# Asians are so bad at driving I **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [October 20, 2012, 10:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/asians-are-so-bad-at-driving-i/638313 "2012-10-20T10:04:36Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![tesseract](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bb73d2/32.png) [@tesseract](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tesseract)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2012, 10:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/asians-are-so-bad-at-driving-i/638313/1 "2012-10-20T10:04:36Z")
…am starting to think Pearl Harbor was an accident. That’s what a friend posted on Facebook today. Distastefully, most of the other comments were yukking it up with him. Am I too sensitive? I was sad and annoyed. As one of the commenters put it, “You can keep passing more jokes to defend your joke. What I want to say is the Bad drivers is a pretty old line. Incorporating Pearl Harbor into a lame joke, well just makes it tactless.” The OP even added a comment that said, No offense [Asian friend] and [Asian friend]. I tried to be non-combative with the following comment, and he actually responded to me in a respectful way, but basically he resorted to straw man “I’m a horrible racist, everyone should defriend me” and “I keep forgetting how politically correct we have to be.” He much missed the point. How bad do you think what he posted was? Here’s part of our exchange if you care. I said: Yikes - I guess you’re gonna eye roll me too - but can you appreciate the perspective that that _was_ pretty bad/insensitive? On a lot of levels? Just because we have [insert group] friends doesn’t give us license to just say anything. I don’t think. He said: I suppose one can believe it is insensitive. But frankly I wouldn’t be the slightest bit annoyed if somebody made fun of white people. I think we all take ourselves too seriously. Life’s too short to get up in arms about what other people think. laugh a little. I said: I am not saying that I’ve never thought a borderline joke was funny, or anything. I think it sorta depends also on the context (comedy show or talking to a very small group of people vs. Facebook, for example) And I _do_ think we take things too seriously sometimes. To respond to the life’s too short sentiment, sorta depends on what one is getting up in arms about. Sometimes what other people think is that their feelings are very hurt or their dignity is again trampled, and I don’t necessarily think it’s a great idea to be like, “Aw, screw them; life’s too short for me to be up in arms about what they think…” maybe life’s too short for them to have to suffer through more indignities (speaking generally, not necessarily about current comment). Also, I don’t care either when people make fun of white people and I often think it’s funny. I also think we can make fun of everybody - gently and in the right context. But you do realize that’s a completely false dichotomy, right? Of course the power majority and population majority is not going to care when it gets made fun of. It’s laughing all the way to the power bank. There are a million articles on this so I won’t bore you the details but it’s not something to just eye roll at – it’s a very real concept. Love ya. ---
**Author:** ![Renee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/renee/32/287_2.png) [@Renee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Renee)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2012, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/asians-are-so-bad-at-driving-i/638313/2 "2012-10-20T17:43:48Z")
Well, that was incoherent. ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2012, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/asians-are-so-bad-at-driving-i/638313/3 "2012-10-20T17:58:15Z")
> [@tesseract](#): > > …am starting to think Pearl Harbor was an accident. That’s what a friend posted on Facebook today. Distastefully, most of the other comments were yukking it up with him. \ Too soon? ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2012, 7:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/asians-are-so-bad-at-driving-i/638313/4 "2012-10-20T19:28:04Z")
> [@tesseract](#): > > …am starting to think Pearl Harbor was an accident. That’s what a friend posted on Facebook today. Distastefully, most of the other comments were yukking it up with him. Am I too sensitive? I was sad and annoyed. As one of the commenters put it, “You can keep passing more jokes to defend your joke. What I want to say is the Bad drivers is a pretty old line. Incorporating Pearl Harbor into a lame joke, well just makes it tactless.” The OP even added a comment that said, No offense [Asian friend] and [Asian friend]. I tried to be non-combative with the following comment, and he actually responded to me in a respectful way, but basically he resorted to straw man “I’m a horrible racist, everyone should defriend me” and “I keep forgetting how politically correct we have to be.” He much missed the point. How bad do you think what he posted was? Here’s part of our exchange if you care. > > I said: Yikes - I guess you’re gonna eye roll me too - but can you appreciate the perspective that that _was_ pretty bad/insensitive? On a lot of levels? Just because we have [insert