Driving in China

Drivers in China need skills beyond the basic driving one: Buddha-like patience, eyes in the side of the head, and reflexes like a cat, a super hero cat-just to name a few.
The traffic comes from everywhere and all at once. There are so many starts and stops, it seems impossible to reach one's destination. Traffic is passing on all sides, and some fool-driver is passing a vehicle which is already passing another vehicle. People are stepping into cross walks, and jumping out of alley ways. Old women, with bamboo carriers holding dangling baskets of chickens, veggies, sand, eggs or some such things, barrel into cross walks with nary a traffic checking glance.
If the driver is a cabbie, mini bus or moto driver, he or she needs to keep alert for potential fare pick-ups. These drivers will whip a u-turn with no concern for laws, traffic, animals, or limb. And that is after they pick up a fare. Or they will stop in front of the bus stop and harrass folks-honking, heckling, and staring at people until someone gives in or the driver gives up. Why even a shake of the head no is enough to earn an extra 5 or 10 seconds of bedeviling. I found the safest spot to be, when a cabbie spots a fare, is indoors. And whenever I found myself in a cab, or other vehicle driving through Chinese towns or countryside the safest option was to close my eyes.
Of course I could have grown eyes in the side of my head, honed my super hero, cat-like reflexes and taken up driving. But I would either still be waiting to make a left handed turn, or waiting for the tow-truck and probably the ambulance.