For many in the West, 2016 will be remembered for Trump, Brexit, terrorism in Europe and an absurd number of pop culture deaths, from Bowie to Muhammad Ali. By comparison, China had an unusually quiet year. Nonetheless, there were still a few goings-on in the world's most populous country.
In our 2016 Year in Review series, we recap the best (and worst) of China's year in the worlds of technology, social media, sport, fashion, food, arts and more.
A countdown of China's worst drivers of 2016.
10. The Shenzhen driver who got his car barricaded
In December, a car was found covered in garbage and cardboard scraps with a black pylon thrown on its roof. It was also surrounded by black metal gates held in place by yellow tape. What happened? The unwise owner parked it in front of a shop’s entrance. The auteur auto decor was reportedly undertaken angry employees of the business.
9. The Beijing driver with a severe case of road rage
A video showing a young delivery man getting repeatedly slapped and berated by another driver went viral in April. The incident occurred in Beijing on Sunday after the delivery driver, a courier for SF Express, hit another man’s car with his tuk tuk.
8. The Shanghai driver who got his Porsche vandalized
A Porsche blocking the entrance of a residential area in Shanghai was mauled with eggs, black ink and fresh bowls of noodles.
7. The Foshan driver who plowed into a clothing store
In June, a Foshan motorist careened through the doors of a clothing shop in some type of soccer-mom-mobile. The out-of-control vehicle blasted through the store’s entranceway and plowed into some shelves. According to reports, an elderly woman narrowly escaped the carnage after she managed to jump out of the car’s path.
6. The drunk driver who went on a demolition derby in Foshan
Cringe-worthy video footage emerged in February chronicling an urban demolition derby in Foshan, undertaken by a highly intoxicated man(iac). The incident involved a motorist repeatedly and intentionally slamming his automobile into parked motorcycles and cars.
5. The drunk driver who destroyed 13 cars in Shenzhen
Police in Shenzhen found that a single Audi had hit or crashed into a grand total of 13 cars on its wayward route, although luckily no one was injured. A breathalyzer test showed that the driver still had a blood alcohol level of 110mg/ml hours after driving.
4. The drunk driver who destroyed 17 cars in Shanghai
Prosecutors have consented for the arrest of a drunk driver who allegedly broke into a residential complex and damaged 17 parked cars in November. If the case follows through, he will be charged for endangering public safety.
3. The grudge-holding bumper car driver
Back in July, viral video footage showed a vengeful driver in Guangdong purposefully crashing into another car, repeatedly. The driver in question was filmed crashing into the front of a car that rear-ended him six times. Hold grudges much?
2. The vindictive Didi driver
In July, a woman left a one-star review for her Didi driver in Guangzhou, claiming he had a “bad attitude” after he complained to her about the rain, frequent passenger cancellations and her insistence on calling a Didi taxi when traveling such a short distance. That same night, the driver fabricated a story about a past ‘encounter’ with the woman and posted the message, along with her WeChat profile picture and phone number, on a Guangzhou pornographic and escort service site.
1. The man who accidentally drove his car into a lake while looking for his phone
In possibly one of the most unfortunate stories of texting and driving, a man in Wenzhou plummeted his RMB1.37 million Lexus sedan into a lake after taking his eyes off the road to search for his missing phone. Which just goes to show that you should always keep your eyes on the road.
(Dis)honorable mention
The Shenzhen high beamers
Traffic officers in Shenzhen have devised a rather unique punishment to deal with drivers who get overzealous with their high beams, a reprimand dubbed ‘the green chair.’ Motorists deemed guilty of inappropriate high beam use are forced to sit in a plastic green chair in front of their car and stare at their high beams for a dizziness-inducing minute.
For more 2016 Year in Review coverage, click here.
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