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People are afraid to get involved

(China Daily)
Updated: 2011-04-14 07:59

A Shanghai student allegedly stabbed his mother eight times with a fruit knife at an airport during an argument. What do you think about the security footage that shows a foreigner running to the woman's aid while Chinese stood by watching?

Well, I haven't really read about this news, but I don't think we should simply condemn this young man, or judge who is right or wrong, just by what we see or read in the media or on the Internet. After all, we were not at the airport at that time. As to complaints about Chinese passers-by not offering help, it's also a complicated issue. It's not because people today are losing their interest in helping others, but they do hesitate, mainly because they're worried about the possible outcome. For example, if I pass a car accident, I will think twice before I go to help: not only would it mean sacrificing working hours, but I'd also have to prove to the police later that I was just offering help and I was not a guilty party. It's very complicated. In the past, Beijingers were known for being very warm-hearted and willing to help out, regardless of the situation. Nowdays, it's really different.

A study recently found that taxi drivers are more likely to suffer sexual health problems because of long hours sitting in their cars. Are cabbies sacrificing their health to earn a living?

Driving a taxi is the most stressful job in the world. Time really means money for us. If you want to earn 4,000 yuan a month, you have to work every single day in that month, with more than 10 working hours each day. You know, driving four hours nonstop is considered as "driving while tired" according to Chinese traffic rules. I never take a break, even during Spring Festival. Most people doing this job are the same. We only have time to take a rest when we wait in lines at the airport. It's common for cabbies to suffer from occupational diseases, such as gastritis and cervical spondylosis. How can we avoid that? Our job requires us to sit all day. Most have just short lunches of instant noodles or jianbing (meat-filled pancakes) so they can hurry back to work. I'm not like that, though. I was a marathon runner before and now I pay a lot of attention to health issues, as my age does not allow me to work overtime.

Want the inside track from METRO's talkative taxi driver Dou Keying? E-mail your questions to metrobeijing@chinadaily.com.cn.