group] friends doesn’t give us license to just say anything. I don’t think. > He said: I suppose one can believe it is insensitive. But frankly I wouldn’t be the slightest bit annoyed if somebody made fun of white people. I think we all take ourselves too seriously. Life’s too short to get up in arms about what other people think. laugh a little. > > I said: I am not saying that I’ve never thought a borderline joke was funny, or anything. I think it sorta depends also on the context (comedy show or talking to a very small group of people vs. Facebook, for example) And I _do_ think we take things too seriously sometimes. To respond to the life’s too short sentiment, sorta depends on what one is getting up in arms about. Sometimes what other people think is that their feelings are very hurt or their dignity is again trampled, and I don’t necessarily think it’s a great idea to be like, “Aw, screw them; life’s too short for me to be up in arms about what they think…” maybe life’s too short for them to have to suffer through more indignities (speaking generally, not necessarily about current comment). Also, I don’t care either when people make fun of white people and I often think it’s funny. I also think we can make fun of everybody - gently and in the right context. But you do realize that’s a completely false dichotomy, right? Of course the power majority and population majority is not going to care when it gets made fun of. It’s laughing all the way to the power bank. There are a million articles on this so I won’t bore you the details but it’s not something to just eye roll at – it’s a very real concept. Love ya. Uhhh…yes? ---
**Author:** ![thelurkinghorror](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7c8e57/32.png) [@thelurkinghorror](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thelurkinghorror)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2012, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/asians-are-so-bad-at-driving-i/638313/5 "2012-10-20T19:48:03Z")
Question: Somebody posted something I disagree with on Facebook. When should I engage them in a long public conversation in an attempt to set them straight? Answer: Never. ---
**Author:** ![PSXer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/48db29/32.png) [@PSXer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PSXer)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2012, 7:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/asians-are-so-bad-at-driving-i/638313/6 "2012-10-20T19:50:28Z")
lighten up man its a harmless funny joke ---
**Author:** ![Emtar\_KronJonDerSohn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/58956e/32.png) [@Emtar\_KronJonDerSohn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Emtar_KronJonDerSohn)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2012, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/asians-are-so-bad-at-driving-i/638313/7 "2012-10-20T19:59:31Z")
If there was a question in there: No, the joke is not especially funny. Yes, you are too sensitive. Most Asians are terrible drivers. ---
**Author:** ![Maserschmidt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/maserschmidt/32/18829_2.png) [@Maserschmidt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maserschmidt)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2012, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/asians-are-so-bad-at-driving-i/638313/8 "2012-10-20T20:43:00Z")
> [@Cat\_Whisperer](#): > > Too soon? \ Don’t do that. i haven’t even sorted out my feelings on the OP yet, much less follow-up jokes. ---
**Author:** ![Spice\_Weasel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spice_weasel/32/5435_2.png) [@Spice\_Weasel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spice_Weasel)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2012, 9:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/asians-are-so-bad-at-driving-i/638313/9 "2012-10-20T21:09:14Z")
I laughed. It reminds me of a woman I know, a mentor of sorts, who once remarked, “I’m female, I’m Asian, and I’m from New Jersey, so you can imagine what my driving is like.” ---
**Author:** ![VinylTurnip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b2d939/32.png) [@VinylTurnip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VinylTurnip)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2012, 9:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/asians-are-so-bad-at-driving-i/638313/10 "2012-10-20T21:12:58Z")
> [@Renee](#): > > Well, that was incoherent. If you like RACTER, you’ll love the **tesseracter**! ---
**Author:** ![Derleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Derleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Derleth)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2012, 9:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/asians-are-so-bad-at-driving-i/638313/11 "2012-10-20T21:14:47Z")
> [@VinylTurnip](#): > > If you like RACTER, you’ll love the **tesseracter**! Where’s PARRY? He has an appointment with ELIZA. ---
**Author:** ![flatlined](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/eb9ed0/32.png) [@flatlined](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flatlined)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2012, 9:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/asians-are-so-bad-at-driving-i/638313/12 "2012-10-20T21:20:29Z")
When I was stationed in Okinawa and first learning to drive on the wrong side, my Okinawian friend told me that I’d hate it in China because Americans drive on the right, Brits drive on the left and the Chinese admire both cultures so much that they honor both traditions. ---
