Simply put - If you are a car owner and hit a scooter, biker, or pedestrian you are obligated to pay their medical expenses the rest of their life. Therefore, if it's a bad accident it is financially better for the driver to kill the individual than be indebted to them the rest of their life.
The "logic" behind this, to my knowledge, is this: As a car owner, you make more money than someone who drives a scooter. Certainly you make more money than someone who drives a bike or only walks. Thus, regardless of who's at fault, the car owner must pay.
To put it into perspective financially: A mere license costs around $10,000 - that's USD! There's others you can get. Some licenses will only allow you to go to certain parts of the city or during certain hours. I think those cost less. A quality scooter costs around $300-$500. The math is clear.
From a Chinese perspective, this makes sense-ish. Although, overall this culture is not taught to know or care if something makes sense or not. They are taught it is what it is and do not question. Westerners struggle with this immensely!
Tonight I saw an accident.
I was scootering down the wrong side of the street as usual for that stretch of road. Then I made a left turn into my complex. Almost immediately I heard a crash behind me. It happened so instantaneously after I turned that I wasn't sure if it was me at first! The crash was so loud I drove a few more feet to be in the clear then stopped to see what had happened.
A woman was on the ground with her scooter toppled over and in pieces beside her.
It's common for nationals to drive their scooters at night without the lights on because they say it saves the battery. It makes scooter driving at night interesting whether you're driving on the right side of the road or not! There is always people going both directions on both sides of the road.
I sent up a quick prayer asking what to do. I turned around figuring if I could somehow be of assistance to her I wanted to help. Once I witnessed an accident in the states and called 911, assessed the lady for serious injuries and tried to keep her calm until help arrived. It was the summer after I'd gotten my WFR (Wilderness First Responder) certification and the first time it really had to be put to use. Never would it have crossed my mind to think: "Thank goodness I know the language and can call for help!"
But what do I do here? How do you call the police? Do they have a 911-like system? I explained the police confusion when I got into my minor scooter accident.
A crowd began to form around this woman, the driver, and someone who had been waiting to cross the street. Voices began raising, she began to rub her leg, then cry, someone finally got on their phone, more people stood around her, the cries got louder, voices began to get louder...
Meanwhile, I watched wondering if I could help soothe her even by kneeling next to her. She was surrounded by men. Most likely some who were advocating for her; others who were trying to figure out what happened; and the driver who appeared ticked-off.
I've heard enough stories by now to know this could get escalated, and quickly. Every-man-for-himself. Quite possibly no one would step in and truly help her. The victim.
Yet, as I sat praying, my WFR training came to mind. The worst part of it. Don't make another victim. In this case, my entering into the equation could have gone many ways. None of which I determined to be helpful for anyone involved. My presence would create time costing confusing and perhaps worse. I didn't see a single thing where my presence, even being the one other female around, would be helpful.
It occurred to me the best way I could help was to leave.
Yuck.
The times I have most wanted to know the language here have always been when it involved a female national. I want to know their hearts, their thoughts, their hurts, their trials, their dreams. Tonight, I wanted more than anything to comfort and love on her.
Instead I left. Confident that was the best decision. Entrusting Him to hear my pleas for her.
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