Editor,

I enjoyed the article "Habit of impatience tarnishes civilization" (December 7) and recognize many of the behaviours mentioned. However, I think this impatient behaviour also manifests itself in other more dangerous ways, especially in the indiscipline of pedestrians on the roads.

In any city you can see people putting their lives at risk for the sake of saving a few seconds in waiting for the green pedestrian light or walking the 50 metres or so to use the subway. I am sure this in some way contributes to the tragically massive death toll on Chinese roads.

Laurie Barry, via e-mail

(China Daily 12/26/2005 page4)