driving rant

So...things here in crazyland are pretty good.  I'm trying to make some worksheets for classes so it looks like I might know what I'm doing.  But enough small talks...what I'm really about to tell you about is driving in China.  The short answer to the question I'm surprised nobody has asked yet is:  Yes, personal cars should be outlawed in China.

From a topographical view some 100 feet high, there are no cars below--there are only ants rushing to a piece of food--they bump into each other, clumsily back out and then trudge forward again only to do the same thing...because there are dozens of other ants surrounding them.  The concepts of space and physics appear to be oblivious to many ants here.  As well...the idea that the ant next to them is about to try a great time-saving move that is just as ridiculous as the one they themselves are contemplating.

From what I can tell, it is possible to disobey all traffic laws and close your eyes while driving as long as your hand is on the horn--and what is so disgustingly pathetic is--most of the time it works for them.  People relocate and flow around the idiocy that comes at them from all sides.  I think it is also illegal to ride a motorbike here at night while using the lights.  Same thing goes for wearing helmets.

But I need to stop focusing on the things that make me enraged; clearly I'm looking at it through an ignorant Western set of glasses.  Me, the outsider, the imperialist storming into China and demanding they change their traffic-lifestyle to one that contains some sort of clearly-delineated order...who do I think I am to value safety??   But truthfully, if people have only ever experienced these incredibly unsafe traffic conditions...who can fault them for their behavior of maintaining them??  I'm only halfway being serious and halfway being sarcastic.

I really lost the momentum in this article and for that I'm somewhat disappointed.  Unfortunately, what had so much potential (this article) was squandered by the fact that I am trying to be rational, culturally-sensitive and understand the outstanding traffic-related behaviors/attitudes I've experienced in China so far.  Let it be known that I'm not doing this out of any deference to Chinese people/culture...the only reason I'm doing this is to try and lower my own stress level--it doesn't matter.