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How to avoid hidden dangers in our streets by Paul Knight 　　　Somewhere, right now in China, a hole is being dug in a street or footpath. Maybe new electrical cables or water pipes are being laid down, or some maintenance work being done. I am sure that readers have experienced walking around these holes to avoid falling into them. 　　　But have you noticed that these holes do not have any barriers or signs to warn people about them? It seems to me that public safety is not an issue for most people in China. In Western countries, barriers must be put around holes by law. And members of the public who injure themselves falling into open, unprotected holes can sue the government department or business digging the hole for damages. 　　　So what happens in China when someone falls into one of these holes and injures themselves? Who is responsible? Whose fault is it? Is the relevant authority responsible for not providing adequate warning or protective barriers? Is it the responsibility of the individual to be alert to possible dangers to avoid them? Outside the university where I teach, there is a hole in the footpath, 1.5 meters deep, exposing some water pipes. There is no protection or warning signs to advise the public of this deep hole. Already, a number of students have fallen into it and injured themselves. The hole is located directly under a streetlight so you would expect few accidents. Until, that is, you realize the streetlights are turned off at 11:00pm. After that time, the hole is in complete darkness. This situation would be totally unacceptable in Western countries. And the public would openly criticize the government for allowing this situation to exist. 　　　So what can be done to correct this situation? Public safety needs to start with the authorities accepting responsibility for informing people of the dangers caused by open holes. And they need to protect them from harm. However, it could be argued that individuals are responsible for themselves. But