Chinese Tourists walking in traffic

[LazyYogi]

Why is it that so many Chinese tourists, when given the choice between walking on the sidewalk (pavement) or walking in the middle of the street in the way of motor vehicles, choose to walk in the middle of the f@#$%g street???

Even if you honk the horn, they seem oblivious to the presence of any cars or motorbikes and make no attempt to get out of the way.

[kalbo123]

Because they dont read Thaivisa!

Otherwise they would be in the Promenada Mall with free transport.

[LazyYogi]

ha-ha. Seriously, I would have thought that China being such a crowded country they would be more aware of vehicle traffic and the need to keep out of the way to prevent getting run over.

[rubberduck]

They might be looking for insurance money as it happens in China. Many idiots pretend being hit by a car and demand high 'compansation' from the innocent driver. It even happens parents who throw their kid agains a passing car, sicko people

[masuk]

Certainly my last visit to China was an eye-opener. Zebra crossings are like a target for motorists, and even if the pedestrian light is green for crossing, motor cyclists and their version of a tuk-tuk just force people out of the way. Maybe they use the road as their footpaths are so crowded, and it's also easier to spit.

I kid you not, and just last week I heard and saw one clear his throat and spit onto the floor of TOPS supermarket.

[AnotherOneAmerican]

From what I have seen,

Chinese tourists walking in traffic is much preferable to Chinese tourists driving m/cs in traffic.

[mesquite]

...just last week I heard and saw one clear his throat and spit onto the floor of TOPS supermarket.

Only one?

Edited June 13, 2013 by mesquite

[true blue]

one would not get out of my way yesterday,insisted on walking in the middle of the road,it was down a small soi, in front of my car,felt like running her down in the end,crazy people.

[Somnambulist]

A little off topic but the other day my wife was at Baan Tawai. She'd just ordered a coffee and was waiting for it outside the shop when three Chinese girls approached her from behind, apparently thought she was a mannequin, and one gave her skirt a little tug. My wife turned around and everyone was surprised and they left.

[MESmith]

one would not get out of my way yesterday,insisted on walking in the middle of the road,it was down a small soi, in front of my car,felt like running her down in the end,crazy people.

Does your car not have a horn?

[Ulysses G.]

I must admit that today I saw three Chinese tourists walking side by side walking down a fairly main street forcing all the cars going in their direction to go around them. The problem was when a bunch of cars came from the opposite direction they continued on their merry way and seemed oblivious to a bunch of cars stuck behind them.

[m51chris]

"Why is it that so many Chinese tourists, when given the choice between walking on the sidewalk (pavement) or walking in the middle of the street in the way of motor vehicles, choose to walk in the middle of the f@#$%g street???"

Good question. My first thought was, maybe they were standing behind the door when God was handing out the brains. But no, that's probably not it.

Second thought was, maybe they think they own the place. But no, that's probably not it either.

Third thought was, maybe not very many have been flattened by hit and run drivers...hmmm, maybe that's the reason.

[hellodolly]

It might help if we had side walks you could walk on. As is you have to watch out for parked motor bikes and at times parked cars on them not to mention side walk sellers telephone booths holes in the side walks and different elevations in them.

I have never been to China are their sidewalks as cluttered up as are's?

I have no problem walking on the street but I walk on the side of it never two abreast and never in the middle of it.

[Jangot]

I am in Shanghai right now, and I can say that traffic and pedestrian anarchy is the normal. Electric scooters on the pavements, pedestrians strolling along multi lane highways, pedestrian light crossings ignored. Every taxi journey to work is a voyage of adventure

[ratcliffe]

Also slightly off topic.... but yesterday I saw 3 Chinese guys driving the wrong way down the Night Bazar. Everyone was honking at them and pointing for them to turn around and travel the right way. They then pulled over, side by side, rather than in a line and asked a guy directions with map in hand. I couldn't hear them but guess he was saying the same as everyone else, your going the wrong way down a one way (which must have been obvious). They then discussed something together and continued driving the wrong way!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Amazing.

Regards TV

Edited June 14, 2013 by Rooo
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[BarnicaleBob]

I know this question will come back and bite me on the a... but. How do you know these are Chinese people? I can't seem to tell the difference between them and Koreans or Thais unless they are talking.

[Ulysses G.]

Thais and Koreans don't walk down the middle of a street with lots of motor vehicles using it. .

[JomtienEats]

It might help if we had side walks you could walk on. As is you have to watch out for parked motor bikes and at times parked cars on them not to mention side walk sellers telephone booths holes in the side walks and different elevations in them.

Quite right! The sidewalks are unusable as such. The roads are much more suitable for ambulation.

