A 53-year-old man has been arrested for allegedly assaulting an elderly wheelchair-bound bus passenger who refused to fasten his seatbelt and delayed the man’s commute, according to police.
The altercation happened on Tuesday morning in Wong Tai Sin. At around 11am, at the Tin Ma Court Bus stop for a KMB bus on route 38, the wheelchair-bound man, surnamed Cheng, objected to using a safety belt.
Cheng, 67, objected to the bus driver assisting him in securing the wheelchair with a safety belt as the driver explained the procedure, delaying the bus’s departure.
Another passenger, Li, was apparently dissatisfied that the wheelchair-bound Cheng was taking too long, and delaying his commute to work, according to local media reports.
Li then struck the elderly Cheng on the head several times with his mobile phone. He was later arrested on suspicion of common assault, police told HKFP on Wednesday.
New seat belt regulation
The incident came just days after a new regulation came into force on Sunday requiring drivers and passengers to wear seat belts.
Vehicle owners, drivers, and passengers who breach the fitting or wearing requirements will be liable to a maximum fine of HK$5,000 and up to three months’ imprisonment.
Under the new law, wheelchairs must be securely fastened in the vehicle when used as a passenger seat on buses. Buses and other vehicles carrying wheelchair users must seek approval from the Transport Department for registration and licensing.
The new requirement has been met with complaints from passengers about inconvenience, as authorities defended the need for the new measures.
Transport chief Mable Chan said on Sunday, when the new law came into effect, that Hong Kong authorities will focus on education over imposing penalties in enforcing the regulations, adding that a balance will be struck between “empathy, reason, and law.”
Asked about the new law at a Tuesday morning press conference, Chief Executive John Lee echoed Chan’s remarks, saying that the initial phase of implementation will focus on “public education, advice and behavioural changes.”
The government consulted the Transport Advisory Committee on the legislation, but did not conduct a public consultation.
Lawmaker Adrian Ho, who was on the Legislative Council panel that deliberated the new seat belt regulations, suggested a review of the law after six to nine months, and proposed strict enforcement only on roads exceeding certain speed limits.
Chau Siu-chung, who also sat on the subcommittee, called on the authorities to hold public awareness campaigns and to collect data on seat belt usage and accidents.
