Mon 12 Feb 2007
Feb. 11th, 2007 marks the first “Waiting in Line Day” for Beijing. (Official name “Polite Queueing Day”) This is an effort to improve Beijing locals’ manners as the 2008 Beijing Olympic is getting near. From now, each 11th day of the month will be the polite queuing day.
“The foreigners will have a good impression of the Chinese people if we behave well,” a local resident said.
My foreign friends all complained about being pushed when they walk on a busy Beijing Street or trying to get on a bus. But how far can this campaign go to actually improve anything. Metropolitan Cities has as many people as Beijing probably all have similar problems. I have been to New York, and people there are definitely less polite than the mid-west folks. I don’t blame them. It’s the social environment that changes the people. I wish the best for the Beijing residents’ effort in becoming more polite and well-mannered.
