Happier Abroad Forum Community

So here's a different kind of topic... how is the "road rage" situation in the countries us up-and-coming expats are likely to go to?

I've really had it with the morons that inhabit the roadways here in the US. I can't tell you how many times I get messed with for no reason at all. Hell, you get raged at for even blipping your horn for a half a second at someone who's been sitting at a light for 10 seconds after it turned green, just to politely bring their attention to the light.

I always fight back when someone starts shit with me on the road... it's just my instinct. I ain't proud of it, and I never take it too far (i.e. I'd never actually pull over/try to get them to pull over or try to run them off the road, etc.), but I've gotten to the point in life where I don't give a shit about anything anymore and worry that one day I'll get burned. Of course it goes without saying that my "I don't give a shit anymore" attitude will cease to exist once I've left this horrible country.

My only driving experience in foreign countries comes by way of Mexico. It was crazy driving through Guadalajara!! Everyone pretty much did whatever, all over the road, sharing/splitting lanes, etc etc but you know what? It worked! It just friggin worked and nobody seemed to give a crap what anyone else was doing. Just going with the flow.

Is that the norm for driving in countries outside the femisphere?

Just wondering what to expect. Your experiences would be fun to read so post 'em up!

I can tell you that in most countries in Asia, what you experienced in Mexico is the norm rather than the exception. But it's not what I would call road rage. It's more like road ignorance or stupidity. If you drive in countries like the Philippines, China, Thailand, India, etc. and you come from a Western country like the U.S., you will quickly become frustrated and angry at how people drive around you. If you can't handle that, then I strongly suggest not driving there.

Even in big cities like Shanghai. Hong Kong, Seoul and Tokyo one would think that the drivers are more law abiding. And they are, for the most part (except for cutting you off, that seems to be the global norm for taxis). But in other big cities like Manila and Bangkok, it's like driving in the world of Mad Max.

Driving licenses are like the paper they're printed on. Worthless! People can get those from their Lucky Charms cereal boxes.

There are only 2 rules in driving. Rule #1: There are no rules. Rule #2: Go back to rule #1. The only law that might be followed is the one where you go on green lights and stop on red lights. Yellow lights don't count. That just means go faster. Other than that, anything goes!

Funny I was only discussing this subject with friends yesterday.

General feeling is that road rage is far less than it was 20 years ago here
( Sydney Australia ).

The state introduced laws that are exceptionally heavy for road rage as well as traffic infringements that seems in the main to have curbed bad behavior.
Of course it has not reduced the pathetic driving of some people but as far as everyone notices, anger is not as big an issue as it once was.

Personally I believe that people are so used to being stuck in grid lock that becoming angry is really a waste of time. No matter what, you are not getting anywhere faster than the traffic allows.

In other countries, well most have their own style. In the middle east there is a lot of horn blowing but not so much extreme anger.

In SEA most seem to be in a dazed state just getting from A to B and going with the flow,never seen any real anger there.