ie yo wei yia

I hate traffic in Taiwan, and by traffic I mean the whole driving experience, not just busy times. Sorry, but that is how I feel. I know someone will say there is something wrong with me and they are probably right there are many things wrong with me, but only an insane person would disagree that Taiwan driving is, for the westerner, frustrating , unsafe and sometimes scary. But there is more to this than my ranting.

I borrowed this picture until I choose some of the pictures from our town in Chia-Yi, but it is a typical scene and only begins to cover my feelings. I have a real dislike for the traffic in Taiwan, I can't say that any of the cities here are any less irritating, but Taipei is slightly high on my list. The only thing is that sometimes where I live the person that is irritating me could be someone I know.

It may be the turning left on a red light, oncoming traffic in your lane, u-turns at any time and anywhere - even on a street like the picture, elderly people oblivious to everything, 10 cars turning left in front of you, sometimes two at a time in your lane and you are the only car no one is behind you. It may be how I was raised, or the being forced to be polite pattern, or ... I think that is why I am trying to do get a hold of my feelings and I need to know what really is my thinking. I know I could sing 'praise songs,' I am a Christian after all and keeping my focus on something like God could help, no it would help. But, I would just like to get through the day without saying, 'stupid......' I even think about how to I feel about the Taiwanese people, so what do I think about the Taiwanese people. This is from my contemplating about why I feel this way and knowing that feelings always come about in response to our thinking. I am still wrestling with this issue and not sure when the resolve will come but I am hopeful.