State-run media outlet and purveyor of bizarre statements Global Times just dropped this gem:
Don’t get lost in your phone while on a street or you’ll get fined! A woman in #China‘s Wenzhou was fined 10 yuan for staring at her phone when crossing road. Her behavior “hampered others” according to new rules in 2019. Toys will be given to those who obey the traffic rules. pic.twitter.com/kdytBXstED
— Global Times (@globaltimesnews) January 16, 2019
We know what you’re thinking — what kind of toys??
Apparently, well over 20,000 Wenzhou traffic violators have already been fined for ignoring this year’s new “Civilized Behavior Promotion Regulations.” The new traffic laws went into effect on New Year’s Day, outlining 11 unacceptable road behaviors, like littering, spitting, leaving your dog’s droppings in the open, and parking shared bikes improperly.
But that 10RMB (approximately 1.50USD) fine, and the handing out of sheep plushies (yes, those were the toys in question) aren’t the only strange solutions to jaywalking. In the past year, facial recognition technology has been used to publicly shame hasty street-crossers, displaying the criminals in real time on giant TV screens. Eastern Chinese city Ningbo’s use of this tech caused headlines after it “caught” a businessperson jaywalking, only for further examination of the footage to reveal the cameras had actually picked up her photo on the side of a passing bus.
There was also that robot in Hubei province that sprays jaywalkers with jets of water. Nice!
Seems the theatrics, stuffed animals, and hi-tech liquid justice are all part of a big effort to make people pay attention and comply with the rules of the road. Offenders are given an initial warning, but if they don’t abide by the new rules eventually, could be issued a ticket of up to 5,000RMB (about 738USD).
