Macau Checkpoint, China
The Troubles of Chinese Traffic:
As everyone knows, China is one of the most populated countries in the entire world, which leaves infrastructure heavily pressed to get millions of people through the system. As we dig deeper though, a large population is not the only reason that Chinese roadways are heavily bogged down with traffic.
Chinese cities were simply not built for cars:
With China being such an ancient civilization, some of the cities built are thousands of years old and were not built with modern cars in mind. The roads were built for smaller and lighter ancient modes of transportation in mind and not our modern and heavier cars. This is why, with the growth of automobiles, Chinese cities have relatively inefficient road layouts and traffic flow.
Chinese Driver’s Education is sub par:
The teaching process for Chinese drivers when first learning is drastically different than that of the United States or other European countries of the likes. Many classes are taught on closed courses for the learner, so lots of drivers are legally allowed to drive on the roads, but have never seen traffic.
Overcrowded Highways
Although many highways were designed with mass amounts of traffic in mind, horrific traffic jams have still pervaded chinese roadways for decades. For example, in 2010, one jam spanned over 100 kilometers and lasted more than ten days. In response, the Chinese government instituted a system where only citizens with even or odd numbered license plates could drive on a given day.
About the Authors:
Richard: I am from Portland, Oregon and have had a passion and interest in travel. I have been able to travel to multiple countries around the world with my family and will likely continue to do so as I get older. I find differences in culture, social mindsets, and terrain to be worth engaging in, hence why I joined the Global ARC.
Tim: Most of my family has at least some interest in learning foreign languages, with myself being no exception. No foreign language classes were offered throughout elementary and middle school, which meant I came into high school with increased curiosity and motivation. It is because of this interest in both languages and foreign affairs that I joined the Global Engagement ARC.
Sources:
https://factsanddetails.com/china/cat13/sub86/entry-8368.html