I guess everyone can think about how traffic is in these South East Asian big cities. Scooters everywhere going left and right. They seem to be coming from every side and heading towards every road. Nowadays they are getting more and more electric and leaving less sound behind, although that is well compensated by the amount of honking that you hear every time, the whole day long.
Walking to a zebra and thinking everything will be fine when crossing the street seems like an illusion and an undoable task which will likely never be possible to happen. Because crossing the street means crossing 500 passing scooters, how will they ever see you?
And yet, even though it seems that these are the most dangerous traffic places on earth...they are not.
Even though these cities on itself have a larger population of inhabitats than the whole country of the Netherlands, it feels like the amount of accidents on the road is a lot smaller and often less severe.
And why...? Because traffic just feels a lot more social. Social traffic feels like safer traffic
So what do I mean with this
Actually exactly how I mean it. It feels like the city traffic just acts a lot more social towards one and another. When there are two lanes, we can also make three or them when needed. If something is blocking the outer lane, we just a bit more towards the middle. And if the middle just also heads a bit more towards the opposite lane, and the upcoming traffic also heads a bit more to the side, actually there is no problem.
All of this goes in speeds that are just gentle so everyone has the time to adjust.
In the Netherlands everyone feels and acts like they are the king of the road. As in...ofcourse when the rules say you can have way, it is nice to have it. But it doesn’t always mean you have to take it. There is also the option in letting the car that is making a complicated manoeuvre in front of you have the space to actually make it happen.
But we don't do that.
Dutchies would rather claim they are right because they have way and make someones life a lot more complicated (at sometimes quite high speeds).
Here I just see everything flowing along. Honking is for that you want to signal to another person that you are closeby, not because you find them an a$$. And no one, and I mean no one seems stressed which is fantastic to see
So yeah...we need more social traffic in life. After all it is about being social right?
Great reflection, K!
Yesterday night, when I was driving back home, with my mother, I signaled the exit when I wanted to change lane... and this guy with a aggressive driving posture, almost cut me in, being so close to me, and flashing the headlights continuously... I think Europeans could learn some good qualities in traffic from the Asian drivers. Life in traffic would be much more relaxed and safe, that is a certain thing!
Typical right? And for what reason...Just he doesnt like what you do doesnt mean you have to do all those things?
Yeah..everything a bit slower and a bit more chill..it makes everyones life so much easier