I'll start by admitting that I have my prejudices and I'm judgmental. I don't make judgments based on race, but I'm aware of the stereotypes (I spent 5 years and a degree in Sociology with an emphasis in social control & deviance, and a degree in Socio-psychology). Oddly enough, I wrote a paper on driving behavior/perceptions and race/age/gender. My conclusions were that age/race/gender do correlate with driving behavior. If you observe an individual or aggregate group and study their value on proximity and personal space, you'll get a good idea of what kind of driver they will be. If they don't scan their environment, surroundings, get really close to bystanders, and bump in to things and people as pedestrians, they are likely to be drivers who never check their mirrors, look over their shoulders, drift in their lanes, and do horrible parking jobs. If the person is a fast walker, always looking forward, avoids crowds and zips by people, they are likely to be fast drivers who weave in and out of traffic (sometimes but not always cutting people off in the process). My study concluded that people's views and stereotypes were especially strong in regards to the out-group (the group of people whom they do not identify e.g a Anglo-Protestant woman would view a Black-Buddhist man as an out-group). And not surprising at all, people felt rated themselves as better than average drivers...which is humorous because we all can't be "above" or "below" average.
Anyways, I have a few explanations to why Irvine has seen the multiple waves of Asian and Asian-Americans over the last 30 years:
1) Orange County, but especially Irvine represents the planned, in order, and spaced out city that is highly valued.
2) Irvine has a perception of good public schools and education is highly valued.
3) Irvine has low property and low violent crime...being robbed or burglarized is worse than being assaulted for some Asian folk.
4) Irvine homes are seen as good investments...Asians and investments, need I say more.
5) Asians are the most socially and professionally accepted minority to Anglos outside of Europeans and Australians.
6) Immigrants coming from Asia are pretty 'wealthy,' (mostly Japanese, Taiwanese, and South Koreans...there aren't any more influxes of refugees into America).
7) Minorities move where other like minorities move (enclaves are formed).
Waves of Asian migration:
Pre 1930s: Chinese, Japanese, Korean, and Filipinos immigrated based on labor needs and exclusion acts of the US gov.
1930s - 1980s: Fear of communism and Cold War tensions allowed refugees from Asia, Cuba, South America, and Eastern Europe to enter the US.
1980s - present: Wealthy Asians come over for business, education, and economic reasons.
White Flight and the Asians follow:
Ever notice in every metropolitan city, there use to be a Little Italy near the Chinatowns? After the Irish came Italians, then the Chinese...minorities were relegated to boroughs one on top of another (often causing alliances and tensions). As the Irish, Italians, Polish, Russians (and lighter skinned folk) assimilated to American culture, they adopted American values and blended right in. Groups that did not assimilate as quickly stayed in their enclaves (some by choice, others by force). Long story short, the path taken by most is as follows:
Asians move out of cities and into suburbs (San Gabriel Valley, San Fernando Valley, Cerritos, and Orange County). The younger generation seek higher education, get professional jobs, move to suburbs. Later, the older generation seek to retire and be near their children/grandchildren...moving to OC. Anyways, it's obviously more complicated and everyone's case is specific to them, but ask yourself, "how and why did I make the move to Irvine?" Like-minded people move in the same direction.
As the fast lane conversation, traffic school will tell you that there is no fast lane...the maximum speed limit is the same in all lanes. That's how CHP can always justify their citations.
