Horn Happy

Nothing too exciting, but I feel I should post something. I forgot our camera on this weekend's outing. We just went to a park down the street to play ball and for a picnic. Blasen assured me that we looked very American sitting out on the grass eating our PB sandwiches and Cheez-Its (thanks to Mama Ford and Grandfather). Blasen and Bliss kicked around the soccer ball and tried to teach Zade. Zade just picks the ball up and runs away. Zade also found a new hobby, picking up every cigarette butt he spotted. Yuck! We need to go back to this park to take pictures because there is going to be some kind of light festival there soon and they were setting up these displays. They're sort-of hard to describe. It appeared they were made of wire frames and covered in material and I assume they will be lit up. All kinds of traditional Chinese scenes and animals, etc.

There is one thing I did want to write about and that's all the honking that goes on around here. Honking here is more of a "hey, I'm coming up on you, don't get over" kind of thing more so than "you idiot, get out of my way" thing. But I'm sure it's used that way at times too. Here drivers drive with one hand on the horn at all times. I've gotten used to it now, but it does bother me late at night when people lay on their horn, which I feel is completely uncalled for at such a late hour when there possibly can't be that many people on the road. So, I set the scene for last night as Blasen and I were laying in bed trying to fall asleep. He starts laughing and I'm sort of confused as to what's going on. Then he explains he's laughing at all the horn honking. As I listen, I realize that there is a bit more than usual. I can pick out the different vehicles the honks come from now, but Blasen doesn't believe me. There is this bus laying on it's horn. Again, I think it completely unneccessary at 11pm to be honking like that. Just go around whatever is in your way. I'm curious so I get up to have a look. The outside corner of our room is solid glass, so I can have a good look at the busy corner down below. There were actually tons of cars and yes, even a bus laying on it's horn trying to get thru the intersection. Appears there was some kind of accident. To us it looked like two scooters or maybe a scooter vs. pedistrian. We just laughed as we watched the scene below. People actually pulling over to watch. Police watching instead of directing the horrific traffic caused by blocking 2 of the 4 lanes. Drivers merging at the very last minute possible. Cars stopping to look nearly causing a new accident. I truly am amazed that there are not more accidents here with how they drive. A taxi driver once told us that there have only been cars here in Foshan for about 13 years. That may explain the driving techniques we've witnessed. One of my favorites is cars with curtains. Talk about obstructing you vision. They'll even have them over the driver's window. Anyway, Blasen and I had a good laugh and hoped that no one was seriously injured.