I had no idea things like this happen in China.....

[m-coon]

My wife told me a story last night that I feel is worthy of sharing to you all.

 

It seems that her brother needed to go to Guangzhou for some business, and choose to drive (instead of using other modes of transportation available to him) - which you will question WHY DID HE DO THIS, after you have read the entire story.

 

Somewhere between his home town (Liuzhou) and Guangzhou - in a very remote area (nothing but forest, etc.) he noticed one car coming in closer to his rear bumper, as another car was also dropping back closer (slowing down) to his front bumper, to box him in between the cars.

 

These two cars forced him to the side of the road. And at gun-point demanded both his wallet and as his passengers hand bag. They feared for their lives and did what the bad men demanded. They were not hurt.

 

After the bad men had their personal belongings - they sped away. Her brother immediately called 911, but it didn't do much good because the bad men got away from everybody by exiting to a small roadway (they assume - because they were never seen again).

 

Now this is the crazy part - at least I think this is the crazy part...... This was now the SECOND TIME that this had happened to her brother while driving this stretch of highway leading to Guangzhou ! ! ! ! !

 

My wife says this is a common occurrence on this stretch of highway leading to Guangzhou. If this is a common occurrence - why is it that the police have not caught these people yet or had enough presence in this area to ward off future potential crimes? Why are they able to pull these thefts off so easily and always get away with it?

 

Getting back to the CRAZY PART...... Her brother told my wife that because this had happened to him once before and that he obviously knows this is a true/real threat - that he removed most of his money and important documents from his wallet before beginning the drive - just in case he got robbed again (which of course he did). He had hidden this money and other stuff somewhere else in the car.

 

If I really suspected that this could happen to me - I would have taken other transportation to Guangzhou and then rented a car once I got there......... What would you have done?

 

Thanks,

Scott

[foobaz123]

My wife says this is a common occurrence on this stretch of highway leading to Guangzhou. If this is a common occurrence - why is it that the police have not caught these people yet or had enough presence in this area to ward off future potential crimes? Why are they able to pull these thefts off so easily and always get away with it?

 

Bribes?

 

 

As to what I would have done? Train or fly.

 

Of course, you say that you had no idea such things happened in China. I wouldn't be surprised if they started happening here if things got really really bad in the economy. There are a lot of highways and Interstates here that are a long long long way from anything.

[tonado]

Very scary. Glad they are okay.

[Doug]

I had a trucker try to kill me on I-10 in AZ or NM once.

 

Yes I think the police are paid off.

 

What would I have done? Actually it kind of excites me. I almost considered this last night with a wreckless driver in a cube, and your brother can do this too.

Speed up fast and whip to the rear side of the car in front, he may swerve over to you and that is fine, either way, swerve over hard hit him and push up against his rear quarter keeping foot on the gas, which should spin him around, then get around him and haul ass. Another thing is to slam on the brakes so the car in back hits you hard enough to ruin his radiator or set off his airbags, then take out the front car. Dang man you almost make me want to come to China and try it. No kidding. I do like the fact he hid his loot, but man be the aggressor.

[DennisLeiqin]

I wonder what type of gun the bandits had and where the acquired it. A bit strange for China.

[Doug]

Another method that works. Give him a trap door like James Bond. : http://www.kveo.com/...he-texas-senate

 

Shucks now I have to dispose of??? jk

Edited March 31, 2012 by Doug (see edit history)

[Randy W]

My guess is that the Chinese agencies are inadequate to investigate stuff like this. It may become just one of those growing pains that they need to learn how to deal with.

 

I think Doug is on the right track, though - learn how to dodge the perpetrators. I woudn't think it would be very difficult.

 

Would you PLEASE find out which highway this was on and what time of day? I haven't driven that way yet, but would expect to in the not too distant future.

[warpedbored]

Hmmmm, guns are not easy to get in China. Policemen have guns though. They are also well known to take bribes. Perhaps a couple are moonlighting as bandits. I do vaguely remember Jin telling a story about running bandits off of the road when she was driving truck. Perhaps the police are not well enough staffed to handle it as Randy said.

