# culture shock



## lostinchina (Sep 11, 2015)

I have lived in China for 1 year, the personalities and different culture lifestyle is nothing I expected. There is no courtesy between people. If you stand less than 10 centimeters away from a checkout counter, the Chinese citizen will step in front of you.

There is no rule of law, no formal rules that they follow on the roads. The horn is the most used part of the car. " Honk, get out of my way"!

I wrote that in a sarcastic tone to try not to be so serious, but it does disturb me.

Should I mention, in America the horn is for emergency- warnings, not hourly use...


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## Eric in china (Jul 8, 2014)

I have lived in China since 1994 and I fully support the saying "when in Rome do as the Romans do" works for me all the time and I have my own car and Chinese drivers licence.

I spent years trying to teach them to be polite but to no avail, now I behave as they do and this really ticks em off because they do not expect it. Fact is they see us as soft for being polite, so when an expat is not, it bothers them.

But overall I get on well with all Chinese, you just need to give them face and it works well.


PS, ability to speak their language changes everything, they do not try to take advantage when the know you can talk back to them.


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## Zhongshan Billy (May 18, 2014)

I have known drivers here to put their car off the road because the horn did no work. 

And what horns they are. None of that 'peep peep' here.

Mind you I had to get my wife to pass the test as they would not renew my licence once I had passed 70.

But I still get the chance to be on the road at times.

Zhongshan Billy


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## Eric in china (Jul 8, 2014)

Zhongshan Billy said:


> I have known drivers here to put their car off the road because the horn did no work.
> 
> And what horns they are. None of that 'peep peep' here.
> 
> ...


I know what you mean Billy, I am 63 and have had to renew my licence every year since I turned 60, crazy man.

The only accidents I have had were with bikes, 3 of em, I tried for more but they managed to escape me:eyebrows:


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## Zhongshan Billy (May 18, 2014)

I bought myself an electric three wheeled trike and I can cause chaos with that on road and footpath.

Come to think of it the cars do that here as well!!!:eyebrows:

No licence required. They are talking about following suit with Zhuhai and banning motor and electric bikes from the roads. But mine is a disabled vehicle and I will keep on riding it.

Zhongshan Billy


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## lostinchina (Sep 11, 2015)

Eric in china said:


> I have lived in China since 1994 and I fully support the saying "when in Rome do as the Romans do" works for me all the time and I have my own car and Chinese drivers licence.
> 
> I spent years trying to teach them to be polite but to no avail, now I behave as they do and this really ticks em off because they do not expect it. Fact is they see us as soft for being polite, so when an expat is not, it bothers them.
> 
> ...


I like your style Eric, and I'll contribute to the bad manners, but remain silent.
It is my belief, we foreigners can't win an argument in their country!


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## Zhongshan Billy (May 18, 2014)

lostinchina said:


> I like your style Eric, and I'll contribute to the bad manners, but remain silent.
> It is my belief, we foreigners can't win an argument in their country!


Win an argument here!!!! 

Have you ever tried to even get a word in when an irate Chinese person is in full flow?

Zhongshan Billy


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## lostinchina (Sep 11, 2015)

This is my justification for explaining why I won't learn to speak Chinese.
I don't like their overzealous arrogant loud voice when they seem to argue.
I say seem to argue because I don't know a single word spoken.
Subsequently, they speak so fast, I can't imagine a child can understand!


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