China traffic trickster stages rush hour ‘crashes for cash’, caught by previous victim
- Fraudster on bicycle targets cars in non-motorised lanes at busy crossings, preys on guilt of drivers after being ‘hit’ for cash
A bicycle rider in China has been detained for staging road accidents to blackmail car drivers after netting 100,000 yuan (US$14,000) in ill-gotten gains over a two-month period.
The modus operandi of the man, surnamed Zhang, was to ride a bicycle on streets in Beijing during rush hours and deliberately approach vehicles which were illegally driving on the non-motorised lanes so that he would easily be knocked down, reported Beijing TV.
Many drivers use the non-motorised driveways because they hate waiting in a queue, especially before the intersections, in the hope of stealing a march on others.
In China, if a car is found using a non-motorised lane, the driver will be fined 200 yuan (US$28) and have a two-point deduction from their driving licence.
Zhang said if he was hit by a car, he would demand between hundreds and thousands of yuan in compensation. His extortion scheme relied on the feelings of guilt felt by drivers.
