I would guess that you were more aware of your surroundings as you were in a foreign place. Back home, you become 'blind' to the familiar (we all do).

Daytime public drunkenness in Hong Kong seems to me, where I find myself, the young (often teenager) expats who managed to get pissed at LKF and pass out drunk on Central's streets where they are the following morning. When it's not a school night that is. Having said that, there is an old local man who sometimes catches the morning bus I do, who sits quietly quietly sipping his San Mig at 9am. Only notice the smell of his beer; he just fades into the background.