Andy Best

Tue, 20 Jan 2009 20:01:31 +0800

I've done 7 years here on bicycle, bus , subway and the odd taxi when stranded or out late etc. The article is a good start. Next question, is it ethical to own a personal car at all if you have a choice?

EL JEFE

Tue, 20 Jan 2009 10:09:22 +0800

Ethics and China don't mix

Sharpie

Tue, 20 Jan 2009 09:33:18 +0800

did you even listen to the podcast? driving etiquette has nothing to do with this.

Pirx

Tue, 20 Jan 2009 09:01:22 +0800

I will not buy a car in China and not drive in Shanghai, until basic traffic rules are followed. I do not think that there is a base of comparison between New York and Shanghai. In New York, everyone is equal before the law, in Shanghai not. In Shanghai cars with army and paramilitary Wujing number plates are among the worst road-hogs - naturally they do not get flagged down - and even police cars don't stop for pedestrians, especially if the driver is just busy lighting a cigarette. If foreign drivers are involved in an accident in China, they are automatically assigned a large part of the fault for being a foreigner driving - an additional risk. The rest of the fault being shared, it is the foreign driver (or his insurance) to pay up. This, in view of the way the locals drive in Shanghai, is of course highly questionable. I wonder what Shanghai wants to do about its mad drivers in view of the "Expo", or are they happy with how people drive here?

Shanghaiist: Is driving a personal automobile in Shanghai unethical?

Andy Best

EL JEFE

Sharpie

Pirx