Internet storm after Nanjing drunk driver kills 5
On the evening of June 30th in Nanjing Jiang Ning District a drunk driver named Zhang Ming Bao fell asleep at the wheel of his Buick Lacrosse which with an unconcious Zhang at the wheel managed to hit 9 people at the side of the road, and then crashed into six parked cars.
When the police arrived on the scene, they pulled a drunkern Zhang from his car. Zhang could not stand, his legs were shaking, he could not speak, his hands were shaking, and his eyes were bloodshot. A journalist at the scene reportedly heard Zhang repeatedly crying to himself “Ive become an executioner” Zhang was repentent at the scene and vowed to compensate everyone he hurt, including the families of those he killed. Zhang told the crowd that he hoped that everyone could learn by his mistake, and never drink and drive. After he had finished talking between sobs, the police lead him away in handcuffs.
According to preliminary police investigations, Zhang has been in trouble with the law for his ‘crazy’ driving before, totalling 80 various different violations within 3 years. Zhang received his C1 license in April 2006, and by April 2009 he had a total of 80 driving violations, which included speeding and running red lights.
The large reason that netizens were angry with the crash was due to the media incursion, which showed the police picking up the victims up off the road and dumping them (and their missing organs) into the back of a pick-up truck without first putting them into body bags. A video of the police ‘clean up’ has made it to the video file sharing site, Youku.com
Prior to the accident, Zhang was out drinking with his friends where he drank copious amounts of Chinese White Wine, his blood alcohol level was recorded as being 381ml per decilitre of blood, far above the legal limit of 80mg.
Due to his excessive drinking, Zhang killed 3 people at the scene, including a heavily pregnant woman, 2 more people died in hospital later.
80 driving violations in 3 years! This guy shouldn’t still have been driving. Did he pay someone to take the test for him in the first place?
Mark, QD newspapers have been publishing names and license plate no’s of drunk drivers the police have caught around QD city, check out some of the blood alcohol levels:
http://news.bandao.cn/newsprint.asp?id=772822
I think the ones less than 50 are rather insignificant and shouldnt have been published, but theres a few over 100, and one over 200.
80 violations in 36 months? 5 people died because the Chinese government failed them by not revoking his license or incarcerating him like he deserved. Serious lack of accountability
I didn’t know they give out violations here. I a kidding. Kind of. I watch everyone go through the same red lights everyday. No one goes by the normal rules here. The road is blocked so drive on the sidewalk. There is a camera at the light so drive in the on-coming lanes. Everyone has there own way of drivin wrong here. Go to a bar here and watch everyone leave in their car. No one cares about drunk drivers here unless they kill someone.
This is a pity. At least in Beijing, there are regular breathalyzer checks (I am am controlled almost two or three times a week).
There is a global problem in this country about driving. It seems that nobody believe that driving a car badly can get you and others killed ! It is like Europe in the 70ies except we had smaller and less powerfull car.
I would really like to see the local police to reinforce controls and punishments on the following:
- Crappy cars (no lights, no breaks…)
- Little law breach (crossing a white line, burning a red light, not putting the changing lane light, running on an emergency lane during rush hour, parking anywhere…).
It is urgent to do so in big cities and honestly, country side is worst with cars running at 200km/h insides villages.
Straying away from the drunk drivers, I’d like to see the police do something about the massive trucks that fly around (with bald tyres) and with their (overloaded) cargo of rocks and dirt spilling out. Id say they are a bigger danger than old Mr. Wang who has a beer or two with dinner.
They’re ALL shitty drivers. Problem is they’re surrounded by shittier drivers.
No amount of laws or fines will deter someone from driving with or without a license. U.S. has the same problems with people on the road after their licenses have been revoked.
This case was about an average slob with probably no “guanxi”. He’ll fry. Wonder how the story would have turned out had he been a mid level official or son of the party secretary?
Anyway, it’s sad all around.
@LCLT: I have no idea about other countries but in France driving without a proper license leads you directly to jail ! Same thing by “hidding” the plate number (90% of the cars on the highways here).
I am sorry to say that but it is not a matter of drivers but how hard you punish them when they commit a fault.
I can’t believe they don’t start something like the Highway Patrol in the U.S.. It would pay for itself and make a profit. If people have to pay money all the time for the stupid driving they do, maybe then they will start to drive safely.
Headhoncho, A Chinese highway patrol would be wide open to corruption. Speeding on mostly empty Chinese highways is hardly an issue, especially as Chinese airlines are very cheap, and the rail network is extremely impressive and inexpensive to use, Im sure most people would rather sit on a train for 4 hours than drive inter-city.
I think a better nocturnal transit system, especially one that doesnt rely on taxis would be a better investment.
I didn’t really mean highway. I meant city roads where everyone drives like idiots. If they gave tickets out in the city streets regularly for running red lights, driving on the wrong side of the road, driving on the sidewalk. There will be corruption anywhere but if they have to bring in a quota of tickets for their job they will. Many people will get away with it but not everyone and as bad it is here. That would be a huge improvement.
Plus even with railways and airlines. You either have to walk across a street to get to it or take a taxi. There you go back on the streets with all the people that won’t stop for a pedestrian.