Rules of The Road in The People's Republic of China - Stop and Go

Stop and Go

Given the relatively recent introduction of a law technically requiring motorists to stop at a red light, it is not surprising that drivers frequently disregard traffic lights and proceed on red. The frequency of this occurrence varies according to time and place. A crowded intersection at midday with police presence results in drivers diligently observing the law, while a desolate intersection at 1 A.M. is sure to witness cars and trucks speeding through red lights without pause.

Pedestrian are especially in a difficult situation. In cities such as Beijing, new "self-service" traffic lights provide pedestrians with easy access across the road—just push a button, wait, and go when the light changes. Unfortunately, unless these traffic lights come with supervising cameras connected to the police, some drivers are likely to pass through these as well, making the pedestrian buttons rather pointless.

Crossings with no camera of any kind are likely to have chaotic traffic, as neither police nor technology are present to enforce the law.

A substantial change in the new Road Traffic Safety Law of the People's Republic of China is a new requirement which forces drivers to stop at red lights even if there is a crossing only to the left (no crossing to the right), thereby outlawing straight-ahead at red lights that was permitted at an intersection with no crossing to the right. Drivers, however, still can turn right at red lights, unless signs prohibit this.

Finally, during the Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution, some battalions of Red Guards would gather at traffic lights, forcing drivers to stop at the green light and go once it had turned red - supposedly because red was the colour of Communism. Due to some traffic light systems being unmanned, drivers at these crossings would often go at the green light - causing accidents where a neighboring lights system was hijacked and all the drivers were going at red. This idea eventually died out.