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Errant bicyclists who run red lights face fines of 1,000 yuan
By Wang Yong |
April 5, 2011, Tuesday
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Print Edition
Print Edition
IF you ride a bike and run red lights in Guangdong Province - and if you're caught - chances are you will be fined 1,000 yuan (US$153).
On March 30, Guangdong adopted a regulation to curb rampant violation of traffic rules by cyclists. The regulation, which takes effect in October, has stirred heated debate over its heavy punishment of cyclists who ignore traffic rules en masse despite years of education and traffic safety campaigns.
Many complain that 1,000 yuan is too harsh a fine. I say it's perfectly fine. National regulations about erring cyclists allow fines ranging from 200 to 2,000 yuan.
Be it in Guangdong or Shanghai or wherever in China, cyclists are major violators of traffic rules. Unlike car drivers who generally yield to red traffic lights, few cyclists bother to stop. They rush at will, like most pedestrians who jaywalk.
Car drivers are rude enough, to be sure. They horn, they swear, they speed, they violate laws and endanger public safety. But, at least in big cities like Guangzhou and Shanghai, they seldom run red lights. Cyclists, on the other hand, are also rude to pedestrians and don't think traffic rules apply to them.
Guangdong's new regulation also targets other types of non-motorized vehicles, including small-scale electric bikes that are as dangerous as freewheeling bicycles.
On March 30, Guangdong adopted a regulation to curb rampant violation of traffic rules by cyclists. The regulation, which takes effect in October, has stirred heated debate over its heavy punishment of cyclists who ignore traffic rules en masse despite years of education and traffic safety campaigns.
Many complain that 1,000 yuan is too harsh a fine. I say it's perfectly fine. National regulations about erring cyclists allow fines ranging from 200 to 2,000 yuan.
Be it in Guangdong or Shanghai or wherever in China, cyclists are major violators of traffic rules. Unlike car drivers who generally yield to red traffic lights, few cyclists bother to stop. They rush at will, like most pedestrians who jaywalk.
Car drivers are rude enough, to be sure. They horn, they swear, they speed, they violate laws and endanger public safety. But, at least in big cities like Guangzhou and Shanghai, they seldom run red lights. Cyclists, on the other hand, are also rude to pedestrians and don't think traffic rules apply to them.
Guangdong's new regulation also targets other types of non-motorized vehicles, including small-scale electric bikes that are as dangerous as freewheeling bicycles.
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