A woman who was discovered riding an electric suitcase down a busy street in China has been slapped with a fine and a reprimand by traffic police.
The unidentified luggage driver, who was in her home city of Shanghai at the time, was crossing a busy intersection when police stopped her, The Paper reported. 4 Wheel Suitcase
In a video clip, filmed by an onlooker, surnamed Zhou, the woman is seen sitting on her electric suitcase while trying to convince two police officers that it was the best way for her to get to work.
The officers told her that she was a safety risk and a danger to life.
It is unclear if the woman knew what she was doing was illegal, but she kept going until the police stopped her.
The woman continued arguing with the officers, even asking them if they would be prepared to give her a lift to work, at which point she was fined and reprimanded.
Police say electric suitcases are banned on the road because they are neither vehicles nor non-motorised vehicles, such as bicycles. They added that the e-luggage could be used indoors and on closed private roads in residential areas.
The officers said that a suitcase rider would be responsible for the consequences of any traffic accident they caused.
People on mainland social media have slammed the woman as irresponsible.
“This is a joke,” said one online observer, while another added: “The woman ignored traffic rules and showed no respect for life”.
Electric suitcases are becoming increasingly popular in China. The average price per suitcase stands at around 2,000 yuan (US$280). Many people use them to move around shopping malls and airports.
Due to the absence of specific regulations governing the use of electric suitcases in China, policies regarding these items may vary among airlines and metro groups.
Checked Luggage While certain airlines permit passengers to bring electric suitcases on board as long as the size is under 20 inches and they are not equipped with batteries, Amoy Transit Rail in Xiamen in southeastern China’s Fujian province, for instance, prohibits the entry of electric suitcases.