Play the Game of Life
Ryan Petersen's Blog

Even when you have a walk signal, crossing the street in China is a delicate game, involving you, a half-dozen biciclysts and any drivers thinking about running the red light. Understanding the rules to this game will help you get where you're going faster, while minimizing the risk of an untimely death in a strange land.

For example, one key to getting across a busy street safely is to rely on peripheral vision only. Do not turn to face vehicles that might be contemplating running a red light.

If you look directly at a car, the driver may perceive this as a call to direct confrontation. Once you make it known you have seen his car, you grant the driver the right to ignore any red lights and assume the right-of-way granted them by the laws of physics.

However, I've found that if a Chinese driver does not think you have seen him coming, he is far less likely to try to run you down in the street.
This means that you should rely entirely on peripheral vision whenever possible. Keep your head pointed straight ahead in the direction you are walking, and act as if you don't care that there is a double-decker bus about to hit you.

Odds are that bus driver doesn't actually want to see you die today. He just acts like he does to scare you out of the road. But if you can convince him that you don't care if he hits you, then he won't hit you. It's when they see fear in your eyes that they try to pancake you.

As with any bluffing game, you need to know when to concede your bluff and get the hell out of the way. So you need to be constantly scanning your peripheral vision for vehicles and get out of the way without a moments hesitation if one is coming for you. By avoiding looking straight at the cars though, I find you can avoid most incidents before they even become close calls.

This whole game leads to interesting--and frustrating--circumstances for tourists who don't understand the rules. Because they are accustomed to looking straight at cars and acting as though they care if they are hit by one, they are effectively wearing a sign around their neck that says "Please Try to Hit Me!"

Labels: china, China traffic