Mild weather gave the long-awaited ban on idling engines a smoother start than many had expected yesterday as most drivers, not needing their air conditioning, switched off the ignition voluntarily.
But a handful were found to have broken the rule that they have to turn off their engines after three minutes at a standstill, saying they forgot or found it impractical to follow.
No tickets for the HK$320 fixed penalty were issued as traffic wardens and environment inspectors will just issue warnings for the first month of the ban. The enforcers gave out seven verbal warnings and received one complaint.
With a maximum temperature of about 22 degrees Celsius and humidity below 60 per cent it was barely a taste of what the ban will be like in the heat and humidity of summer.
In small streets around Flint Road and Oxford Road in Kowloon Tong, most drivers and parents waiting for children to finish school had their cars turned off.
'We usually have [the engine] off in this kind of weather,' said one driver named Lam. 'It's OK now in the winter, but the three-minute rule is a bit harsh and will be harder still in the summer.'