A bizarre accident occurred in Lanzhou, in the province of Gansu, when a woman who helped an elderly man crossed the road was unexpectedly slapped in the face. The event, which took place on the evening of September 12, was captured by a driver and quickly became viral on Chinese social media.
According to the reports of South China Morning Post, the elderly man, estimated in his 70s or 80s, transported two heavy bags and fought to cross the road. It was not on a designated pedestrian crossing, forcing some vehicles to pass closely, making the crossing more difficult.
Seeing the situation, a woman sitting on the passenger seat of a nearby car came out, ran to help the man and used the left hand to support him while reporting with his right hand for the vehicle stop. Incredibly, the elderly man turned and slapped her in the face, making the glasses fall to the ground.
After taking her glasses, the woman looked at the incredulous man before returning to his car. She and her husband reported the accident to the police, who localized the elderly man and asked him to apologize.
The accident aroused a widespread discussion online. A user commented, “We should comfort the woman. I can imagine how angry must be after being slapped by the same person who tried to help.” Another wrote, “This slap will discourage people from helping the needy in the future.”
Some also suggested that the elderly man may have misunderstood his intentions. “Maybe he thought he was an unknown with bad intentions when he suddenly approached him,” A user said.
This is not the first time that a helper in the province of Gansu faces difficulty. In May, another woman who witnessed an elderly man in a residential area was falsely accused by her family after falling. The security videos later freed it from offenses, but still faced harassment and online depression.
Experts note that when they are not able to satisfy a request, refusing politely it is safer than risking misunderstandings. Chiara communication can prevent conflicts and maintain positive relationships.
Sources: Maeil Business News
