Cops summonsed 122 pedestrians in New Territories North this week

Cops in New Territories North launched a crackdown on “pedestrians crossing illegally” this week, summonsing 122 pedestrians crossing the road within 15 metres of crossings or not following traffic signals.

The two-day operation codenamed “Autobinder” aimed to “combat pedestrian crossing violations and enhance pedestrians’ awareness of road safety,” says a police brief.

A campaign in Yuen Long saw 50 people on bikes hit with tickets

Separately, police also conducted an “anti-cycling” operation in Yuen Long over the weekend, prosecuting 50 cyclists for offences including disobeying traffic signs or not fitting lights.

Enforcement against pedestrians and cyclists surged 130% in the first three quarters of 2021, against the same period of 2020, with 11,590 cases recorded. Meanwhile careless driving prosecutions were down 0.3% over the same period, with 12,217 cases recorded.

But police have upped their enforcement work against illegal speed racing this year. Four racers were arrested early on Saturday morning and detained without bail until their court appearance on Monday.

And at least three major anti-speeding operations around Lunar New Year saw 50 illegally modified cars and motorbikes seized across the city, with dozens of arrests.

In Kowloon West, over the holiday, police seized 25 illegally modified cars and arrested five males, aged 24-37. They also “observed” 934 cars speeding and say they will follow up.

On Hong Kong Island over the same period, police caught 228 drivers speeding and impounded three cars, one of them for an outsized spoiler and a cracked windscreen. One driver, 47, was arrested for being drunk at the wheel.

Four drivers were arrested and held for illegal street racing over the weekend