Student: Oon Wei Yi
Whenever I set foot in Kennedy Town, the metronomic clicking of pedestrian lights is always accompanied by the sight of multiple jaywalkers strutting across the street, unfazed by its ominous red warning. I believe this interaction of indifference at the pedestrian stoplight interface is a manifestation of impatience cultivated by the hectic Asian urban lifestyle and culture of workaholism embraced by Hongkongers. However, regardless of how pressed for time one is, the selfish act of jaywalking cannot be justified. This practice compromises the beneficent intent behind traffic lights, which is to keep roads safe. The assumption of “green means go” may reduce the alertness of motorists at intersections, leaving them unprepared to respond towards jaywalkers. Not only is the offender at peril, any hasty swerving of the vehicle may endanger law-abiding pedestrians on the sidewalk. Evidently, the effectiveness of stoplights, and essentially all technologies, ultimately lies in the hands of its users. Abuse by a few black sheep can easily transform a technology from blessing to curse towards the larger society. Providing technological hardware for the betterment of society is easy, but changing the societal software – the people’s attitude towards using it responsibly – is paramount for enablement of its full efficacy.