I once stopped for a teenager on a zebra crossing on Hennessy Road. I saw a car charging from behind at speed and realised it would not be able to stop in time. The teenager, obviously distracted by the music he was listening to, never heard my car-horn warning, but he stopped when he saw my flashing headlights.

What that driver did is an offence here and in other jurisdictions and it doesn't require evidence by closed-circuit television. It represents a major source of revenue for authorities in places where it is illegal. Just ask the police forces in Canada and the US. I just wonder why we never hear about motorists being fined for doing this in Hong Kong.

The next issue that concerns me is honking of the car horn. If it is illegal, then why not enforce the Road Users' Code? Hong Kong is noisy enough without these blaring horns.

If Traffic Department officials cared to experience the car-horn cacophony on Conduit Road, they would see it as a top traffic-ticket earner.

They would only have to deploy personnel during the peak periods of 7am to 9 am, 6pm to 8pm and 10.30pm to 12.30am.

My third and final issue is the traffic markings on our roads.

I would like to ask the department what the direction of an arrow painted on the ground would signify to a pedestrian.

I cite an example at the taxi stand at Admiralty of an arrow painted on the ground pointing left with English and Chinese characters 'look left'. The traffic is in fact from left to right.

The intention is obviously to caution a pedestrian to check traffic coming from his left but he could easily assume the traffic is coming from his right. My point is that it is very easy for a pedestrian to assume the arrow is indicating the direction of the traffic, especially foreigners who do not understand either Chinese or English.

I have seen some close calls because pedestrians are confused. More must be done by the relevant officials to make our streets safer.

Tony Yuen, Mid-Levels