Diagonal dilemma: Hong Kong crackdown on Tokyo-style crossings, residents push back

Hong Kong pedestrians find themselves in hot water for daring to crisscross streets diagonally, a common practice in Tokyo‘s vibrant Shibuya district.

While Japanese authorities have embraced this diagonal dance, Hong Kong police launched a citywide crackdown on what they deem illegal jaywalking.

Hong Kong newspaper Sing Tao Daily, in collaboration with another local news outlet, The Standard, revealed that a staggering 40% of Tseung Kwan O district pedestrians risk a HK$2,000 fine (9,000 baht) by defiantly cutting corners at intersections. Unfazed by plainclothes cops handing out penalties, many residents argue that diagonal crossings significantly cut down travel time.

At the epicentre of this pedestrian pandemonium is the intersection of Tong Chun Street and Po Yap Road, where all four traffic lights synchronise, providing a mere 27 seconds for those daring to dash diagonally. Meanwhile, law-abiding citizens opting for sequential road crossings endure a lengthy 1 minute and 40 seconds, waiting for the lights to turn in their favour.

Sai Kung district councillor Christine Fong, advocating for a paradigm shift, proposes a trial run of diagonal crossings.

“Authorities could explore options like underground walkways, connecting residents to the Tseung Kwan O MTR station, easing congestion without gridlocking traffic.”

Residents, too, are divided. Ho, a pragmatic diagonal devotee, swears by its efficiency, while Leung, oblivious to the legal labyrinth, now vows to stick to the straight and narrow.

Hong Kong’s Transport Department clarifies that crisscrossing white-lined pedestrian zones is legal, but the diagonal dispute rages on. Some areas in the city, including Causeway Bay and Central, allow multi-directional pedestrian crossings. However, Hong Kong police seem resolute in their quest to quell diagonal defiance, reported The Standard HK.

Meanwhile, across the seas in Tokyo’s Shibuya, diagonal crossings are not only legal but celebrated. A mesmerising all-directions pedestrian crossing allows up to 3,000 people to traverse simultaneously during peak hours. Statistics reveal a staggering 200,000 to 500,000 people crossing the Shibuya spectacle daily, with a mere 40 to 50 seconds of green light.