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Drivers make mockery of 'better city, better life'
By Nils van Doorn |
July 26, 2010, Monday
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DEAR editor,
I suggest you take the Expo theme "Better City Better Life" to discuss the driving behavior in Shanghai.
The Expo might highlight "civilized behavior," but when driving in Shanghai I encounter bus drivers who nearly kill pedestrian and crash into other cars, not paying any attention to others.
And while just driving through the Fuxing tunnel I was not only faced with a traffic jam but also other drivers still tried to overtake other cars. (A traffic jam in a tunnel is extremely dangerous for anyone driving in the tunnel).
The call is on the police. But unfortunately they seem not to receive a lot of respect.
I see people that cross the street despite a red traffic light and the police officer standing at the corner is not even paying attention.
As long as people don't have to face any consequences and are not forced to change their behavior (sadly enough it requires external pressure) the "civilized Shanghai citizen" is only a phrase.
In my home country Germany, there is one precondition for our lack of speed limits on highways.
Everyone sticks to the rules, those who do not, face the consequences (fines, loss of license, prosecution).
Regards,
Nils van Doorn
I suggest you take the Expo theme "Better City Better Life" to discuss the driving behavior in Shanghai.
The Expo might highlight "civilized behavior," but when driving in Shanghai I encounter bus drivers who nearly kill pedestrian and crash into other cars, not paying any attention to others.
And while just driving through the Fuxing tunnel I was not only faced with a traffic jam but also other drivers still tried to overtake other cars. (A traffic jam in a tunnel is extremely dangerous for anyone driving in the tunnel).
The call is on the police. But unfortunately they seem not to receive a lot of respect.
I see people that cross the street despite a red traffic light and the police officer standing at the corner is not even paying attention.
As long as people don't have to face any consequences and are not forced to change their behavior (sadly enough it requires external pressure) the "civilized Shanghai citizen" is only a phrase.
In my home country Germany, there is one precondition for our lack of speed limits on highways.
Everyone sticks to the rules, those who do not, face the consequences (fines, loss of license, prosecution).
Regards,
Nils van Doorn
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