campaign to stamp out widespread public spitting

[almaty 19]

BEIJING - Beijing is launching a campaign to stamp out widespread public spitting in an effort to clean up its image for the 2008 Olympics.

The government has concluded that spitting is the city's "most serious bad habit," Zhang Huiguang, director of Beijing's Capital Ethics Development Office, said Wednesday.

"This year we will intensify our law enforcement efforts in this field," Zhang told a news conference. "We will require law enforcement officials to step up the frequency of fines."

The fine for public spitting is 50 yuan (US$5; euro4).

Tourists visiting Beijing often are startled at how many people spit or blow their noses onto sidewalks.

The crackdown is part of efforts to raise "ethical and cultural" standards in advance of the 2008 Summer Games, a major prestige project for the communist government.

Zhang said officials will launch an advertising campaign on radio, television, the Internet and mobile phones to "teach people the right way to spit."

"For example, you have to spit into a tissue or a bag, then place it in a dustbin to complete the process," she said.

Those without a bag handy needn't worry. Zhang said her office has organized a small army of volunteers who are already hitting Beijing's streets, handing out small "spitting bags" and wearing bright orange uniforms with the Chinese character "tan" — "mucus" — printed in yellow on the back.

She said enforcement will also be ramped up against littering — the second-worst habit her office faces — and pets fouling the streets, the No. 3 scourge

[Saddle Bronc 124]

Looks like Beijing decided on temporarily (2 years preceding Olympics, till closing ceremonies) to copy Singapore (which fines you not only for spitting/littering but also for failing to flush the loo after use).

[Trompe le Monde 1,107]

If you've ever been to a Beijing toilet, not flushing it is the least of your worries.

Spitting is banned in Hong Kong too -- fines up to $1000 HK. It was a necessity after SARS

[Welshcookie 17]

spitting is nasty........ and y'know I have never seen a woman spit in the street....it is quite popular with teenage boys around here....

[Mand 1]

I was in HK just before the SARS outbreak and the common-place of spitting was unbelievable! But in saying that, it's not uncommon in Ireland either (teenage boys too welshcookie)...just not near the same extent. I hate seeing people spitting in public...yeuck!!

[Miranda&James 8]

blowing your nose ONTO the street? As in just blowing, not blowing into a tissue?

EWWWWW!!!

[Peggy 1]

I hate when people spit

[almaty 19]

what spitting is a way of life for some..what about those poor chinese who chaw tobacco?

[raphael7546 0]

Thats disscusting!

[Dixie_Peach 1]

blowing your nose ONTO the street? As in just blowing, not blowing into a tissue?

EWWWWW!!!

*shudder* ewwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww

totally nasty!

[Cristy 4]

I hate when people spit. It makes me nauseated. When I see my boys do it I tell them it turns girl off. They rarely do it now! lol

[tom&tata 2]

Making loots of noise while you are blowing your nose into the tissue can be considered impolite too. Spitting is probably coming from the chewing tobacco habbit. Used to see old ladies in Indonesia chewing on tobacco and spit into a bowl when I was little. I do not see much of the habbit anymore.

[Marilyn. 340]

yikes, what is that guy spitting out??

_________________________________________

My grade 6 teacher always blew his nose in front of the class... he didn't try to hide it or anything and he did the whole deal too, he would blow as loud as he could and if there was any leftovers he would wrap the kleenex around his finger and dig in sometimes both nostrils at the same time, of course with two different fingers

Edited March 2, 2006 by MarilynP

[AnaAndDaniel 0]

is loogey spitting a banned sport in china?

Daniel

:energetic:

[john_and_marlene 162]

Looks like Beijing decided on temporarily (2 years preceding Olympics, till closing ceremonies) to copy Singapore (which fines you not only for spitting/littering but also for failing to flush the loo after use).

How do they catch the non-flushers???? Do they have toilet cams ... toilet monitors ... toilet police????