Why Chinese Drivers Honk

[Brad Gies]

I’ve been meaning to start this thread for quite awhile now, just to inject a little humor into our daily lives in Chengdu…. or anywhere in China 😉

So.. what’s your take on what Chinese drivers mean when they honk their horns?

Here’s a couple of things I think it means…… with a western observer slant of course….

• I’m doing something really stupid… but I’m doing it slowly… so it’s ok…. look at me!!
• Sure… I cut you off.. almost hit you… but you should have moved for me!!
• I’ve got a nice car than you… why aren’t you looking at it in awe….
• Dammit… I’m an only child… I’m the most important person in this world… you should all move and let me through….

I’ve got a few more…. but I’ll  send them later….  I’m sure some of you have much better than I do.. so let’s hear them…

Oh, and if you’re Chinese… these are firmly tongue in cheek…. don’t be offended… but the driving rules here really are different than what we’re used to…

Brad.

[Brad Gies]

Here’s another one….

• I know it’s the middle of the night, and there are no other cars on the road… but you are privileged that I’m on your street… I want you to know how privileged you are.

[Charlie]

I agree that it’s from a sense of entitlement, as you say. In the states I think it’s debatable whether or not strangers in the street really have any concern for each other, but in China, I think there really can be no doubt. A few weeks ago I was in a taxi that refused to run a red light and the car behind went nuts and honked his horn for about 30 seconds.

[Dan]

Gotta take into account that so many drivers are first or second generation drivers. I think you could say some of the bad habits that are endemic to Chinese drivers could be chalked up to cultural factors (entitlement, as Charlie mentioned above, as an example), but there’s no doubt that this is a newly minted car-owning/driving country. But that obviously begs the question, does a country with a longer history of driving necessarily drive more conscientiously…?

Also, with such a diverse assemblage of motor vehicles populating the roads, are more freeform styles of driving (i.e. what we would call “bad” driving) to be expected?

On the subject of conscientiousness, I wonder what the rate of Chinese dudes going down on their girlfriends is…

[Author]

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