Lai See | Police reluctant to enforce the law on Justice Drive

A reader reports a curious case on the subject of illegal car parking. He walks up Justice Drive, near Pacific Place, every day and has noticed that there are always cars illegally parked on the slip road on the left opposite the Conrad Hotel, which is marked with double yellow lines. He recently stopped a passing traffic policeman and suggested he book the vehicles. This triggered a discussion which went for an hour he says.

First the policeman asked our reader if he was prepared to be a witness, as if that was necessary for parking on a double yellow line. Then he became embroiled in an extensive argument with one of the drivers who was reluctant to show his licence. One of the drivers protested he had stopped momentarily to tie his shoelace, which prompted the policeman to ask our reader if he was prepared to testify in court, that this was untrue.

Since he answered "yes" the policeman then, unbelievably, urged him not to pursue the complaint. He declined only for another driver to harangue him "to let him go", in front of the police officer. Eventually the policeman took their details. Though whether anything comes of it remains to be seen. Clearly the police, even the traffic police, are reluctant to take action over this. Perhaps too busy thinking about all those bad guys in the Occupy Central movement who are threatening to block the streets and stop our tycoons from the convenience of being able to park illegally.

It hasn't taken long but already stories are appearing following Beijing's announcement on universal suffrage, on whether Hong Kong's competiveness has been affected by the new political reality. Yahoo Finance has a piece which muses about whether Singapore might benefit at the expense of Hong Kong now that Beijing appears to be tightening its grip over the city. Multinational companies, it argues, that have a China plus one strategy might be more inclined to set up in Singapore rather than Hong Kong. The piece is not particularly convincing but it is evident from the quotes that MNCs are taking notice of what's going on here and a "narrative", as people like to say these days, is developing. Put another way it's an indication political risk in Hong Kong is perceived to be rising.