From Wikitravel

A picture says a thousand words so here are 20 pictures about driving in China...my advice is don't unless you absolutely have to.... http://www.koval.net/china_driving_test.htm

Loved 'em. Thanks Pashley 21:44, 11 May 2006 (EDT)

Funny how some people are naive enough to believe whatever they see. Its probably made by people who like to mock other countries.

To be honest, that kind of thing does happen relatively often.

[edit] ==

Not sure where all this is coming from, drove in the mainland for over three years and it was a pleausre once you get used to the flow of things. Definitely not more dangerous than other jurisdictions by my observations and nighttime driving is just as fun as anywhere else.

Exactly. The description in the article is how things appear to those coming in from outside. Once you get used to the idea of traffic rules being optional (I kid, I kid, though there is a grain of truth in that) it's easy to get around.

[edit] Where are the sources to back up all of this?

Not trying to put down the article but it would be wise to have references to support some of the claims. I know it would be difficult to find sources (even if you did, it would be in Chinese). But because this page is probably viewed by many people especially foreigners; what is said on this page maybe taken seriously. Any personal opinions and stereotypes would be included and mis-guide the general public.

Sorry anonymous, but I had to revert your changes (that template doesn't work on Wikitravel). If you check out other pages you'll see that we don't find it necessary to reference our information. Is there something in particular that you don't agree with in the article? If yes, please plunge forward and fix it. -- Fastestdogever 01:11, 2 May 2007 (EDT)

Suggested reading: Wikitravel:Be fair and Wikitravel:The traveller comes first. -- Sapphire • (Talk) • 01:59, 2 May 2007 (EDT)

For what it's worth, having spent about six weeks in China last summer (2007), I find the characterization of driving in China is spot-on. Beijing was crazy. For example, I was in one cab where the driver, fed up with a long line of traffic, drove on the wrong side of a two-way street for about 200 yards before oncoming traffic forced him to merge back in. At intersections it would only take a half-dozen vehicles to cause a traffic jam, even in light traffic, because drivers would pull out into the intersection instead of waiting for the light to change. And waiting for a "walk" signal before crossing often seemed to be counterproductive (*especially* if there was a bus coming). Part of my trip was spent in Xi'an, which proved to be quite a bit saner, but still on the dangerous side. My advice is to try to sit in the back-seat when someone is driving you (otherwise you have to see what's going on). Or, just take the bus (dirt cheap, very frequent, and nobody messes with the buses).

If you really want an external source, this site says there are about 680 deaths each day because of car accidents in China. This is almost six times the number of people killed each day in 2005 in the United States. Car ownership per capita in China hasn't reached parity with the United States, which provides some evidence that unsafe driving behavior is very common in China.

[edit] The basic rule of the road

The main article says that it seems to be keep moving no matter what.

On this I disagree. It seems to me that it's anything is ok so long as it does not force an accident. You don't do something that gives the other driver no way to avoid an accident.

It's also amazing how different drivers behave when they know there is a cop about. As all traffic enforcement I have seen has been by cops on foot the drivers often don't know one is about.

However, to illustrate how bad it can be: I was crossing a street with the light. I was nearly hit by a bus. I saw the bus coming along in the left turn lane. I wasn't all that concerned about it as it was quite apparent the bus couldn't actually make a left turn at that moment, he was going to have to stop. He didn't stop--because he was making a right turn.