Riding and Driving in China. . .whew!!

We spend quite a bit of time on our bus we nicknamed the golden dragon and thought I'd share our thoughts on roads and driving in China.

Yesterday we spent 4 hours on the bus going to Sun Tszu's Art of War Museum and another museum/home of a Quing Dynasty aristocrat who built a small castle for self protection.  Anyhow driving is absolutely interesting as if you fall asleep you might miss a near accident or 2 or 5.  If there is no center island it's a free for all.  Attached are pics of the bus ride yesterday and note the center line that everyone ignores.  Our bus driver we've nicknamed Joe (real name is Chou) just drives like he owns the road and basically is.  You can see one of the black VW sedans that is with us at all times.  If you need to pass someone it's like this - honk the horn if they don't move over just start passing doesn't matter if someone is in the other lane they had better move over to the shoulder as we are coming through - see pic.  Doesn't matter if it's the shoulder, regular lane or other lane just drive down the road.  Better watch out though as there is little booths set up on the side of the road selling something and doesn't matter there either as the booths will stick out into traffic if need be.

Our Canadian escort thinks it's a matter of time before we hit something but I think it's such an ingrained way of driving that everyone is totally aware and watches out. . or else.  As for U turns anything goes.  Multiple times we've just stopped in the middle of the road and started a U turn.  In a bus it is hilarious as it doesn't matter if there is traffic behind or in front of us they had better stop and let us turn around, maybe it has something to do with the black sedans with us.

There is thousands of electric scooters here and it's all about staying in motion.  Whether it's a scooter, vehicle or even pedestrian it's anything goes.  We've warned the cadets multiple times to pay attention at all times as the vehicles, pedestrians, scooters are coming from all directions and at night the scooters don't have lights, whew!   Oh don't worry about crosswalks either . cross anywhere you like and dive into traffic, nothing stops for you so better watch out or you will become a hood ornament.

Off to aviation center today to see aircraft production of the diamond DA40.  We were supposed to fly today but it was cancelled due to military exercise's.

Kelly