your position”
2) Cutting off the car next to you is a practical and also acceptable way to change lanes (even if it happens to be a police car)
3) Driving in the bus or bicycle lane when in a rush, but only after first checking that there are no traffic cameras in the vicinity
4) When making a left turn, you rush into the intersection and block the cars coming in the opposite direction, forcing them to give you right-of-way
5) Commuting to work means being stuck in traffic for 3-4 hours/day, but hey I’d rather be stuck in traffic than endure a crowded subway/bus
5) I used to think like this too, but I have learned to embrace the cuddle of my fellow stranger on the subway, oddly enough the rules of the road also apply on the subway.
When you go to any empty lane at the stop light and turn across all the other lanes if that is the direction you are going.
I have to add my last observation — you have to change lane as often as possible on the highways. There is no such thing as FAST LANE, otherwise you get to nowhere……
When going down the wrong direction of the road weaving through oncoming traffic seems normal.
And for me the big one.
When you feel honking your horn less than 87 times in a 10 minute trip feels somehow empty.
Emergency Braking Procedure is now = Horn, Horn, Brake, Maneuver, Horn,
- when you missed the turn and instead of proceeding to the next intersection, drive 200 meters backwards (preferrably through a side walk)
When your prized single malt at home doesn’t last nearly as long as before.
- When you stop in the middle of the highway to read the trafic signs
- When the fastest lane on the highway is the emergency lane