Sometimes people think that if they avoid breaking one specific rule, they’re completely in the clear and not doing anything wrong.
That was the case for a trio of men in China, who chose a surprising detour to escape breaking the law for drunk driving; however, their effort did not bring the desired results.
The viral video has been shared widely on social media and has received innumerable engagements.While the trio creatively tried avoiding a drink-driving offense, they ended up colliding with another rule entirely.
They pushed the car home about 500 metres
According to a Chinese news outlet, Kwong Wah, three intoxicated men were spotted by Ms. Lei, who saw the three struggling to push their vehicle to avoid breaking the drunk driving rule. A CCTV review confirmed they pushed the car nearly 500 metres, stopping only near a repair shop, while one man held the steering wheel from outside and the other two provided the muscle.
Was it legal to do that?
Local police clarified that, since no one was inside the driver’s seat, the incident did not meet the legal definition of drunk driving.
However, they emphasized that pushing a car on public roads is still illegal. Under Article 31 of China’s Road Traffic Safety Law, occupying public roads for non-traffic purposes, like walking or pushing cars without authorization, is forbidden.Pushing a vehicle on busy roads is dangerous.
Police pointed out that the men used both motor lanes and non-motor lanes, disrupting traffic flow and risking collisions.
How did social media react?
This incident received a mixed reaction online, while some praised the men for avoiding drunk driving, saying, “It’s good not to drink and drive.” Others warned it was “a novel but very dangerous behaviour”, questioning whether such actions could set risky examples.
What are the legal limits on drunk driving in China?
In China, regulations state that driving with a blood alcohol content (BAC) over 80 mg/100 mL is a criminal offense, punishable by fines and license suspension. Even lower alcohol levels can lead to penalties.
However, because none of the men were actually driving, those rules don’t apply here. But unexpectedly, men’s actions violated some rules by illegally maneuvering their car on the road surface without authorization.
Although these men showed creativity, they also exposed a risky loophole in understanding road laws. While the intentions were good, some shortcomings still remained in the execution, even though they had all the good intentions.
