The noon sun is scorching the tar as the thermometer rises past 33 C. Traffic police assistant An Mo is sweating as she tries to keep order at Zhongguancun Bridge No 1, Haidian District, one of the busiest roads in Beijing.
Dressed in a somewhat loose fitting uniform of a grey shirt and blue trousers, An whistles at the pedestrians, cyclists and drivers, and seems to be always waving a red flag.
The beach umbrella shading her seems to be losing the fight against the heat. The baking hot air is stifling and her shirt is soaked with perspiration.
An repeats the hand gestures at the traffic and has barely enough time to drink a mouthful of water.
Except for some pedestrians, who ask for directions every now and then, nobody pays her much attention.
An works more than 6 hours every day, rain or shine. The nature of her job means she always speaks loudly so every one hears.
An is one of more than 3,000 traffic police assistants in Beijing. They mostly age in their 40s and 50s and as simple as their job may seem, these people are playing a major role in maintaining the capital's traffic order.
As the 2008 Olympic Games approaches, traffic in Beijing is attracting world attention. Beijing's ability to handle traffic will greatly affect the success of the Games.
The traffic police assistants will no doubt play an important role in keeping Beijing's traffic order during the Olympics.
"During the green light, which lasts about 90 seconds, about 40 vehicles can pass the crossroad with an assistant keeping the order," says Zhou Zhentong, leader of Zhongguancun traffic police team.
"Without the assistants, only about 15 vehicles can pass the crossroad."
The traffic police assistants are recruited and managed by Beijing Traffic Management Bureau. The traffic police team at Zhongguancun has 121 assistants who work in three regions. Their main responsibilities involve keeping the order at crossroads and removing parked vehicles.
"Everyday I work hard and feel very tired," says An.
"The working conditions are terrible and the pay is not high. However, it is no use complaining about it. After all, I cherish the job."
An lives far away from the Zhongguancun Bridge No 1. It takes her almost 2 hours to get to work by bus. Every morning she gets up before 5 AM. When she returns home, it is late in the evening.
In 2004, An was laid off from her sales job at Beijing Jinghai Company. Her husband's meager income wasn't enough to sustain the couple and their elderly parents. So three years ago, An chose to be a traffic police assistant.
At first she was afraid of running into friends and acquaintances while on duty because some people have prejudices against traffic police assistants. To hide her identity, she used to wear a cap and a pair of sunglasses.
During that period, she was even too shy to stop pedestrians crossing a red light.
An says the team leader of her team pulled her aside and laid down the rules.
"He told me: don't believe that the less you offend people, the better you will be in people's eyes," An says.
"If you ignore the pedestrians running against the red light, who should answer for the incidents if it occurs?"
An never thought an accident would happen under watch, but it did. During a Monday morning rush hour she was warning a group of pedestrians against running the red light. In an instant, a car knocked over a cyclist.
Though the cyclist only hurt his arms, the accident has become a recurring nightmare. An says she would have never forgiven herself if the accident was more serious.
An assistant's monthly salary is about 600 yuan (US$79), which is in accordance with the standard of minimum living expense issued by Beijing municipal government. Additionally, the Traffic Management Bureau pays social securities fees (including pension, medical and unemployment insurance) about 300 yuan (US$39) for each person a month.
Wang Qingzhang, 50, an assistant of the Xiqu team in the Zhongguancun area, hopes the community can show a little more understanding regarding their important job.
"Sometimes we do feel indignation and humiliation when people just wouldn't listen to us," he says.
"But we have to adjust ourselves to it, as the Traffic Management Bureau has strict regulations on us."
Life on the Beijing roads, one of the busiest road networks in the world, is not easy.
"It's not an easy job. Lots of people are reluctant to obey our direction," An says.
"During the 2008 Beijing Olympics, foreigners from all corners of the world will visit Beijing, and if the traffic congestion isn't changed, wouldn't it bring shame on Beijing and our country?"
(China Daily September 4, 2007)
