Comments on: Drivers in China seeing red over new traffic light rule

By: GD

GD — Fri, 22 Feb 2013 16:59:38 +0000

There is a penalty for not stopping on an amber when it is safe to do so. It is exactly the same penalty for running a red.

By: John Seagram

John Seagram — Fri, 22 Feb 2013 16:01:47 +0000

Why should we even have the yellow light then? Just make it green and red. I hope you enjoy your $350 fine for running a yellow light when you’re 2m away from the intersection, traveling 60km/h and it turns from green to yellow.

By: Ron

Ron — Thu, 03 Jan 2013 14:39:06 +0000

I love it! Toronto drivers seem to think that yelllow means “go faster”.
We should start charging drivers here too. Might make the streets a little safer.

By: don328

don328 — Thu, 03 Jan 2013 13:11:36 +0000

It is impossible to make an accurate comment without knowing what the legislation says in China concerning yellow lights, but, in Ontario we too have a similar law that requires operators of motor vehicles to stop for a yellow (amber) traffic light.
Highway Traffic Act
R.S.O. 1990, CHAPTER H.8
“intersection” includes any portion of a highway indicated by markings on the surface of the roadway as a crossing place for pedestrians; (“intersection”)
Amber light
Traffic control signals and pedestrian control signals
144. (1) In this section,

(15) Every driver approaching a traffic control signal showing a circular amber indication and facing the indication shall stop his or her vehicle if he or she can do so safely, otherwise he or she may proceed with caution. R.S.O. 1990, c. H.8, s. 144 (15).
Obviously that information must not be published in the driver hand book used during study for your drivers licence and I base that on the number of drivers I have seen excellorating half a block away from the intersection when they see the lights change from green to yellow to make sure they get through the intersection before the light turns to red.

By: dave

dave — Thu, 03 Jan 2013 00:02:17 +0000

I`m from Canada and I live and drive in Beijing. I`ve often said if people here would learn to drive properly and obey standard rules of the road a lot of the problems with traffic congestion here would melt away. But as usually seems to be the case the powers that be are reactive rather than proactive. The symptoms are always treated rather than the cause. A few examples. Drivers are not aware, or don`t care, that the right lane is the slow lane, the middle lane is the driving lane and the right lane is the passing lane. It is very common to have a slow driver in the passing lane talking away on their cell phone completely oblivious to what`s going on around them. However, it often seems they are aware but just like doing a mini power trip. Through traffic doesn`t have the right of way here. It is common to be driving down a street at speed and have a car pull out in front of you without even looking to see if the way is clear. The list goes on and on. As far as pedestrians are concerned it`s like driving around amongst a herd of cows, you just don`t know what they will do. Instead of staying back on the sidewalk until the light changes they stand 5 meters out into the road which causes right hand turn drivers to have to make a right angle turn. As a light turns yellow it is not uncommon to see pedestrians step off the curb to start to cross a six lane road only to get stuck part way across of curse and just stand there like a pylon waiting to dodge traffic to get across. The pedestrian list also goes on and on. And all this is in Beijing the nation`s capital. It all goes downhill from here in many outlying areas. So much of it has to do with prestige here. One day I saw a beautiful $500.000.00 Rolls Royce sport model and when I pulled up alongside to have a look it was driven by some white knuckled 50ish lady driver who was all hunched up behind the wheel driving below the speed limit. “I may not know how to drive but look at me I`m richer than you.” The problem with finding solutions is the numbers game. If pedestrians had right of way at a light there are so many of them that the cars would never move. I really believe that the solution is to teach people how to drive the proper way and make them aware that driving is a privilege not a right and we are supposed to share the road not hog it. There also needs to be active police enforcement. Very rarely to never you see a car pulled over for a traffic violation. Traffic cameras are relied on here way too much. All part of development growing pains I guess.

By: bumnsun

bumnsun — Wed, 02 Jan 2013 23:14:39 +0000

Note that tomorrow Green will also be Red. Hahaha