深圳地铁规定乘客喝水罚200元

Passengers who eat or drink on the Shenzhen Metro will be subject to* fines* of 200 yuan (US$25.66) according to Shenzhen Metro regulations*, the Southern Metropolitan News reported on Friday.

Local residents are questioning* the regulation, however, believing it to be unreasonable* and hard to enforce*. "I often take some biscuits* and soy bean milk* on the subway because I have to catch the train to get to my office on time," a woman surnamed* Liu said.

The rule also triggered* debates* on the Internet. Some netizens* said that it's usual for passengers to eat snacks* or drink water on the train, and that people need something to drink, especially in hot weather. Others said it's difficult to accept and the violators* may refuse to take the punishment*.

The regulation is outlined* in the "Passenger Rules of the Shenzhen Metro" published on Thursday, which also forbid smoking, spitting*, urinating*, dropping used chewing gum*, littering and trampling* on seats.

"There isn't much personal space on a train carriage, and the smell of food may make other passengers feel uncomfortable*. If a drink spills*, it can cause a mess," said a subway company employee. "Until now, only smokers were fined, but people eating or drinking were just given an oral warning." "We will gradually make the rule more detailed and modify* it based on passenger's practical needs," the person added.

Guangzhou and Hong Kong subways issued a similar rule in June 2005 and April 2006, respectively.

(SD-Agencies)

Questions:

Do you think the rules are acceptable? Why?