Mystifying Things Ch. 2

Growing up in the '80s I can remember when seatbelt laws came into effect in Nova Scotia...or at least I think I do...perhaps this is a false memory that I have somehow superimposed onto my life but regardless I THINK I remember it. This being the case I seem to have a bit of a fetish for seatbelts. Wearing them. Not wearing them. Whatever. The point is, I REALLY notice seatbelts. I don't really care what people choose to do and sometimes I choose not to wear one myself because I feel very rebellious and free when not doing so (surely this is a measure of how boring a person I am).

So what does this have to do with China? Well, these Chinese people here in Jilin are really good at doing things that don't make ANY sense. In just about every car that I've been in...mostly cabs, but a few personally owned ones...the seatbelts are inaccessible. The cars are all built with seatbelts but most backseats are covered by, well, a seat cover. And you can't get at the seatbelt. So you can't wear one even if you want to. In the front seat you can use the seatbelt (when it's functional which is not always because many of them are broken out of disuse) but nearly every time I try to, the cab driver gets visibly nervous and tries to talk me out of it. I'm serious, they get upset. Why? Seriously though...why would you try to talk someone out of using a seatbelt? You gain nothing from it...and it costs you nothing to allow it. What possible reason is there for trying to prevent this? And why don't the seat cover manufacturers just cut a little hole in the seat covers so that the seatbelt buckle can fit through? Seriously? Why not? I can understand choosing not to use a seat belt...as mentioned before, it's thrilling...but why would you try to stop someone else?