Time waits for no man - a common saying that everyone who has ever caught a train understands. But recently, a man at Hankou Railway Station, in central China's Hubei Province, managed to force a high-speed train to wait. He blocked the train door from closing for about five minutes just to buy some time for his companion to catch the train. Finally, his friend made it, but the train arrived at its destination 20 minutes behind schedule, and over 200 passengers reportedly had to change their next tickets.

Severely criticized for his selfish and illegal activity, the man, to people's surprise, was initially only given a verbal warning from the police. Even so, he made no apology or expressed any regret, according to statements from other passengers.

When asked by a journalist from Beijing Youth Daily why he was not penalized, the police said the man's "uncivilized manners" should be condemned, but considering the fact that the incident only lasted a few minutes and did not have any malicious intent, a verbal warning was the appropriate action.

Many people, especially lawyers, argue that according to China's Law on Public Security Administration Punishments, he should be given at least five to 10 days in detention. Over 200 changed tickets and the potentially serious consequences caused by his behavior cannot be offset by a verbal warning. A 10-day detention penalty was later given.

China's law enforcement authorities always turn a blind eye to minor violations of laws and regulations. It is also widely believed that violations such as jaywalking, vandalism, spitting and bullying in public places are only caused by the "uncivilized manners" of certain people, and in this case, a verbal warning, which carries humanitarian educational elements, will be more effective than a straightforward penalty.

However, it may have been overlooked that a certain mindset is taking shape due to such a lack of awareness: Because of the lack of consequences for minor violations, people are increasingly becoming convinced that they will not be punished if they break laws and regulations that are widely violated.

There is no way that a draconian society governed by severe laws will run smoothly, a fact that has been proven by many governments that rule through coercion. But it should also be noted that if laws are no longer held in awe, minor violations will evolve into a universal defiance of the authority of the law. Therefore, law enforcement for minor violations should be given more attention. Reasonable penalties are necessary to warn people not to cross the line. It should act as a proper deterrent rather than just an educational tool.