Lam Siu-kong, 42, wants to see tougher penalties for jumping red lights From: Tuen Mun to Quarry Bay Fare: $366.60
I didn't follow the news about the budget on Thursday night, because I did not have any expectations. I knew the government wouldn't introduce any new policies to fight unemployment. I think the most important thing for the government to do is to speed up the economic recovery.
Many bosses employ only young people, and those aged between 25 and 35 are the most popular. They are prejudiced against middle-aged people like myself. This is a very serious problem. I was out of job a year ago because my driving licence was suspended for speeding. I tried very hard to find work, but most employers found me too old. They judge me by my age, not by my ability to work. This is really unfair.
I think the government should make the penalty for jumping red lights tougher. Nothing is more important than road safety. Most of the drivers who jump red lights are young minibus drivers, who are very aggressive and want to do more business. They are very hot-tempered and impatient. They think they're racing against time and just want to pick up as many customers as possible.
The government should make an example of those who ignore road safety so that other drivers will be more cautious. These drivers will never learn to behave unless they are punished. I know this because I was once penalised for speeding. I realised that doing business should not be my top priority; staying safe is more important.
But people nowadays are too preoccupied with making money, especially as the economy is still bad. Many Hong Kong people buy cheap mainland products and sell them here to make money. But the quality of the goods is very poor, and our living standards are lower than in the past. We now focus only on saving money, and we don't care about quality that much.