[stoffel45]

Here in the drear, which IS Belgium, it is normal for cyclists and motorcyclists to drive on the sidewalk, quite often at some speed.

By painting a pinkish colour ON the sidewalk, the Law (such as it is here) permits and even encourages this lunacy.

Yet crossing the street without a signal light to permit it - well.

[BlackArtemis]

Loud exhaust on a bike and a quick rev gets them out of my way.

[Suradit69]

I know this question will come back and bite me on the a... but. How do you know these are Chinese people? I can't seem to tell the difference between them and Koreans or Thais unless they are talking.

Because at TV we have different threads for different Asian-bashing. It's the fundamental concept of "separate but equal."

If you want to bash Koreans, start your own thread, although feel free to use the same interchangeable examples. Or if you want to see some spectacular fire works, start a bashing thread aimed at the less desirable stereotypical characteristics of Brits, Americans or Germans.

Thai bashing is, of course, ubiquitous no matter the tenuous connection to the subject of the thread.

[khaowong1]

one would not get out of my way yesterday,insisted on walking in the middle of the road,it was down a small soi, in front of my car,felt like running her down in the end,crazy people.

Does your car not have a horn?

I sent a friend of mine in Lopburi a air horn from a truck parts store in the US.. he say's it works really, really good.

[khaowong1]

Loud exhaust on a bike and a quick rev gets them out of my way.

That's what I've always like about Harley's with straight pipes. You can hear me coming two blocks away.. at least.

[heybruce]

Haven't you noticed? Many people neglect to pack their brain when they go on holiday.

[perriwinkle]

It seems to be in their natures to spit in public places, step on your toes to get in front of you in queue, holler loudly over your head to each other from one end of the room to the others. I experienced that on a cruise ship to Alaska. So when someone suggested going to Chinatown in Seattle I declined much as I like Chinese food, I had enough of the Chinese manner/culture, whatever you call it.

[uptheos]

Thais and Koreans don't walk down the middle of a street with lots of motor vehicles using it. .

True and actually there is a sharp difference in looks between a Korean and Chinese However, the biggest difference is the part we can't see (inside between the ears) and although it pains me to say it, Koreans in general, are in a much higher league.

[amexpat]

Loud exhaust on a bike and a quick rev gets them out of my way.

That's what I've always like about Harley's with straight pipes. You can hear me coming two blocks away.. at least.

And we all think, "Wow, that guy is really cool. He doesn't give a s**t about anybody else."

Kind of like people who spit on the floor.

[Microwave]

The Chinese believe that spitting clears out the digestive system, or something like that. The health benefits of a good hocker are considered to be quite positive. At least they're not wearing pajamas in public here, which is acceptable in China.

The Hong Kong Chinese don't like the mainlanders as the mainlanders are considered to be rude, uncultured and unsophisticated. This is a stereotype as I've known many well educated and sophisticated Chinese citizens. As with any nationality, it's the oddballs who create a bad name for the rest. Perhaps China simply has more oddballs?

Having lived in China, Hong Kong, Korea, Thailand and elsewhere in Asia, I nonetheless have to agree with a previous post commenting that the Koreans are in a higher league (more polite) than the generally ill-mannered people of China.

[Elfin]

In China,pedestrians are at the bottom of the pecking order, even if you are a foreigner/western/laowai. They must give way to bikes and scooters, who must give way to cars and so on. A pedestrian crossing means nothing (except a target), as does a red light most of the time, so when in China, you have to give up all western ideas, that the traffic is going to stop for you.

As for spitting, the Chinese believe it is unhealthy to have gunk in your lungs, so they cough it up and spit it out. They laugh at us for spitting the gunk into a hankie or tissue then putting it back into our pockets. Many Chinese are poor, so they do not buy tissues, or if they have money, they are not in the habit of using tissues or putting anything in rubbish bins.

The traffic drives on the US/European side of the road in China, so they must have assumed Thailand was the same. I doubt if they had international licenses either, as the Chinese think their driver's/rider's licenses are good in any country (<deleted>?).

And finally the Chinese tourists wandering down the middle of the road like brown's cows is normal here in China, as the footpaths are so busy or full of electric bikes and scooters, or so badly broken up they are dangerous to walk on. They are tone deaf to horns, and a nudge will, as another TVer wrote, result in a compo payout. Best to give them a scare, but from experience, that doesn't always mean that they will actually LEARN anything from the experience.

[ARISTIDE]

When I visited China last year I didn't see the Chinese behaving this way on the road. Everything is neat and in order. Why are they doing this here!

Edited June 14, 2013 by ARISTIDE