buses

Foreigner In Chengdu Grabs Steering Wheel of Moving Bus, Assaults Driver

Posted: 08/26/2014 3:50 pm

A bus driver in Chengdu is outraged after a belligerent foreigner grabbed his steering wheel and started pressing buttons after missing his bus top, putting himself and other passengers in danger.

Yang Tao, a bus driver with Chengdu Dongxin Public Buses, says he was shocked by the man’s behavour. “He has no sense of safety awareness at all,” he said.

The incident happened last Friday (August 22) after a foreigner boarded his bus. Yang describes the passenger as around 30 years old, slim, and with blond hair. “A classic European-American look,” Yang said.

The first sign of trouble happened the second the foreigner boarded. He only paid 2 mao rather than the 2 yuan fare, and then pretended not to understand Putonghua when the driver protested. ”If he pretends not to understand me, then there’s nothing I can do,” Yang said. “The only thing left to do is to continue with the bus route.”

expat assaults bus driver chengdu

Yang said everything was fine until the foreigner came to the front because he missed his stop. The passenger wanted Yang to pull over and let him off. “I need to take care of the entire bus, so I rejected his request.” Instead, Yang tried using English by saying “Next.”

Unfortunately, the foreigner didn’t take it well. “I need to get off, and if you don’t allow me to get off then you are wrong!” he said.

The foreigner came over to the driver’s position, and started randomly pushing buttons on the dashboard in order to open the bus doors. Then he then tried to wrestle control of the steering wheel away from Yang while the bus was moving.

expat assaults bus driver chengdu

That wasn’t all: after finally reaching the next stop, the foreigner gave the bus driver a parting shot to the head. Yang was, to put it mildly, not impressed:

He was very impolite, and without any safety awareness at all. In the end, he hit me on the head. Even though his head strike did not cause any pain, he was still very insulting.

Yang said people from developed countries should have a better awareness of safety.

Chengdu may have a problem with foreigners behaving badly on public transit; another visitor was caught behaving poorly in this video.

Photos: Xinhuanet

Tagged: AssaultbusesChengduExpatspublic transportationUncivilized Behaviour

Breaking: Wuhan Inter-City Bus Hijacked by Attacker With A Knife [UPDATED]

Posted: 08/8/2014 5:40 pm

A passenger coach bus was hijacked by a knife-wielding attacker this afternoon in Wuhan, according to the Chutian Capital Report, in a situation that is unfolding now. A inter-city coach was filled with passengers heading from Wuhan to Xiantao, Hubei Province when it was hijacked by the man. Eyewitnesses say the suspect held the knife to the driver’s throat, and that the driver’s entire body was covered in blood.

The bus had stopped in middle of the Baishazhou Bridge in Wuhan when police and negotiators arrived on the scene. During negotiations with police, the man was said to have suddenly released the driver and then jumped outside the protective barrier of the bridge, where he remains.

All bus passengers have since been evacuated. There is no word on casualties. The attacker is described as a man in 30s with a flat-top haircut. Stay tuned to The Nanfang for updates.

UPDATE 9:34pm August 8: The suspect who hijacked a long distance passenger coach is seen clinging to the outside of a guardrail of the Baishazhou Bridge in Wuhan and demanding to see his ex-wife, reports CCTV News.

Police describe the man as agitated, and wanting to jump off the bridge. Three police negotiators have been dispatched to talk to the man.

The Wuhan Emergency Office said the driver of the bus only suffered light injuries in the incident. It also confirms all other passengers are without injury and have been evacuated from the bus.

The suspect is 43 years-old, divorced, and wants to see his ex-wife as part of his demands.

Photos: Global Times, CCTV News

Tagged: busesHijackingHostageknife crimeWuhan

Special Bus Windows in Guangzhou Break Themselves In Case of Emergency

Posted: 07/22/2014 12:04 pm

Approximately 70 Guangzhou buses have been equipped with windows that break themselves in case of an emergency, reports Sina.

The automatic window breakers are controlled by the bus driver, who can destroy all of the windows on the bus with the flick of a switch. They take between 0.1 and 0.3 seconds to completely shatter. Guangzhou bus routes #205, #208 and #275 are the first to be equipped with the technology.

Hopefully the breakers will help prevent incidents like the one that occurred earlier this month, when a disgruntled man with gambling debts set fire to a Guangzhou bus, causing two fatalities and 35 injuries.

Photos: CRI

Tagged: arsonbusesEmergencypublic transportation

New Electric Bus Hits Guangzhou Streets

Posted: 06/19/2014 2:11 pm

The new BYD electric buses for Route #583 in Guangzhou have been unveiled by FM 106.1, the official radio station of the Guangzhou traffic police.

This no-emission low-rider will travel between from the East-West Street in Yuan Village to Xilang in Fang Village and is described by the radio station as more “cozy and balanced” than streetcars.

The new #583 bus is also described as having no problem in tackling the incline at Hedong Bridge. Check it these pics: Photos: FM 106.1