When I was learning to drive, my dad used to tell me that I always, always, ALWAYS need to check my mirrors. He always drilled into me to make shoulder checks when changing lanes. As my dad put it, this is just common sense.

Fast forward a decade, almost two, and I’ve been in Taipei for slightly more than half a decade. Here the standard practise while driving is to worry about what is in front of you and hope the vehicles behind you do the same. This irritates me to no end. Isn’t it just common sense to check before you change lanes or make a turn?

Adapting to Common Sense

As we all know, the basic meaning of the term common sense is a way of thinking that is shared by everyone around us. Therefore, if everyone is doing something a certain way but you do it differently, then you do not share in the “common sense”. So as a foreigner that checks my mirrors before cutting someone off, I basically do not have any “common sense”.

It is still very frustrating reacting to drivers on the roads in Taipei doing things that, in my mind, go against “common sense”. However, being aware of this way of Taiwanese driving, I no longer swear at other drivers on the road as much as I used to. Well, not out loud anyways.

(Image Credit: sanbeiji)

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About the author

Matt
I'm Matt and I share how to build an internet presence through internet business, social marketing, lifestyle design and productivity tools. While here, read about me to learn my story or find out how you can hire me.

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