**Author:** ![Alka\_Seltzer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c89c15/32.png) [@Alka\_Seltzer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alka_Seltzer)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2012, 9:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/asians-are-so-bad-at-driving-i/638313/13 "2012-10-20T21:25:02Z")
I’m sure there is a follow-up kamikaze joke here somewhere, but I’m not seeing it… ---
**Author:** ![Derleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Derleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Derleth)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2012, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/asians-are-so-bad-at-driving-i/638313/14 "2012-10-20T21:50:24Z")
> [@Alka\_Seltzer](#): > > I’m sure there is a follow-up kamikaze joke here somewhere, but I’m not seeing it… That was when the Japanese had so few men left they started recruiting female pilots. (Sexist _and_ racist. I wonder which one gets me Officially Warned.) ---
**Author:** ![drewtwo99](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d07c76/32.png) [@drewtwo99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drewtwo99)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2012, 10:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/asians-are-so-bad-at-driving-i/638313/15 "2012-10-20T22:00:33Z")
Even my Asian-American boyfriend will admit that Asians are bad drives, and I tease him relentlessly for it all the time. He makes fun of white people being fat and lazy, so it evens out. ---
**Author:** ![lavenderviolet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/cdc98d/32.png) [@lavenderviolet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lavenderviolet)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2012, 12:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/asians-are-so-bad-at-driving-i/638313/16 "2012-10-21T00:09:04Z")
> [@tesseract](#): > > The OP even added a comment that said, No offense [Asian friend] and [Asian friend].. That makes me think that he’s probably thinking of it more as affectionate teasing of Asians than anything meant to be hostile to Asians. I’d suggest letting this issue drop. He probably meant nothing bad by posting it, and I would expect that if his Asian friends are offended they’ll let him know. ---
**Author:** ![Seanette](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/seanette/32/9139_2.png) [@Seanette](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Seanette)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2012, 12:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/asians-are-so-bad-at-driving-i/638313/17 "2012-10-21T00:13:08Z")
> [@flatlined](#): > > When I was stationed in Okinawa and first learning to drive on the wrong side, my Okinawian friend told me that I’d hate it in China because Americans drive on the right, Brits drive on the left and the Chinese admire both cultures so much that they honor both traditions. ROFL!!! This might explain some of the, er, “imported” drivers in my area. Kind of reminds me of Dave Barry’s take on Miami drivers and “the hallowed Miami tradition, still observed today, under which every motorist drives according to the laws of his or her individual country or planet of origin.” OTOH, really lousy driving knows no racial/ethnic boundaries here. Lots of “Crackerjack” drivers around (so named for where I think they got their licenses if any). :mad: ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2012, 12:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/asians-are-so-bad-at-driving-i/638313/18 "2012-10-21T00:19:17Z")
> [@Maserschmidt](#): > > \ Don’t do that. i haven’t even sorted out my feelings on the OP yet, much less follow-up jokes. Embrace the delicious uncertainty! ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2012, 2:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/asians-are-so-bad-at-driving-i/638313/19 "2012-10-21T02:10:26Z")
Thai drivers believe sidewalks are just convenient shortcuts. ---
**Author:** ![Cabin\_Fever\_1](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cabin_fever_1/32/2908_2.png) [@Cabin\_Fever\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cabin_Fever_1)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2012, 2:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/asians-are-so-bad-at-driving-i/638313/20 "2012-10-21T02:14:31Z")
“Asians are so bad at driving I am starting to think Pearl Harbor was an accident.” Back in my youth we had a saying when encountering “far eastern drivers”. DWC (ala DWI/DUI)…Driving While Chinese… A side-note: my wife is from Taiwan, me USA. She scares the bejeebers out of me when I’m the victim…err passenger. Going down a one-way street at 2am in Memphis with me clutching the door armrest, waiting for the right moment to bail and hoping my injuries would be less than hers… She looks over at me and says, “What?” [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/asians-are-so-bad-at-driving-i/638313.md?page=2)