3 Men Push Car to Avoid Drink-Driving, But Still Break the Law Anyway

In Xiangyang, Hubei province, China, three men drew widespread attention after a video showed them pushing a car down the road, apparently to avoid driving under the influence.

The incident occurred around 9 pm on June 11, when a local woman named Ms. Lei saw the men struggling to push a vehicle along the road.

After learning that they had consumed alcohol and had chosen not to drive, she recorded the scene and shared it on social media.

The post, of course, went viral online.

Pushed the Car for Nearly Half a Kilometre

According to Chinese-language outlet Kwong Wah, traffic police later reviewed closed-circuit television (CCTV) footage.

The group was seen pushing the vehicle and then stopping near a local car repair shop.

The entire journey covered nearly 500 metres.

Steering from Outside, No One Behind the Wheel

One of the men was seen walking beside the driver’s side of the car, holding onto the steering wheel from outside the vehicle.

Photo courtesy of Weibo via Maeil Business Newspaper

While the other two men pushed from behind. Notably, no one was seated inside the car during the entire journey.

Police: Not Drink-Driving, but Still Against the Law

Although none of the men were driving the vehicle in the traditional sense, the police concluded that the act still constituted a legal violation.

The authorities clarified that while this did not meet the legal definition of drink-driving, it was still a breach of China’s traffic regulations.

Police cited Article 31 of the Road Traffic Safety Law of the People’s Republic of China, which states that individuals and organisations are not allowed to occupy roads for non-traffic-related activities without authorisation.

Pushing a Car Creates a Traffic Risk, Police Say

Authorities stated that the men had pushed the car along both motor vehicle lanes and mixed-traffic roads, which are not meant for such activities.

This unauthorised use of the road disrupted the normal flow of traffic and posed safety risks, not only to passing vehicles and pedestrians, but also to the men themselves.

While their intention may have been to avoid drink-driving, police emphasised that the act still violated traffic regulations and could have had serious consequences if an accident had occurred.