No going forward by turning one's back on old ways

I was walking on the squeaky-clean floor that leads to the Dongdan station of subway line No 5 one morning when a young man spat as he walked past me.

He was doing this in a most casual way, as old farmers do in the remote countryside. I frowned and - forgive me - I didn't say anything to the man about his lack of propriety. Instead, I suddenly missed the good old days, when Beijing residents were drafted to catch spitters and fine them 10 yuan for every instance of "bad manners".

I've found there are so many good manners and practices that have disappeared in Beijing in recent years, especially since the 2008 Olympic Games' conclusion.