Driving in China is scary. It's like taking all the drivers from Boston, Rome, NYC, and LA, and putting them in a new city with all new rules and just seeing what happens.
What happens is that the rules of driving are totally different than anything I've ever experienced. Drivers beep to notify that they are passing. They also beep to tell you they are about to hit you or you them. Or to note that they are merging. Drivers passing in the left lane keep their left blinkers on while passing the vehicles on the right, even if they were already in the left lane. Nobody seems to yield. Lanes are suggestions, rather than rules. As is traffic flow and direction—it's not uncommon to see cars intentionally going the wrong way down a divided road to make a turn.
Oh, and seatbelts aren't really worn.
When I wasn't busy having heart attacks in the back seat, I realized that there is actually an order to the way people are driving, even if it doesn't match the signs on the road. Drivers seem to really be aware of other cars and pedestrians. Not only was I not involved in any accidents (thank goodness!), but I didn't witness any either. And most of the cars seemed to be in really good shape, implying that few of the other drivers were involved in accidents as well.
It seems like crazy driving, but it's really just a different driving environment than I am used to. One that I may not be adapted to, but these drivers certainly are!
(Okay, I didn't actually drive in China, I just sat in the back seat several times. Once in the front seat. I don't think I'm ready for China driving.)
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