Shanghai Drivers Wait Nearly 3 Minutes for Elderly Man to Cross Busy Road

A video showing drivers in Shanghai patiently waiting for an elderly man to cross a road has gone viral on Chinese social media, drawing praise for the motorists’ restraint in a fast-paced city.

The video was filmed around 2pm on September 20 near Zhongyuan Road and Changhai Road in Shanghai’s Yangpu District, according to the woman who recorded it.

She said the man, believed to be in his 70s or 80s, was crossing the road alone and appeared to have difficulty walking. He moved slowly and had to stop several times to catch his breath.

When the traffic light turned green, vehicles in the first row remained stationary instead of moving forward or sounding their horns. Cars in the right-turn lane also waited until the man had completely crossed before proceeding.

The entire wait lasted nearly 3 minutes.

The woman who filmed the scene said she had initially only wanted to record the elderly man’s difficult crossing and had not expected all the drivers to wait so patiently. Her daughter, who was also in the car, said the sight made her think about how everyone grows old and may one day need similar consideration, reported The Paper.

After the video was posted online, many users praised the drivers for choosing to slow down and give the man enough time to cross safely.

The incident also reflects existing traffic rules. Under China’s Road Traffic Safety Law and related regulations, when a pedestrian has not finished crossing at a zebra crossing, vehicles in lanes that conflict with the pedestrian’s path are required to stop and give way even after the signal has turned green.