A red-hooded minibus speeds along a street at night in Hong Kong. Edmond Tang

Editor's note: The term "minibus" in this story is commonly used in everyday conversation but not in traffic-related laws and bylaws, which refer to these vehicles as "light buses". The words "light bus" can also be seen on the sides just above the windows of these buses, as are required by law.

It's getting on toward midnight, sharp with military precision, the red-hooded minibus pulled into the Sai Wan terminal. Michael Lam, 31, who had just kissed his girlfriend good night after a rather joyful evening over a candle-lit dinner and a movie, was mustering all that remained of his energy to get "psyched up" for his cross-harbor ride home.

"I know I will be in for a treat, whether I like it or not," he said with a grin, in anticipation of the adventures ahead.

The scene unfolds as Hong Kong's minibus operators and drivers wage a vigorous campaign against government plans to implement new regulations to curb minibus mayhem on city streets.

The driver of the minibus on which Lam was riding started the engine when all 16 seats were occupied. As most minibus drivers who work overnight tend to do, he began to talk to fellow road runners on the radio over a loud radio speaker. The Cross-Harbor Tunnel is the only way for minibuses late at night to ferry between Hong Kong Island and Kowloon, since the new Western Tunnel is closed during the wee hours.

"Hurry up! You can't let the road hogs beat you to the entrance of the tunnel!" A voice on the bus radio sounded, referring to minibuses run by rival companies. In a few seconds, the red digits on the big LED speedometer panel affixed on a pole next to the driver's seat rose from 63 to 80 and then the speed alarm went off.

88, 89, 90...The driver kept his foot on the gas pedal, now leaning a bit more forward while clenching fast on the steering wheel. Passengers began reaching for hand rails to grip.

"The midnight race is so common and I've seen so much of it that I've stopped making a fuss about it," said Lam.

Lam is one of the thousands of Hong Kong's late-night minibus commuters, whose recourse after pleasurable activities or work is to ride to their destinations on a heart-palpitating journey of roller-coaster dimensions, guaranteeing butterflies in the stomach.

Minibus horror stories are common. Occasionally there are news reports, relating to serious injuries, and sometimes the abrupt end to some passenger's life.

According to Hong Kong Government statistics, minibuses were involved in more than 6,000 traffic mishaps from 2004 until May 2009. In 2008 alone, 1,040 crashes were recorded involving 1,080 minibuses. There were 1,682 casualties including 15 who died. Most of the crashes were judged attributable to speed and reckless driving. This year, the situation is even worse, with a succession of serious accidents.

Public opinion became further inflamed when someone caught a minibus driving onto a sidewalk to avoid traffic congestion on their cellphone camera and posted the clip at a local online forum. The clip earned a lot of hits after several local TV channels used it in their news broadcast in the following days.

On June 12, an accident attributed to dangerous driving killed two women and injured eight others. A minibus crashed into an oncoming double-decker bus, went out of control and struck a pedestrian. On March 11, a policeman traveling to a fatal motor vehicle mishap was killed when struck by a hurtling minibus.

Finally, late in August, the Hong Kong SAR Government decided to crack down, introducing several measures to prevent further tragedies. In order to prevent speeding, minibus companies were ordered to place "speed governors" in the vehicles, to ensure they did not exceed a certain speed. The cost of the new equipment is to be borne by the minibus companies. In addition to the speed governors, a device called a "black box" capable of recording every change in speed, rate of acceleration and braking will be required on new mini buses from 2010 in order to monitor the performance of drivers.

The minibus companies and their drivers are fighting back with a full-throttle effort to gain public support in their campaign to stop the plan to regulate speed. Inside the minibuses, passengers are confronted with taped-up protest signs demanding "Can speed governors stop accidents?" or "Speed governors were installed without consultation and testing."

The protesters say it is unfair that only minibuses are required to install speed governors and most drivers are concerned about the cost of installation. "We are worried that the speed limitation will mess up drivers' speed judgments when they want to pass, which can also be a reason for crashes," said Leung Hung, chairman of Hong Kong, Kowloon, and New Territories Public Light Transportation Association.

The "red van" of all forms of public transportation threading through Hong Kong streets is particularly notorious for mindless road behavior. The nickname conjures up images of young male drivers with neon hair and tattoos who cut through avenues and alleys at top speed, often missing pedestrians and vehicles by millimeters.

The name "red van" has become an icon of a less savory part of local culture, despite numerous attempts by authorities to put an end to the neighborhood menace. Minibus operations survive and continue to thrive, mainly because minibuses offer flexible routes, wave-to-stop serve, and 24/7 service, meeting a significant public demand.

Competition among different fleets is so fierce that speed has become a determining factor in profitability. The arithmetic is simple: the more trips made by the entire fleet, the more passengers are moved, the more money the company rakes in.

Speeding of minibuses is not uncommon in Hong Kong, especially long-distance ones at night. On Castle Peak Road, drivers maintain speeds above 100 km/h. "I felt myself being "sent" to the front by a hard brake and then jumping off as the bus was still moving. The driver didn't need to pull the door handle, since the door would open automatically as the minibus slowed down abruptly," said Lam recalling a minibus trip from Mongkok to Yuen Long, adding "the whole process only needs three or four seconds."

"I think I could be a paratrooper in Band of Brothers through the training I've had from riding minibuses," he said wryly.

Lee, a computer salesman living in Shuan Shui, has no choice but to take the "roller-coaster" journey back home at late night. "With an acquaintance of road conditions and speedometer positions, drivers are used to speeding and have to hard brake only when cameras are close," he said, "If they forget, the control center will remind them of where to put on the breaks."

"High efficiency" maybe is the first word to come to mind for the typical Hong Kong commuter when thinking of the light bus. A ride between Tuen Mun and Jordan can be dramatically reduced to 20 minutes compared to a typical journey by bus, which needs 45 minutes.

Sometimes it takes only a quarter of an hour from Mongkok to Sai Wan, which is less than half the time for a double-decker bus ride. In addition to driving at literally break-neck speed, several drivers indulge themselves in horrifically bad driving habits, such as failing to heed red lights, talking on cell phones while driving and driving with the door open. These careless practices make passengers anxious, to say the least. "I have even seen a light bus driver working while holding a dog in his arm during an entire trip. It's so unbelievable!" said Leung, an office worker who takes minibuses on days when she has to work overtime.

Whether the new regulations are necessary, or whether they will prove effective is a hot topic in Hong Kong. In 2005, the SAR government tried to address light bus mayhem by requiring installation of large, speedometers, visible to passengers, inside light buses. Most passengers however seem to pay little attention and some who are impatient to reach their destinations prefer that drivers go as fast as they can.

Some Hong Kong residents are dubious about the effectiveness of the new regulations. "The new policy will not improve conditions unless the regulations carry heavy penalties for violators," said Leung. One unidentified official has been quoted as saying that the penalty for tampering or damaging speed governors could be six months imprisonment and a fine of HK$10,000 as well.

(HK Edition 11/14/2009 page3)