lets reinforce some stereotypes

Asians can't drive.

Ah yes, it's horrrible and horribly racist to believe that. Yet, here I am surrounded by Asians failing to drive.

Okay, that's a bit untrue. Chinese traffic has a different style to it, one quite alarming to western sensibilities. A double yellow line means next to nothing. Traffic cops are mocked contemptuously. Right of way isn't really a useful concept. Driving on the sidewalk? Sure, if you need to.What you do is you go when you want to and hope other people get out of the way.

Seriously.

It does seem to work.

See, I'm used to traffic where there are rules and you expect people to obey the rules. Sure, in the back of your mind you realize that someone might do any crazy ass thing, but the rules are expected. Deviation from the rules can surprise, cause accidents.

In China there's no such expectation. Driving is slower (and a bit sparser, I might add) and the crazy radar is set on sensitive. When u-turns accross five lanes of traffic and a double yellow line are common place, there is nothing really too unexpected to expect.

Crossing the street is one of those terrifying alien things about China that you have to get used to. In fact is was the first terrifying an alien thing that I got used to. Generally it is done one lane at a time but with a nice steady, predictable pace. Crosswalks don't seem to matter. Pedestrian right of way is reduced to the principle of "I'll switch lanes in order not to hit you." And guess what? You probably aren't going to win any lawsuits if you get hit.

I never thought that one could stop walking in the middle of six lanes of downtown traffic "carefully."