China Scene: East

Cluey bus driver outsmarts thieves

A lucky woman in Hefei, Anhui Province, who had a large amount of money stolen while riding a bus, got her cash back thanks to the cluey driver.

The driver surnamed Yang pulled over the bus and immediately called police after the female passenger discovered that her 5,000 yuan ($658) was missing. The driver, knowing he hadn't stopped the bus after the woman got on, assumed the thief must have still been on board.

He explained the situation to other passengers and at the same time persuaded the unknown thief to return the money. Within minutes passengers found the banknotes had been dropped on the floor. Police arrived soon after and took two suspects away for questioning.

(Anhui Business News)

Pull me over,taxi driver begs police

A taxi driver in Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, deliberately broke traffic regulations to attract the attention of police to stop a woman passenger committing suicide.

The woman kept crying after she got in the taxi last Tuesday and requested a ride to Nanjing Yangtze River Bridge. Fearing the woman would commit suicide on the bridge, the driver Zhang flashed his car lights and slowed down, catching the attention of police, who stopped the car to question Zhang about his strange driving.

The woman later admitted that she had a fierce argument with her husband and planned to kill herself by jumping off the bridge.

(Yangtze Evening News)

Exploding chair shocks cashier

In a bizarre incident, an office chair in a supermarket of Jingdezhen, Jiangxi Province, exploded last Tuesday, seriously injuring a cashier's bottom.

The cashier surnamed Chen was seated on the chair watching TV and as she stood up, the chair exploded.

Doctors said serious wounds were found over large areas of Chen's buttocks, and had to be hospitalized for further observation. The local commercial and industrial office is examining the quality of the office chair.

(Jiangnan Metropolitan News)

(China Daily 09/11/2007 page6)