The Hangzhou Bay Bridge was blocked by traffic upon its opening to the public at midnight on May 1. As thousands of cars swarmed onto the bridge, some drivers parked their cars to enjoy the scene and take pictures, while others let their kids climb along the guardrail. The question as to why the new bridge met with such behavior has become the talk of the town.

Let's take a look at what the media have to say.

A comment carried by the Beijing Youth Daily says some individuals still lack basic public courtesy and a sense of responsibility for public facilities. But from another perspective, administrative officials should have taken measures to downplay the opening with consideration for visitors' curiosity. For instance, the three-day holiday might have been used as a sightseeing period rather than a trial operation.

An opinion in the Guangzhou Daily says the chaos should not be completely attributed to visitors' behavior, but also to flawed administration by the officials. The record-breaking bridge project was designed with a sightseeing function from the beginning. However, such a function should only be considered after ensuring the bridge meets basic traffic demands.

A commentary in the Shanxi Evening News attributes the situation to the delayed completion of the sightseeing platform, which was originally expected to open to the public along with the bridge. Without the proper facilities in place, the bridge itself was used as an outlet for public enthusiasm.