In an effort to make buses in the Chinese capital a more
courteous experience, ahead of the Olympics, passengers who offer
their seats for others will be rewarded.
Beijing Public Transport Holdings Ltd, which operates more than
24,000 buses in the capital, will choose 'star passengers' who
offer their seats to the elderly, handicapped, pregnant and women
with young children.
The bus company also plans to use mobile TV installed in more
than 4,000 buses as a platform to promote courteous behavior. The
number of buses equipped with mobile TV will increase to 7,000 by
the end of the year, the company said.
Buses in Chinese cities often have signs that read: 'Please
offer seats to the elderly, the handicapped, the pregnant and women
with young children.' There are usually a few seats set aside for
this purpose.
Chinese are brought up to 'respect the elderly and take care of
the young'. These precepts are part of social etiquette.
However, as China develops, some young people have become more
self-centered and simply ignore people who need seats when they get
on a bus or subway train.
With the 2008 Olympic Games only two years away, concerns about
behavior are frequently raised -- rude behavior such as spitting,
queue-jumping and littering has made headlines recently.
To address the issue, Beijing's government this year distributed
1.5 million copies of 'A General Textbook on Civility and
Propriety', which is aimed at teaching people good manners.
(Xinhua News Agency October 25, 2006)