I read this from someone who was cycling through China thought it funny but some what true.

"if you ask "how far is it to ______," you'll get either a) not far,
b) very far, or c) too far for a bicycle. if you do get a number, it'll
invariably be 2km, regardless of the actual distance.

you'll quickly learn never to ask "is this the road to ______?"
the answer is always yes!

so you switch to "which of these two roads will take me to ______?"
the answer usually is both will take you there. (or none, you can't
get there from here)

you think you're smart? so now you ask "where does this road go?"

and the answer...........where do you want to go? "


I think their loss of face will never allow them to tell you straight up they don't know.