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🇹🇼 Taiwan /Economy & Trade

Bus Drivers' Lane Dispute Halts Traffic in Banqiao

From Liberty Times · (22h ago) Chinese Critical tone

Translated from Chinese, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

TLDR

  • Two bus drivers in Banqiao District, New Taipei City, blocked traffic for 15 minutes during peak hours due to a dispute over lane changes.
  • The drivers of the 677 and 810 buses stopped at a crosswalk, with one driver suspecting the other of attempting to cut in, leading to a standoff.
  • Police are investigating the incident to determine responsibility for the traffic disruption and will issue fines if necessary.

A 15-minute traffic jam on a major road in Banqiao, New Taipei City, caused by a dispute between two bus drivers, has sparked public anger and led to police intervention. The incident, which occurred on April 18th during peak hours, saw the 677 and 810 buses block Culture Road for a quarter of an hour, causing significant delays for other vehicles and frustrated passengers.

The drivers of the 677 and 810 buses were stuck at the intersection of Xinfu Road and Culture Road, causing a severe traffic jam on Culture Road.

— ReporterDescribing the initial scene of the traffic disruption.

Eyewitnesses reported that the drivers, identified as a 47-year-old surnamed Zhou driving the 677 bus and a 34-year-old surnamed Ye driving the 810 bus, became embroiled in a conflict as they both attempted to turn left onto Culture Road from Xinfu Road. Zhou allegedly believed Ye was trying to cut into his lane, leading to a tense standoff near a pedestrian crossing. Both drivers remained in their vehicles, fearing a collision due to their proximity, which effectively paralyzed traffic.

The drivers were stuck at the pedestrian crossing, with driver Zhou suspecting driver Ye of trying to cut into the lane.

— ReporterExplaining the alleged cause of the dispute.

The public's frustration was palpable, with many passengers expressing urgency and some citizens taking to social media to report the incident and demand police action. The police arrived at the scene and, after directing the buses to move, managed to restore traffic flow. While no collision occurred, the authorities are now reviewing evidence, including video footage provided by the public, to hold the drivers accountable for obstructing traffic.

The two buses occupied the outer and middle lanes, causing traffic congestion on the southbound lanes of Culture Road.

— ReporterDetailing the impact of the buses' position on traffic flow.

This incident highlights a recurring issue of public transportation disrupting urban mobility. While the drivers' actions were clearly irresponsible, the public's immediate recourse to reporting and demanding accountability reflects a growing civic awareness and a desire for smoother urban commutes. The police's commitment to investigating and penalizing such behavior underscores the importance of maintaining order on public roads, especially in densely populated areas like Banqiao.

The public provided images accusing driver Zhou of deliberately blocking the road, causing a 15-minute traffic jam on a major Banqiao road.

— ReporterReporting on public accusations and the duration of the traffic jam.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Liberty Times in Chinese. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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