"Why didn't the government consult the public before launching this regulation? Why didn't they ask the people's opinion on this issue? I didn't know about this rule until the day the police started to ticket jaywalkers.

We shouldn't jaywalk, of course, but I think Beijing residents have the right to participate in the legislative process. There are so many people jaywalking all over the city. I just wonder if there are enough police to make this work.

I doubt that the traffic police will be able to catch and fine all the jaywalkers, and if that's the case, what's the point of this regulation?

It reminds me of the yellow light policy (where running a yellow light became equal to running a red, costing drivers 6 penalty points on their license - 12 points meant that their license was suspended). That rule was deeply unpopular with the public and was suspended after just six days.

I don't think the jaywalking regulation will work, or last long. It was probably just made up on a whim by a group of officials."

Cui Fei, 28, Beijing resident

"I have traveled in 30 countries, and none has traffic as crazy as Beijing. The traffic situation in Beijing is either complete gridlock or a total free-for-all, with very little in between. My wife Shari and I discussed the notion of ticketing jaywalkers in Beijing and it made us laugh.

In California, where I live, there are laws against jaywalking, but they are seldom enforced. California has its share of crazy drivers too, but for the most part when a pedestrian is crossing the street we tend to give them the right of way, especially if they are on a crosswalk, and certainly if they have a green light.

In Beijing, there was one occasion where my wife grabbed me by the collar and pulled me back to stop me getting run down by a car making a right turn - and this was on a crosswalk where the light was in my favor! Anywhere else in the world, it would be clear that I had right of way.

From what I saw in Beijing, if there are pedestrian safety issues, the problem lies more with the drivers than pedestrians, and it doesn't matter if they are jaywalking or not."

Gary Deghi, 60, a biologist from the United States

"It doesn't annoy me if drivers run red lights, but I am concerned about the safety of pedestrians who do this. I know quite a few people have been killed or injured in this way.

I think pedestrians in China just don't want to wait, and, anyway, even when the light is green for crossing, cars turning right and left just ignore pedestrians. In addition to a fine for pedestrians, there should be a rule that drivers must give way when the crossing signal is illuminated.

In New Zealand, most people respect the pedestrian lights, but traffic must also give way when they are illuminated. At some crossroads, all traffic is stopped and pedestrians can cross directly or diagonally.

If a proper system is not put in place, pedestrians will cross the roads at other places, away from the lights. In some cities in China, there are too few places for people, especially schoolchildren, to cross busy roads. Special measures should be made for children on their way to school."

Dave Feickert, a coal mine safety adviser to China's State Administration of Work Safety

"I have to pass many intersections every morning on my drive from the Tiantongyuan area to the Guomao Central Business District. It's common for pedestrians and cyclists to ignore the lights, and speaking frankly, I'm used to that.

The phenomenon is especially serious when passing large markets. Many elderly people cross the road wherever they want. In their eyes, the traffic lights only have one color - crossing green.

However, motorists are also to blame; some will suddenly cut into a line of cars or make turns without signaling. It is hard to prepare for their movements.

Moreover, the sequencing and duration of some traffic lights is irrational. The green light never lasts long enough. Pedestrians can easily become stranded in the middle of the road when the lights turn red again.

Beijing is notorious for its traffic jams, and jaywalkers make the situation even worse. It's not uncommon for jaywalkers to block a long line of cars, which means the drivers are forced to stop. They miss their chance to move and then have to wait for the next light."

Sun Xuemei, 33, a Beijing resident who uses her car to commute to work every day

"The green lights don't last long enough for older people. My husband is 88, and so I always pay extra attention to the traffic when we go shopping at the supermarket on the other side of the road from our community.

It's a four-lane road and not very wide, but we still need to wait for the light to change to green so we don't waste a single second crossing the road. In the morning and evening, one traffic police officer stands on duty - that's less than adequate.

Usually, we link arms; my husband looks right and I look left. We warn each other of cars coming from apparently nowhere. We are always very nervous when crossing the road. Sometimes we need to run a little to finish crossing before the light turns yellow. It's risky.

We deliberately avoid going out during the rush hours, because a huge crowd of school students floods into the road.

Cars, electric bicycles and flocks of students with their parents; I know I shouldn't complain, but living in the city as a senior citizen means being more careful on the street."

Yang Yukun, 80, from the Dongcheng district of Beijing

"I always think the traffic in Beijing is lethal for pedestrians. In the US, when you have a green light, cars in your direction can't make a right or left turn. Only pedestrians can cross the street.

But in China, you have cars coming in both directions and they can make either a left or a right turn into the intersection. People already crossing have to stop in the middle of the road. Sometimes there's not enough time. Drivers will honk their horns and force you out of the way.

It's probably only in the Sanlitun district that you don't need to stop and wait for cars to pass - and that's only because there are so many pedestrians. Taxi drivers hate the place.

The problem is caused by poor traffic administration. In years past, there were not so many cars on the street and it was possible to use the lights this way. But these days, with so many cars, it's unfair that pedestrians have to face danger while crossing the street."

David Moser, a US citizen who has lived in China for more than 20 years.

(China Daily 05/09/2013 page6)