20 dead in Chinese school bus collision

I keep getting Page not found from your link to the news article.

Prayers to the families involved. Was curious as to why the truck driver was arrested. Also on a lighter note, I guess the beat the old record of how many people can fit in a VW beetle.

 

yeah link didnt work for me either...

 

[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]I am a former AAA driver instructor who has lived in China.[/FONT]

[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Why was the school van driver on THE WRONG SIDE of the road?[/FONT]

[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Overloaded van is likely NOT the cause. They probably have been transporti­­ng children like that 6-days-a-week for years.[/FONT]

[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Was the truck turning left directly in front of the bus? (Th.is common practice in China.)[/FONT]

[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]When you are turning LEFT, you just CONTINUE to turn left, causing opposing straight-through drivers to veer/slow/stop. [/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]WHY? Because you were athe intersection FIRST. Matters not that your one vehicle is causing manyehicles to brake, veer or stop.[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]The opposing oncoming drivers, not wanting to wear their brakes, often will veer left into opposin­­g lanes to pass behind you. [/FONT]

[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]In this tragedy, it was likely that both drivers were driving too fast, not considerin­­g the consequenc­­es. After all, they have been driving like that for years.[/FONT]
Truckers ALWAYS drive too fast for conditions and CONSTANTLY blast their airhorns rudely warning everyone thathey are coming through. It is quite annoying but drivers do not care.
(You can tell by their sound that many airhorns are worn out from overuse.)

Chinese driving laws: [FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]"Road rules? We ain't got no stinkin' road rules."[/FONT]

[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Most Chinese are quite skilled. (With everyone coming at you from ALL directions­, it's: "Be skilled or be killed".)[/FONT]

[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]With pedestrian­s crossing everywhere­, China traffic is a marvelous free-for-a­ll mix of bicycles, tricycles, mopeds, motorcycle­s, farmer'sin­gle-cylind­er diesel tractors pulling carts, cars, busses, trucks - most in varioustat­es of disrepair. [/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]You will often find someone driving againstraffic on youright! (They are avoiding trying to get out onto the street from which they will be turning left a block or three later.) [/FONT]

[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Considerin­g everything­, Chinese manage to have few mishaps[/FONT]

[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Not manyears ago there were few cars. [/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Driving laws were not known or followed. (Anything which works, goes.)[/FONT]

[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]In some ways Chinese often help one another! [/FONT]

[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]When you are turning right onto a road, you do not stop.[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]You just slow and continue and expect through-tr­affic from your left to slow and/or swerve to let you continue down the right side of their street. [/FONT]
(They will swerve into opposing traffic, causing those vehicles to move right.)
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]You then merge into traffic. (Most signaled intersecti­ons have a permanent right green arrow.(->) [/FONT]

[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Your GREEN traffic signal displays green arrows: (<-)(/\)(->). But opposing traffic ALSO has the same (<-)(/\)(->) !! [/FONT]

[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Unfortunately, [/FONT][FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]LEFTurns immediatel&shy;y turn left, b[/FONT][FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]locking opposing THROUGH-Ve&shy;hicles. [/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]THROUGH-Ve&shy;hicles behind the blocked Through-Vehicles go around on the right and now block the LEFTurns. [/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]LEFT-Turns behind blocked LEFTurns go around on the left, now blocking the passing THROUGH-ve&shy;hicles. [/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]*** GRIDLOCK.*** [/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]It's EVERYONE FOR HIMSELF. No one is willing to give way. So everyone sits, many honking. [/FONT]

On Chinese limited access highways, farmers will be traveling at 5 mph in the LEFT lane.
So traffic is often slowed trying to get around these farmers. Not sure if the farmers simply do not comprehend the concept of staying right, or if they are jealous and purposely impeding traffic.

 

Good luck convincing the vast majority of drivers here that Chinese are skilled at driving!

 

Chinese people are really a heartless bunch as a whole. There was a video not long ago of a child that got hit by a truck, the truck stopped for a second then ran over the child again. Then another truck runs over her while in the mean time more than 17 people walked by the child as she laid in the street dieing.
I guess if anyone wants to see google for it, I really dont want to see it again myself.