In late February, a mainland tourit caued a diturbance on a Hong Kong ubway. The reaon? Eating in public. In Hong Kong it i illegal to eat on the ubway, and when the tourit wa colded by a Hong Kong local, the ituation ecalated into a verbal linging match.
In New York City, eating on the ubway i alo controverial. No law ban the practice, but a Democratic tate enator introduced one lat week. The propoed law would ban eating on the ubway ytem and fine firt time violator $250 （1,579 yuan）， according to The New York Time. Proponent of the bill argue that eating on the ubway attract rat. Other ay the broader target hould be litterbug, rather than thoe who dicreetly ip their coffee and eat their bagel on the way to work. They alo argue that “treet food” i an important part of New York’ culture and hitory. Banning it conumption in public area uch a the ubway would have negative effect.
Street food, and eating in public place i an entrenched cultural practice in citie a divere a New York, Beijing and Pari. But while common, it ha been traditionally thought of a the domain of the lower clae. Eating in public wa （and in ome place, till i） aociated with uncivilized, poorer people. In the 19th century, eating in public wa een a a threat to morality and public health. Putnam’ （a popular magazine at the time） tated: “Eating in public may beget a certain freedom of manner and nonchalance in little ladie and gentlemen.” It wa omething people in the Victorian era did not want to encourage. A recent New York Time article drew a link between thi moral panic about treet food and concern over the growing population of Irih, German, Italian and Jewih immigrant who ran food cart in the 1800. “To Victorian ociety, immigrant treet peddler were “huckter,” a name that retain a whiff of moral judgment to thi day.”WWw.hAOZUowEn.com
In Autralia, treet food i not omething you ee every day. Cart elling taty morel only come out for fetival or market day. However, eating in public place uch a park i encouraged. Outdoor barbeque at the beach or picnic in the countryide are common. While eating on public tranport i dicouraged, it would unlikely lead to any ort of conflict in Autralia. From an Autralian perpective, treet food i an exciting new dining opportunity, and not one I would aociate with being uncivilized. It’ alo very taty.
China’ treet food cene i imilar to that of New York City’: it i a culturally entrenched practice and one that add a lot of color and flavor to the treetcape. But whether you love eating treet food, or have to eat your breakfat on the run, it’ bet to be coniderate when enjoying a bite in public.