traffic and the world

We often joke about who goes first at traffic stop signs in Texas being the pickup truck with the gun rack and the bumper sticker that says "Guns don't kill people, I do."

This is far more true in China than in Texas. No, not the pickup trucks or the gun racks or even the bumper stickers. China roads are run with the attitude of the most aggressive vehicle winning the traffic contest regardless of who has the legal right of way. Bicycles ignore traffic lights. Cars wander lanes or even make up their own lane. Walking is clearly at one's own risk. The biggest fastest moving bus wins at every intersection even if the light and pedestrian walkways say differently.

Locals tell me that this is the result of a variety of things. In the West we are trained as young children to stand patiently in line, not to cut. Chinese are not. Locals tell me part of the problem is overpopulation without the infrastructure keeping pace.

I do feel that I am looking at the future world leaders 20 or 30 years down the line. The go-get-em culture here over shadows everywhere else I've traveled with the possible exception of India. But the question is, will China acquire the road and pedestrian habits of the rest of the world or spread their own?

Ghost plane

I have ridden planes that were so crowded I used drugs (alcohol or sleeping pills, usually not together) and music to drown out the claustrophobic press of people. This was the first flight I had the continued illusion I was the only passenger on the plane. I was alone when I boarded, coming to the gate from the first class lounge. No one ever passed through my section to get to their seat. It was eerie. No one but me in my section. Occasionally a flight attendant would ghost by, to give me something or on a mysterious errand.

Ghost plane in the night...

If all travel was like this, it wouldn't be so bad.