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Don't walk on green but stand, wait and hope

By Renee Haines (China Daily)
Updated: 2010-11-01 09:52

The first time it happened, an elderly Beijinger gently but firmly pressed his hand across my chest and pushed me back to safety. (Thank you, kind stranger.) Later, I did the same thing when an obvious newcomer stepped from the curb to cross the street when the light turned green.

If you're a pedestrian in Beijing, a red traffic light means stop. A green light means stop, look, wait for a large group to advance from the curb, push yourself into the middle of the group, and then, go.

Drivers here turn right on red, or rather, careen right. Hence, the herd mentality I was urged by a Beijing guidebook to adopt when crossing city streets when the light turns green.

The idea is to put as many fellow pedestrians between you and the oncoming right-turn traffic when you cross a busy street, because drivers tend to stop when they see a crowd.

But you still have to feel lucky, and I never feel lucky when I'm on foot in busy city neighborhoods like Sanlitun. I like to read, but crossing a busy intersection from the Village shopping complex to get to the Bookworm bookstore two blocks away is not that easy.

Recent research reports estimate that an average 1,900 new cars are being sold in Beijing every day this year. That translates into 1,900 more daily headaches for Beijing's already overworked traffic cops.

Yes, that many cars mean the traffic slows down. However, ask a pedestrian if he cares if he is hit by a speeding automobile or crushed by a slower-moving ton of steel on wheels.

I propose giving 1,900 more daily headaches to Beijing drivers, instead. If they can afford new cars, they can afford to treat a headache.

Adopt laws that ban right turns at red lights at every busy intersection in the city, and then enforce them. Yes, having to write all those right-turn-on-red tickets means more work for already busy traffic cops.

But think of all the revenues the city can earn from traffic fines that can be collected for violating a law that bans right turns on red at every busy intersection.

Next time you are standing on a curb, do some math, too. I did. While standing at a busy intersection one weekday, berating myself for being a coward for not stepping off the curb when the light turned green, I counted cars.

The light turned green, and five cars immediately careened right as hesitant pedestrians held themselves back. A group of three brave pedestrians then began walking across the street.

Immediately, two cars careened right, right behind them, and three cars careened right, right in front of them. Before the pedestrians reached the other side of the road, they dodged two more stray cars turning right on red.

But what if it was against the law at busy intersections to take a right turn while the traffic light was red? One busy intersection and one red light plus 12 right turns on red equal 12 traffic tickets at, say, 500 yuan each.

Multiply, and you can see how many fines you can

collect per busy intersection. And you'll have safer pedestrians, too. After all, for drivers, those hefty fines will add up fast.

Beijing would win international accolades not only as a major low-crime city but also as a major traffic-safe city. Pedestrians would win and economic development would as well. The bonus points will keep adding up. And I can go buy a book.