In his letter headlined 'Barging inevitable in congested city' (South China Morning Post, July 13), Harry Yim responded to Beatrice Bryson's complaints (Post, July 3) about the rudeness of people in Hong Kong. Mr Yim said drivers could not stop for every pedestrian wanting to cross the road. However, I have seen very few drivers give way to pedestrians at zebra crossings. Your correspondent suggested that Ms Bryson's complaints of rudeness probably stemmed from her observations of a 'tiny portion of the SAR's populace'. I believe most Hong Kong people are guilty of the poor behaviour described by Ms Bryson, such as talking loudly on mobile phones and jumping queues. This is inconsiderate behaviour and shows a lack of respect for others. Mr Yim asked: 'How can you possibly be expected to smile at everyone you pass in the street in such a crowded city?' I find that wearing a smile on my face lights up my day and it doesn't cost anything. Education is the key for Hong Kong to succeed. Living in a densely populated city does not give people an excuse to be rude. Tokyo is crowded and its citizens are still able to be civil. J. LEE Tsing Yi
