Many passengers crowded the lower decks of Hong Kong buses on Sunday out of concern that they would not be able to unbuckle their seat belts in time to alight on the first day of the new rule’s implementation.
A Post reporter and lawmaker Mark Chong Ho-fung took trips on two of the busiest routes in Tuen Mun and found passengers crowding the lower decks of one of the buses, with some residents unaware of the new law on both journeys.
Passengers behaved differently on MTR’s K54A service, a short-distance route connecting Ching Tin Estate to Siu Hong station, compared with KMB’s 261, a long-distance route from Sham Sing Estate to Fanling in Tuen Mun.
On the short-distance route, most passengers crowded on the lower deck, leaving many empty seats on the upper deck.
Wong Shui-fan, 47, who works at a local wet market stall, admitted she was only “vaguely aware” of the new legal requirement before boarding, adding it was not practical for her to sit down and buckle up.
“My trip is only two stops, and I’m often carrying my shopping trolley. If I sit down and buckle up, I’m worried I won’t be able to unfasten the seat belt and get to the door before the bus pulls away,” she said.
