Thread: Man’s Brutal Beating of Female Driver Divides Chinese Public

Man’s Brutal Beating of Female Driver Divides Chinese Public After Different Car Videos Emerge

South China Morning Post
May 7, 2015

Warning: Video contains graphic images

A Chinese male driver in the southwestern city of Chengdu was captured on film intercepting a woman’s car and dragging her out of her seat, throwing her on the ground, before savagely kicking her several times on the head.

The shocking video surfaced online this week, prompting a wave of anger against the male assailant. However, public opinion was quickly divided when another video, taken from the dashboard on the assailant’s car, showed the woman swerving “dangerously” across his lane – while his child and wife were in the car.

The male driver, 33, surnamed Zhang, has been apprehended by police on suspicion of picking a quarrel and provoking troubles. Zhang may face imprisonment of up to five years.

He told the police he reacted that way because the woman “abruptly changed lanes [in front of] his car”, which he said nearly caused an accident and frightened his child.

The woman driver, surnamed Lu, was taken to hospital and was found to have bone fractures on her shoulder and a concussion from the assault.

Initially the disturbing video, which went viral online, provoked netizens’ anger. Countless online users condemned the assailant and appealed on social media for justice. But the public opinion appeared to shift towards the male driver after footage captured by the dashboard camera on Zhang’s vehicle appeared online.

The video revealed that Zhang, apparently upset by the woman’s driving, retaliated by swerving as well, which led to a road chase. The three-minute clip ends at the moment Zhang intercepts Lu’s car.

Dashboard camera on male driver' vehicle captured the road race before the beating

The video prompted numerous internet users to be critical of Lu. A user with the alias Zeng Kai said on popular Q&A website Zhihu.com that while the male driver “definitely broke the law and deserves justice”, the woman’s “reckless driving clearly posed enormous dangers to the pubic”. The comment was widely endorsed by many Zhihu users, garnering 19,000 likes.

In a disturbing backlash elsewhere on the internet, some internet users openly supported the violence, arguing that the female driver “deserves to be attacked”. A number of comments like this posted on major news portal 163.com received a total of more than 100,000 likes.

A commentary published on state-run China Youth Daily lashed out at this rhetoric. “Cheering for the beating of the female driver is not only applauding for violence, [an act of] sexual discrimination, but also reflects the violent tendency of the society,” it said.

On Tuesday, a Chengdu local broadcaster aired footage of the man, currently in custody, delivering an apology to the victim on the camera. “I am very sorry, that because of my sudden impulse, I’ve brought harm to the victim and her family,” he said. He also called on young drivers not to follow his footsteps and drive safely.

Lu, on the other hand, will face a penalty of three-point-deduction on the 12-point driving record for violating traffic rules, and an additional fine of 100 yuan, news site thepaper.cn reported.

Accidents triggered by road rage are common in China, as the exploding growth of vehicles in the past decades led to rising tensions among drivers and pedestrians.

Man's brutal beating of female driver divides Chinese public after different car videos emerge | South China Morning Post

Looks like they're both a couple of psychos and should be kept off the road for public safety's sake.

Thai people drive like that in front of me everyday and she did have her blinker on.

Hang the hot headed bastard.

Not cool how she's driving. But you can't just pull someone out of their car and beat them like that w/out repercussions.

he is the standard cowardly fcukwit - kill him

Originally Posted by spliff

Not cool how she's driving

he was speeding - she put her indicator on - his attempts at forcing her off the road nearly caused several accidents

kill the retard

He's insane and should be put in jail and beaten daily.

Her driving was poor - his was just as bad.

She was one tough cookie to take that many kicks to the head - one wonders what might have happened if she had lost consciousness. The fact that he started by kicking her head, and continued to do so shows intent to maim or kill. I would start the charge sheet with attempted murder.

She's not a good driver, but he over-reacted.

Also, the video from his dashcam does not seem that awful. Bad, but not awful.

He was angry because the woman put his families in danger so he stopped his car on a very fast moving road to beat the woman up thus putting his family in danger of being killed by very fast moving traffic? What a very stupid man he is.

Originally Posted by JayZee

Her driving was poor

Her driving might have been poor, but his was criminally dangerous.

It's China, they should execute him.

So he does that in front of his wife and child,enough said.

Stinky, his family was NEVER in danger. His hood/bonnet never dipped down from over braking. He's an asshole that should go to jail for his actions that put his family in more danger and more important that he tried to KILL someone for his own STUPIDITY.

Barbarians....

Originally Posted by Loy Toy

Thai people drive like that in front of me everyday and she did have her blinker on.

Hang the hot headed bastard.

Totally agree she had her indicator on. Here on Bangkok roads to know which way the little brown devils are going you need to be telepathic. For a Thai to signal is a badge of shame.

^^The indicators are for going straight through intersections, yes.

Originally Posted by Loy Toy

Hang the hot headed bastard.

Originally Posted by spliff

Not cool how she's driving. But you can't just pull someone out of their car and beat them like that w/out repercussions.

Originally Posted by baldrick

he is the standard cowardly fcukwit - kill him

Originally Posted by baldrick

he was speeding - she put her indicator on - his attempts at forcing her off the road nearly caused several accidents

Originally Posted by Eliminator

He's insane and should be put in jail and beaten daily.

Originally Posted by JayZee

Her driving was poor - his was just as bad.

Originally Posted by Black Heart

She's not a good driver, but he over-reacted.

Originally Posted by Stinky

What a very stupid man he is.

Originally Posted by harrybarracuda

Her driving might have been poor, but his was criminally dangerous.

Originally Posted by Horatio Hornblower

So he does that in front of his wife and child,enough said.

Originally Posted by Eliminator

He's an asshole that should go to jail for his actions that put his family in more danger and more important that he tried to KILL someone for his own STUPIDITY.

Originally Posted by Pound Hound

ya Christ... she had her blinker on... it was not that bad... and certainly did not warrant his actions!

Fairly well . . . unanimous. The guy deserves no pity at all.

Unlike:

"Initially the disturbing video, which went viral online, provoked netizens’ anger. Countless online users condemned the assailant and appealed on social media for justice. But the public opinion appeared to shift towards the male driver after footage captured by the dashboard camera on Zhang’s vehicle appeared online."