Driving Culture - East vs. West

I've lived long enough in Taiwan to not just notice the obviously different driving habits between the East and West, but to have also pondered why we do the things we do when behind the wheel of a car (or the handle bars of a scooter, whatever the case may be). Thinking about why people in different cultures drive the way they do can reveal some interesting insights into our cultural values. Here are some of my thoughts about the differences between driving in Canada (and the U.S.) and Taiwan (although I will put forth the disclaimer that these musings are based in personal observations and reflection only, and not anything remotely resembling scientific study).

First of all, a Westerner visiting Taiwan will immediately notice that the Taiwanese don't seem to have as much "respect" for traffic rules and regulations as Westerners (apparently) do. One will frequently observe drivers in Taiwan treating red lights at controlled intersections as though they were "stop signs", coming to a stop, but then immediately proceeding through the intersection if the way is clear (or sometimes even if it is not). Or, they may not stop at all, only slowing slightly before scooting through the red light. You can also frequently see drivers making left turns from the right hand lane, and right turns from the left lane. And although most streets have clearly marked lanes, the joke in Taiwan among Westerners is that, in reality, a lane seems to be where you are at any given moment. However, before judging too quickly, one must remember that the "car culture" in Taiwan is not as old as it is in the West, and that people drive according to "necessity", often taking red lights as mere "suggestions" rather than laws to be obeyed. I believe that some of the differences observed can be attributed to the way the Chinese view authority (in this case the Ministry of Transportation and enforcing local traffic officials). Without going into the historical reasons why, suffice it to say that when it comes to things like traffic rules, en-stated by a faceless government authority, the Chinese tend not to see things as "black and white" as the Westerner, and there is no shame in actually breaking a traffic law, but only in getting caught. Consequently, many more Taiwanese are willing to take that risk.

Another interesting habit that Taiwanese drivers have, which especially frustrates my wife, is their tendency, when approaching a main road from a side street, to just, again, slow only slightly, and merge into the flow of traffic. Or, if traffic is busy, to at least "get one's nose" out far enough so as to force the flow of cars on the main road to "yield" over far enough to let them in. Westerners are accustomed to this at on-ramps onto a freeway, but not from side streets or lanes connecting onto a busier city street. I think the Westerner is trained from early on to give greater respect to the larger road. Vehicles on smaller roads have less rights than on bigger roads. For the Taiwanese, I don't think this is the case. They see all roads as more or less equal. Big or small, they are all just "pathways" to get somewhere. They approach intersections with a more "give and take" attitude, regardless of who is already on the bigger road. Westerners in this case think, "I am here on this big road, traveling at this speed, and you will have to wait for me to safely pass before you pull out. That is the order of things." The Taiwanese however, think more like, "I want to turn onto this road. You obviously see me, and I can see that you have some room to move over, so there's no reason why you shouldn't let me in."

A final example of the different driving habits here vs. the West have to do with what we have come to know as "road rage". Road rage has become an increasing problem in the West (especially in some states in the U.S.). In Taiwan, with the number of cars being what they are, all "competing" for a space of limited road real estate, one would think that the occurrence of road rage here would be quite high. In fact it is rare. I've pondered why this is. Aside from commenting on how it is important for the Chinese to "save face" in personal conflict (which probably has something to do with it), I think the main reason there are few instances of road rage has to do with how the Taiwanese view what we would call "personal space". In the West, when we take a vehicle onto a road, our sense of personal space does not only include the car itself, but an undefined area surrounding the car as well. The "defensive driving" campaign of recent decades has taught us to allow a "safe zone" on all four sides of the vehicle. For many, this includes areas of free space that may extend several meters around the vehicle. Hence, if someone is thoughtless enough to "cut in front of us" or pass us too closely, we are immediately offended, even if there was still several feet of empty space between the vehicles and the likelihood of a collision quite small. Our attitude in these cases is one of, "How dare you enter my space?!" We take it as a personal violation, and so, a common reaction, when violated, is to want to get even. Thus, the anger escalates quickly.

In Taiwan however, the sense of personal space is much smaller. So small in fact, that I would say it only extends to the outer surface of the vehicle's metal skin. Drivers here stake no claim in any "personal safety zone" or space around their own vehicle. They are accustomed to having to drive through small alleys and lanes on a daily basis, maneuvering by parked cars with only inches to spare on either side. The idea is just not to make contact (although this ideal is frequently surrendered in the interest in getting through, as an all to common sight in Taiwan is vehicles with the paint scarped on the side - even on many newer luxury cars). So, when a driver has someone sail by him with only 18 inches between the vehicles, no offense is taken. Drivers don't lay claim to that space in the first place, so that space is never violated, no matter how close someone gets (unless there is actual contact, and then it's a whole different story altogether).

These are just some of the differences in attitudes between drivers from the East and the West. Different realities, different cultures and thinking, and different habits, sometimes frustrating for the foreigner living in Taiwan, but much more tolerable when you understand why things are the way they are.