[Thomas Promise]

Hello Scott. Most of us here go back more then 7 years on CFL. You and myself had some real bizzare things happen to us in our lives with our Chinese spouses. My 1st one is long gone now and back in China.

I can recall some of your stories about your family in China. It sounded like they lived and danced around the Tongs alot. (Chinese Mafia)

[Randy W]

Hmmmm, guns are not easy to get in China. Policemen have guns though. They are also well known to take bribes. Perhaps a couple are moonlighting as bandits. I do vaguely remember Jin telling a story about running bandits off of the road when she was driving truck. Perhaps the police are not well enough staffed to handle it as Randy said.

 

There is supposedly a gun somewhere in Jiaying's family left over from pre-Mao days. But no one seems to know what happened to it.

 

It's probably easy enough to smuggle a gun into the country.

 

My guess is that it wouldn't be brandished until AFTER you were pulled over.

[amberjack1234]

Certainly the bad guys in China have guns. Certainly that is not as prevelent in China as it is in many countries but they do have them. Didn't a guy just rob and kill a person at a ATM machine in the souther part of China just a short time ago? They are smuggled over the border just like dope and perhaps in some of the same shipments I would suspect.

 

Larry

[tsap seui]

Wenyan has been robbed twice at knife point....once a couple of years ago as she and Fengqi were entering her mom's building just after dark.

 

Robbing someone on the highway....hmmmm....seems a lil' fishy, unless you knew the mark had money. Lot of effort without knowing if they had anything....2 cars etc, much easier to holdem up in the dark on the street with a gun or knife.

 

Doug brings up a good point about getting away. All you have to do is be willin' to sacrifice your car, and have a heavier car than the perps. Slamming on your breaks to mess up the chaser's radiator is takin' the chance that your gas tank doesn't rupture and blow, even if that doesn't happen how do you run away from the lead guy with crunched fender metal cutting into your tires?

 

Trouble with all this is, this ain't a TV show or a movie, seriously trying to push some else off the road by bumpin' them actually does damage to your own car, potentially losing a tire out of it, and if you ain't heavier than the other guy, you may well bounce back, it's not like he hasn't already thought out what to do and anticipates your moves.

 

Maybe it is easy to do in real life, as Randy says. Please, give us the lowdown on how the Toy handles knockin' two bad guys with plans, the element of surprise, and motivation, all in two cars, off the road. Can you rent a big 57' Caddy for playing bump cars on that stretch? Something with some weight, a heavy frame, and strong tie rods?

 

Down in Australia they put these big chrome bars on the front of their cars for them pesky roos jumpin' into your space after dark, they call them "bull bars". Heck, a set of them on the front would give them highway robbers a second thought, or maybe better yet, buy a Nissan GT-R to let them eat your smoke and wonder what the hell THAT WAS. YEEEEHAWWWW.....Thunder Road..... It would take 3 maybe 4 cars to jamb up a GT-R, they run like scalded dogs and manuever like they are part of the asphalt. Look like a family car yet turn well under 12 second quarter miles, almost 200 mph top ends, hold turns like a NASCAR race car.....talk about a sleeper. As Jun Rhee used to say on his Washington, DC TV spots for his Kung Fu classes ...."No one bah-er me."

 

 

What a fun thread, eh?

 

tsap seui

Edited April 1, 2012 by tsap seui (see edit history)

[michaln]

two words trunk monkey

[tsap seui]

Damn, the trunk monkey videos were hilarious, Mike. My wife and son and I look at them and laughed like crazy, especially on the one with the car robber. The monkey is readin' a magazine just waiting for some action.....LOL...then he tosses the body off the bridge.....priceless.

 

tsap seui

[amberjack1234]

Here is a link to a Chinese article about guns in China and comparing gun crimes in China to the US. I have not verified any of the accuracy myself. Just thought that I would post it here.

 

http://www.china.org.cn/china/2012-04/05/content_25065310.htm

 

Larry