Dedicated policeman a star on the traffic circuit
August 28, 2010, Saturday
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Print Edition
Print Edition
PITY the poor traffic cop who stands amid car fumes and noise all day to try and ensure that city transport moves smoothly. Thousands of people pass him everyday but few give him a passing thought.
So how does Wang Bao, a member of the Minhang Traffic Police Detachment, manage to smile so much when he's on duty at one of the district's busiest intersections?
We decided to find out one afternoon in mid-August. We found Wang at work at the intersection of Humin and Zhuanxing roads.
It was 5pm and the temperature was still hovering near 40 degrees Celsius. Wang was dripping sweat onto an already wet uniform.
But that didn't dent his spirit. The lanky 28-year-old stood erect, and his clear gestures and punctuated blows of his whistle showed no strain. He was the picture of cool in the midst of heat.
Without even talking to him, it was easy to see why Wang was singled out for special commendation recently by his office superiors.
He's been a traffic policeman only three years. It's more grueling work than it may appear.
During the sequence of one set of lights -- about three minutes -- Wang executed 75 arm motions and moved 70 steps. He reckons that's one arm movement every 2.5 seconds and about 70 meters of walking.
Multiply those figures by the hours in a day's shift and you begin to see the strenuous nature of the job.
"The intersection where I work has been selected as one of the district's model crossroads," Wang said. "It's actually a window of Minhang's image. And as a traffic policeman, it's my responsibility to maintain the glory of the window."
The intersection of Humin and Zhuanxing roads is a busy one, without adequate traffic signaling.
For example, there are no lights for left turns. That work is left to Wang. Because he creates left-turn opportunities for motorists, traffic flow is improved.
On one side of the intersection, there is neither a signal light nor a zebra pedestrian crossing, which leads to a lot of jaywalking and obvious hazards.
Wang tries to be patient with jaywalkers, urging them to take the extra time to use a nearby pedestrian skyway.
That's fine for young people who could probably use the extra exercise, but if an elderly person wants to cross the road, Wang stops traffic and helps him across.
The intersection is close to several bus stops and one metro station.
That means a lot of people ask Wang for directions. When he first took up duties there, he was embarrassed to admit that he couldn't accurately answer all their questions, but he did take note of them in a small notepad he carried so he could jot down pertinent information.
Nowadays, he no longer needs a notepad. He has a clear map in his head of the surrounding area.
Wang goes above and beyond the call of duty as a matter of course.
One day last April, for example, he spotted an older man on the sidewalk looking very worried.
He crossed to ask if he needed help and learned that the man had just lost his wallet and didn't have the money to get home.
So Wang called a taxi, helped the man in and instructed the driver where to take him. He gave the driver 50 yuan (US$7.35).
Not long later, the taxi driver returned to the intersection and gave Wang 20 yuan and a receipt.
"Sir, here's your change," the driver said. "The old man got home safely. "It's the first time for me to meet such a warm-hearted traffic policeman like you."
Wang's team leader says he's an asset to the traffic police. "He is very professional in conducting traffic, he is very decisive in making decisions and he is very warm-hearted when helping others," his superior said.
Many in the neighborhood who have gotten to know him couldn't agree more.
So how does Wang Bao, a member of the Minhang Traffic Police Detachment, manage to smile so much when he's on duty at one of the district's busiest intersections?
We decided to find out one afternoon in mid-August. We found Wang at work at the intersection of Humin and Zhuanxing roads.
It was 5pm and the temperature was still hovering near 40 degrees Celsius. Wang was dripping sweat onto an already wet uniform.
But that didn't dent his spirit. The lanky 28-year-old stood erect, and his clear gestures and punctuated blows of his whistle showed no strain. He was the picture of cool in the midst of heat.
Without even talking to him, it was easy to see why Wang was singled out for special commendation recently by his office superiors.
He's been a traffic policeman only three years. It's more grueling work than it may appear.
During the sequence of one set of lights -- about three minutes -- Wang executed 75 arm motions and moved 70 steps. He reckons that's one arm movement every 2.5 seconds and about 70 meters of walking.
Multiply those figures by the hours in a day's shift and you begin to see the strenuous nature of the job.
"The intersection where I work has been selected as one of the district's model crossroads," Wang said. "It's actually a window of Minhang's image. And as a traffic policeman, it's my responsibility to maintain the glory of the window."
The intersection of Humin and Zhuanxing roads is a busy one, without adequate traffic signaling.
For example, there are no lights for left turns. That work is left to Wang. Because he creates left-turn opportunities for motorists, traffic flow is improved.
On one side of the intersection, there is neither a signal light nor a zebra pedestrian crossing, which leads to a lot of jaywalking and obvious hazards.
Wang tries to be patient with jaywalkers, urging them to take the extra time to use a nearby pedestrian skyway.
That's fine for young people who could probably use the extra exercise, but if an elderly person wants to cross the road, Wang stops traffic and helps him across.
The intersection is close to several bus stops and one metro station.
That means a lot of people ask Wang for directions. When he first took up duties there, he was embarrassed to admit that he couldn't accurately answer all their questions, but he did take note of them in a small notepad he carried so he could jot down pertinent information.
Nowadays, he no longer needs a notepad. He has a clear map in his head of the surrounding area.
Wang goes above and beyond the call of duty as a matter of course.
One day last April, for example, he spotted an older man on the sidewalk looking very worried.
He crossed to ask if he needed help and learned that the man had just lost his wallet and didn't have the money to get home.
So Wang called a taxi, helped the man in and instructed the driver where to take him. He gave the driver 50 yuan (US$7.35).
Not long later, the taxi driver returned to the intersection and gave Wang 20 yuan and a receipt.
"Sir, here's your change," the driver said. "The old man got home safely. "It's the first time for me to meet such a warm-hearted traffic policeman like you."
Wang's team leader says he's an asset to the traffic police. "He is very professional in conducting traffic, he is very decisive in making decisions and he is very warm-hearted when helping others," his superior said.
Many in the neighborhood who have gotten to know him couldn't agree more.
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