【答案解析】A recent weibo or microblog posted on October 11, 2012 reads that "Chinese style road crossing means you can go once you get enough company; road crossing has nothing to do with the traffic lights." This weibo carries a photo illustrating how pedestrians cross the street. In this picture, no traffic lights are shown, but several pedestrians are not taking the zebra crossing to cross the road; instead, they are treading on the lane-changing signs on the ground next to the zebra crossing. Among the road users are an old man pushing a stroller, an electric bike rider and a fruit peddler riding a tricycle.
This weibo has gone viral online and been forwarded by nearly 100,000 netizens. Many Internet users have posted many follow-up comments, such as "what a sharp description", "I echo your point", and "this is the very case in Jinan (capital of Shandong province)". Some netizens admit guiltily to being one of jaywalkers.
Netizens have offered their input to explain the reasons behind the habitual jaywalking among the Chinese people. They include:
1. Jaywalkers break traffic rules knowingly.
2. Too wide roads with too short time allocated for pedestrians mean that you have to start crossing the road when red light is still on, or you can"t make it within the time-slot of green light for pedestrians.
3. Turning vehicles don"t give way to pedestrians at all; as a result, pedestrians have to jaywalk with each other"s company when red light is on while crossing the road watchfully when green light is on.
The municipal government of Beijing vows to overhaul traffic malpractices and irregularities, with priority given to wrongdoing of pedestrians and non-motor vehicles. Integrated measures, including correction, education, criticism and fines, will be adopted to bring pressure to bear on the so-called "Chinese style road crossing".
Those rule breakers who are too overbearing to accept corrections or obstruct the police in the course of their duty and even physically attack police will be dealt with seriously in accordance with law. Alongside that, traffic facilities and signals will be upgraded in ways that encourage non-motorized users to follow traffic rules while getting around.