I had heard that the Hong Kong police force has so little to do that they have taken to standing on street corners and issuing tickets for jaywalking, but I had never seen it happen until today, when it happened to me!
In my usual rush to get to work, I skipped across the busy intersection that I know so well (look right, cross a quarter of the way, check for trams in either direction, cross half way, look left for buses, continue across). Well this time as soon as I made it across the street I was stopped and told I could not proceed.
I could not believe this was happening. I was so incensed I remarked nastily to the cops that apparently they had nothing better to do with their time than stand idly on street corners. I also asked how many pedestrians they caught that day. I do not think that helped my cause. The cop in the shiny sunglasses responded with, "you can't cross against the light and you did so."
Gee, good answer. Never mind that there were no buses or trams in the way because they were working on construction in the middle of the street...
They took down my ID number, my address and my phone number. I am to expect a summons in the mail which will set forth the formal complaint (read: ticket). When I asked them how much the ticket was for, theypretended not to understand what I was asking did not answer my question.
Hong Kong needs some more crime so the policemen can get busy doing other stuff! Ugh. What a terrible start to the day. I am full of disgust!
Update: upon my commute home I did not jaywalk (might still have been smarting from the events that transpired earlier in the day) but I snapped this photo of ALL these other people crossing against the light at the same intersection! Gah! Obviously this is the only way to get anywhere around this godforsaken city.
In my usual rush to get to work, I skipped across the busy intersection that I know so well (look right, cross a quarter of the way, check for trams in either direction, cross half way, look left for buses, continue across). Well this time as soon as I made it across the street I was stopped and told I could not proceed.
Gee, good answer. Never mind that there were no buses or trams in the way because they were working on construction in the middle of the street...
They took down my ID number, my address and my phone number. I am to expect a summons in the mail which will set forth the formal complaint (read: ticket). When I asked them how much the ticket was for, they
Hong Kong needs some more crime so the policemen can get busy doing other stuff! Ugh. What a terrible start to the day. I am full of disgust!
Update: upon my commute home I did not jaywalk (might still have been smarting from the events that transpired earlier in the day) but I snapped this photo of ALL these other people crossing against the light at the same intersection! Gah! Obviously this is the only way to get anywhere around this godforsaken city.
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