In the 70’s when traveling into China on business, I would be sitting in a Mercedes usually barely moving due to the fact local people would be walking on a newly built highway. All thought it was for them to get from one place to the next, and cars were only a bother and it was only after the cars blasting their horn to try to pass did the people move. What was another big problem, was the fact that Local business were the ones that actually built and maintained the highways in their local section. When one new highway would end, another local business built from that section, many times the sections didn’t meet properly. sometimes one would end a foot higher than the one it met making it impossible for cars to continue. What was done in cases like this, was a dirt road would be built by the locals from the concrete to the ground below usually 5 to 8 feet to go around the mistake. However, the same locals had a barrier on the dirt road to stop every car, then charged each car a tax to use it. The good part was they would wash each car as it passed, and the car would wind up being dirtier than when it went down off the highway. This could happen at least 3 times on one trip. Going 20 mile might take 3 hours, more time than walking. Nobody seemed to mind the situation, as it was just one more thing you had to live with. Eventually the government stepped in and forced each company to repair the difference in height, and that was accomplished in a lack-a-day-sickle way. On one occasion, I did something really stupid after the frustration of the ride. I’ll tell about it here at another time. so, look for “Brave but Dumb”
