Driving lawlessness SHENZHEN is about to come under the spotlight of the entire world with the Universiade. Substantial amounts of public money could be earned if violations of driving laws are met with appropriate fines. But making the streets safe for drivers and pedestrians does not seem to be on police’s agenda. Two of the most consistently broken traffic laws that I have noticed in Shenzhen are not yielding to pedestrians at crosswalks and parking illegally where there is a solid yellow line. Near where I live there are taxis parked in the morning four lanes deep on a yellow line, so that on a five-lane highway there is only one that is free for traffic — you would think that the police might do something to punish this contempt for the law. Also this behavior seems to encourage the overuse of horns — a Chinese friend had told me that it is illegal to use a horn in Shenzhen but I am certain he was joking with me. Foreigners coming to Shenzhen will expect motorists to behave in a civilized and obedient manner — for example, show appropriate respect for pedestrians. I am certain with the way drivers speed through crosswalks with no regard for safety, there may be many serious accidents. I should also mention my surprise in Shenzhen that bicycles and electric bikes are allowed to speed along busy sidewalks — this is the only city in the world where I have seen this dangerous insanity. You may think these complaints are trivial, but the way traffic and pedestrians behave is one of the first observations one makes when in a foreign country. The government always seems to be prioritize appearance (I was in Beijing for a couple years around the Olympics) but visitors are more likely to notice individual behavior than a glossy exterior. <2002>Mike via e-mail Gambling WHILE reading a newspaper last week I came across a small piece of news saying “gambling agents” — seven people who acted as agents for overseas gambling Web sites have been jailed for up to two years. I think the Chinese Government should take more effective measures to curb the gambling curse as it is spreading like a virus worse than SARS or H1N1. Every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday you can find hoards of middle-aged men and women betting on numbers or signs with implausible odds: pay 20 yuan (US$3) and you get 800 yuan if you win. You can find the bookies in small fruit shops, small grocery shops or even some eateries in Shenzhen. The results are published on various Web sites and in small homemade “newspapers” being illegally sold by most vendors. I can name one just opposite a police station in downtown Shenzhen. You can see people openly playing cards for money in the community exercise centers. The mahjong rooms have also become casinos and are even causing divorces. Cha Lee via e-mail | 