Beijing Drivers' Habits
We have talked about the different driving style between US and China. Now we talk about the drivers' habits in Beijing, China.
The road is a little jam since the traffic lights broken. It is not a big deal when you drive in America. Drivers just simply follow the traffic rules. You think the broken traffic lights as "STOP" signs for all 4-ways. The line of the cars still keep moving even though it is relatively slow. However, if the same circumstances happens in China. The result might be very different.
Let's start with this conversation. It happened before I got my U.S. driver's license. I sit next to An when he was driving. We were in a parking lot of shopping center. I noticed An always stop, which makes me very confuse.
- "What are you doing?" I asked him.
- "Driving." He felt weird.
- "I know. But why you always stop?" I pointed out.
- "Do you see the stop signs?" He obviously very confused.
- "Yes. But why you stop? No people here." I feel confused as well.
His mouth and eyes both opened very big. He looked at me, with an unusual voice said:"What is the STOP SIGN for? For STOP! OK?"
Although I still don't quite understand why he stops, I remember to stop at the stop signs since then. But An seems to remember this conversation forever. He friendly reminded me when I was about to take the road test:"Stop at the stop signs, you will pass the test!"
As a driver have been drive for several years in China, I don't understand why people have to stop at the stop signs. You may feel it sounds ridiculous. But I have to remind you that, in Beijing, nobody stops at stop sign! No matter you are a driver or a passenger, you have to "go Beijing, as Beijingers do". You have to know how to protect yourself on the road.
Many drivers in Beijing would do the followings:
Never stop at stop signs.
Like I mentioned above, I don't have any sense of stopping at stop signs before I drive in America. In fact, I can't recall whether Beijing has any stop signs! I believe I am not minority. If you have friends in Beijing, please ask them whether they stop at stop signs. or whether they realize any stop signs on the road! So if you are a driver, you stop at the stop signs, the car behind probably would bump you. Why you suddenly stop? If you are a passenger, do not cross the street in a peaceful mind despite the stop signs are there! Always check around and make sure no car is coming, or the driver has intent to let you go first. For your safety, please do remember this.
Drive on bike lanes, park on bike lanes.
Even though you ride a bike and take the bike lane, you have to watch out vehicles all the time. Don't be shocked if some drivers beep you on "your lane". I know cars are not supposed to drive on the lanes for bikes. But this circumstance exits everywhere in the city. Cars not only drive on the lane of bikes, but also park everywhere. The result is there don't have so much room for bicycle riders and passengers. I guess that's why people prefer to own a car in China. Because it is safer on the road. Compare to drivers who protected under metal, the bicycle riders and passengers are lack of any protection.
People always switch lanes. Drive like "S" or "Z".
The road is extremely jam in rush hours. So people always seek faster lanes. Drivers in Beijing switch lanes more often than American drivers do. If you drive there, be alert of the cars next to you all the time. They may suddenly drive in front of you. Stay cool if you see cars block two lanes. This is very common. Sometimes you may see a road of three lanes has four lines of cars. Again, stay cool.
Cars are much closer to each other.
I must say the drivers' skill is very good in Beijing. They follow the cars in front of them very close. Sometimes it is too close to let a passenger cross between them. Of course, they are on purpose. Because there are so many passengers on the road, if the driver let one passenger go, more passengers will come. Then the car can't move at all. Again, please remember, as a passenger, you don't have priority on the street. Always make sure the drivers let you go first before you cross the street.
Ok, now do you still remember the sense I mentioned in the beginning of the article? If the traffic lights broken, what would happen in Beijing? Here are the possible results:
The police officer or some volunteers guide cars, like a functional traffic light.
Nobody guide. When the road is not busy, first go first.
Nobody guide. When the road is busy, nobody would go! Cars stuck from different directions. Everyone wants to go first, the result is nobody go!
Please don't be scared by this article. The purpose I write this article is to let you know what happens in Beijing, so you could stay cool when you are there. Every city has its own unique phenomenon. If you go there, you have to learn and try to get used to it. When you used to the habits there, you could protect yourself better in the city. However, do not bring that habit to America, or you will in a big trouble.
