新实施的交通法规引发争论

Staying on the topic. The amended traffic rules have sparked wide online debate from Chinese drivers complaining of the penalties for driving through yellow lights.

A recent poll on this topic which surveyed more than 200-thousand people shows that nearly 75-percent of netizens have doubts about the new regulations. They think reducing the speed limit to meet the new standards is likely to lead to traffic congestion, and that stopping at a yellow light may cause more rear-end collisions. Many say more research should be carried out before the new regulations are implemented.

Nearly 44-percent of netizens voted for changing traffic signals, replacing the three-colour traffic signal to the countdown signal. One weibo user pointed out that the new rules are even contrary to Newton’s first law of motion, which describes the relationship between the forces acting on an object. Others cite their own driving experience under the new rules, which stipulate that a car can only be stopped safely if traveling under a speed of ten kilometres at a distance of thirty meters to the lights. Many also complain that the current law fails to adequately regulate pedestrian behavior.