As I have mentioned before, China's incidence of death from traffic accidents (relative to the number of vehicles on the road) is more than 5 times the worldwide average. Yes, 5 times worse than a figure that includes all the other crazy developing nations with no sense of road safety at all! And that's only if you believe the Chinese government's official figures, which are probably massively under-reported.
The mass incompetence I witness on Beijing's roads every day is truly terrifying.
One of my students - a lawyer working with a foreign firm - has just confided in me that she has "very poor driving skill" (yeah, you and the other 100 million maniacs on the roads here, honey), that she failed her driving test, and used her guanxi - 'connections' - with the police to get the computer record of her test result adjusted so that she could still be issued with a licence.
Did she consider re-taking the test, I asked. She gawped at me incredulously. "I have very poor driving skill," she reiterated. "This was much easier."
I have heard that the practical element of the driving exam in China has been toughened up lately (I think 5 years or so ago there was no practical test at all); but I think it still only includes starting, stopping, changing gear a few times, and reversing (that's reversing in a straight line, not reversing into a parking space) - no emergency stop, no 3-point turn, no overtaking. I have also often heard that it is only a very token obstacle to the aspirant driver, since it is quite easy to get 'ringers' to take the test on your behalf, or to sway the examiner's judgement with a small cash donation. Hell, there are numerous agencies here that advertise they can obtain local driving licences for us foreigners without the inconvenience of us having to take the test!!
But altering the test results after the event - that is a new one on me. China is always full of surprises!
3 comments:
does this mean that these P people you mention, have no sense of logic that tells them that it is a matter of life and death to let loony toons drive real cars.
What if one of these GOOD drivers travelled to other parts of the world? Would they be allowed to drive with their licences? I remember long ago, I was planning to travel a bit round the world, so I applied for an international licence. To my surprise, it just came in the mail without anyone asking me to pass any form of test. So if it is the same system for them as well, we might be hit by cars other places, thanks to F***** up systems they carry on other places. The Queen is coming back to life. They need me! They need to get it through their heads that bending the rules always has consequences in the long run.
Or that letting a billion people sit still for ten years WILL affect the economy of a place.
And yet you still have no license, Froog...
Pick up the keys to my new place today. Woot! Actual bed not pull out couch for the travelling Froog from now.
I'm sure the general level of bachelor sleaze will remain about the same..... but actually I have a sneaking fondness for the sofa-bed lifestyle.
Congratulations on the move up, though. I look forward to seeing the place.
Still waiting for some stories of the Erik'n'Sheila nuptials.
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