Driving in Beijing
Created | Updated Jan 28, 2002
Important: Chinese drivers are first Chinese people. They did not endure the Blitz, and hence never acquired the technique for queing up. Check me on this by visiting any Chinese fast food establishment or restroom. The Chinese have the rare distinction of making French drivers seem, by comparison, polite. This is simply due to misunderstanding of the very different rules in place, which, once understood, return the French to their well-deserved position of prominence.
Often overlooked in more "civilized" driving venues is the fine art of POSITION. Not so in Beijing, where over fifteen million people and at least twice as many bicycles compete with motorcars in a city with tens of thousands of intersections but, by my count, only two actual working traffic lights.
Follow these a few pointers for driving successfully in Beijing and you'll find that your screams of sheer terror can quickly fall to a minimum. First, you should immediately forget everything you ever learned about "right of way". China is not yet a free society, and this right is not recognized. Far more important are initiative and instinct. When you are stopped at an intersection, contemplating a left turn across multiple lanes of traffic, the key is to simply pull out in front of anyone who would thwart your efforts. This takes practice, especially when you notice that the first impact will inevitably occur on the driver's side of the automobile. Take heart. Notice that there are far fewer accidents in the clearing stages in this megalopolis than there are at any given time in, say, Tupelo, Mississippi.
Second, you can not pay too close attention to making a determination of the relative sizes of vehicles as you try to win through the snarled traffic. Basically, motor coaches trump any other vehicle, regardless of how insane the maneuvre is at the time. Trucks trump large cars, large cars trump small cars, small cars trump bicyles, and so on. You get the idea. Pedestrians are a large part of the equation, but have absolutely no business being in the way of the emerging entreprenneurs making their way to their next big deal, and are therefore discounted.
Following these simple tips can limit the number of years that driving in Beijing will remove from your expected life. Enjoy. :-)
Often overlooked in more "civilized" driving venues is the fine art of POSITION. Not so in Beijing, where over fifteen million people and at least twice as many bicycles compete with motorcars in a city with tens of thousands of intersections but, by my count, only two actual working traffic lights.
Follow these a few pointers for driving successfully in Beijing and you'll find that your screams of sheer terror can quickly fall to a minimum. First, you should immediately forget everything you ever learned about "right of way". China is not yet a free society, and this right is not recognized. Far more important are initiative and instinct. When you are stopped at an intersection, contemplating a left turn across multiple lanes of traffic, the key is to simply pull out in front of anyone who would thwart your efforts. This takes practice, especially when you notice that the first impact will inevitably occur on the driver's side of the automobile. Take heart. Notice that there are far fewer accidents in the clearing stages in this megalopolis than there are at any given time in, say, Tupelo, Mississippi.
Second, you can not pay too close attention to making a determination of the relative sizes of vehicles as you try to win through the snarled traffic. Basically, motor coaches trump any other vehicle, regardless of how insane the maneuvre is at the time. Trucks trump large cars, large cars trump small cars, small cars trump bicyles, and so on. You get the idea. Pedestrians are a large part of the equation, but have absolutely no business being in the way of the emerging entreprenneurs making their way to their next big deal, and are therefore discounted.
Following these simple tips can limit the number of years that driving in Beijing will remove from your expected life. Enjoy. :-)