The road is a little jam since the traffic lights broken. It is not a big deal when you drive in America. Drivers just simply follow the traffic rules. You think the broken traffic lights as "STOP" signs for all 4-ways. The line of the cars still keep moving even though it is relatively slow. However, if the same circumstances happens in China. The result might be very different.
Let's start with this conversation. It happened before I got my U.S. driver's license. I sit next to An when he was driving. We were in a parking lot of shopping center. I noticed An always stop, which makes me very confuse.
- "What are you doing?" I asked him.
- "Driving." He felt weird.
- "I know. But why you always stop?" I pointed out.
- "Do you see the stop signs?" He obviously very confused.
- "Yes. But why you stop? No people here." I feel confused as well.
His mouth and eyes both opened very big. He looked at me, with an unusual voice said:"What is the STOP SIGN for? For STOP! OK?"
Although I still don't quite understand why he stops, I remember to stop at the stop signs since then. But An seems to remember this conversation forever. He friendly reminded me when I was about to take the road test:"Stop at the stop signs, you will pass the test!"
As a driver have been drive for several years in China, I don't understand why people have to stop at the stop signs. You may feel it sounds ridiculous. But I have to remind you that, in Beijing, nobody stops at stop sign! No matter you are a driver or a passenger, you have to "go Beijing, as Beijingers do". You have to know how to protect yourself on the road.
Many drivers in Beijing would do the followings:
Never stop at stop signs.
Like I mentioned above, I don't have any sense of stopping at stop signs before I drive in America. In fact, I can't recall whether Beijing has any stop signs! I believe I am not minority. If you have friends in Beijing, please ask them whether they stop at stop signs. or whether they realize any stop signs on the road! So if you are a driver, you stop at the stop signs, the car behind probably would bump you. Why you suddenly stop? If you are a passenger, do not cross the street in a peaceful mind despite the stop signs are there! Always check around and make sure no car is coming, or the driver has intent to let you go first. For your safety, please do remember this.
Drive on bike lanes, park on bike lanes.
Even though you ride a bike and take the bike lane, you have to watch out vehicles all the time. Don't be shocked if some drivers beep you on "your lane". I know cars are not supposed to drive on the lanes for bikes. But this circumstance exits everywhere in the city. Cars not only drive on the lane of bikes, but also park everywhere. The result is there don't have so much room for bicycle riders and passengers. I guess that's why people prefer to own a car in China. Because it is safer on the road. Compare to drivers who protected under metal, the bicycle riders and passengers are lack of any protection.
People always switch lanes. Drive like "S" or "Z".
The road is extremely jam in rush hours. So people always seek faster lanes. Drivers in Beijing switch lanes more often than American drivers do. If you drive there, be alert of the cars next to you all the time. They may suddenly drive in front of you. Stay cool if you see cars block two lanes. This is very common. Sometimes you may see a road of three lanes has four lines of cars. Again, stay cool.
Cars are much closer to each other.
I must say the drivers' skill is very good in Beijing. They follow the cars in front of them very close. Sometimes it is too close to let a passenger cross between them. Of course, they are on purpose. Because there are so many passengers on the road, if the driver let one passenger go, more passengers will come. Then the car can't move at all. Again, please remember, as a passenger, you don't have priority on the street. Always make sure the drivers let you go first before you cross the street.
Ok, now do you still remember the sense I mentioned in the beginning of the article? If the traffic lights broken, what would happen in Beijing? Here are the possible results:
The police officer or some volunteers guide cars, like a functional traffic light.
Nobody guide. When the road is not busy, first go first.
Nobody guide. When the road is busy, nobody would go! Cars stuck from different directions. Everyone wants to go first, the result is nobody go!
Please don't be scared by this article. The purpose I write this article is to let you know what happens in Beijing, so you could stay cool when you are there. Every city has its own unique phenomenon. If you go there, you have to learn and try to get used to it. When you used to the habits there, you could protect yourself better in the city. However, do not bring that habit to America, or you will in a big trouble.
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