When it comes to traffic, China has a huge advantage: Probably more than half it’s vehicles are bikes or motorbikes. Compare this to England, which has less than one percent. (Side note: 98.2576% of all statistics are made up on the spot.) The per person pollution is greatly reduced and traffic jams occur less frequently. The remaining vehicles are made up mostly of taxis and busses, which are very cheap compared to England, with very few taxi rides costing greater than a pound. On paper, China wins round two hands down and is off to a flying start at two-nil.
However, China’s roads do have one small disadvantage compared to England’s. They lack any noticeable rules.
Undertake, overtake, it’s all the same. Traffic lights? More of a guideline, but shouldn’t be taken too seriously. Priority? Who got there first? Driving into oncoming traffic? Frowned upon, but when you’ve got to go you’ve got to go.
The roads in China are utter chaos, although strangely, seem to have less accidents than in England. Or perhaps they just cover them up quicker. Still, every time one crosses the road it feels like a mammoth achievement, and would be followed immediately by going straight home to sleep, but that would involve crossing back.
Therefore, despite all of the Island’s flaws, round two goes to England.
England 1 – 1 China.
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