Taiwanese Elderly Man Praised for Honesty and Civic-Mindedness
An elderly man surnamed Zeng from Taiwan was driving a small truck transporting kitchen waste through the intersection of Mingzhu Bridge, bordering Mingjian Township and Zhushan Town in Nantou County on the 18th. Suddenly, a whole barrel of kitchen waste fell from the back of the truck, spilling onto the road, causing a foul smell to permeate the area. Despite the mishap, he did not flee the scene but stayed behind to clean up, demonstrating his honesty and civic-mindedness, which earned him praise from the police.
According to reports from the Central News Agency, the 66-year-old Mr. Zeng was driving the truck from a fruit orchard in Mingjian Township to a restaurant near Zinan Temple in Zhushan to collect kitchen waste for composting and fertilizing the orchard. As he was traveling on Provincial Highway 3, Mingzhu Bridge, heading northbound, the rear door of the truck suddenly opened, causing the entire barrel of kitchen waste to spill onto the road. The strong odor of kitchen waste filled the air, and as vehicles passed by, the tires splattered the waste, spreading moisture in the process.
Despite the incident, Mr. Zeng did not run away. He immediately went home to get a bamboo broom to clean up the mess, not minding getting covered in kitchen waste. Holding a makeshift metal sheet, he picked up the waste and put it back into the barrel. The police from the Nantou Sub-Bureau of the Nantou County Police Department dispatched officers to the scene. They closed off one of the lanes with a police car to facilitate Mr. Zeng’s cleanup efforts. Additionally, the Central District Maintenance Office of the Directorate-General of Highways was notified and sent a water truck for cleaning.
Mr. Zeng explained that he was transporting kitchen waste for composting and accidentally spilled the waste when the rear door of the truck opened unexpectedly. He expressed deep regret for the incident.
The authorities in Nantou noted that based on past experiences, most individuals involved in such accidents would typically leave the scene, leaving the clean-up to public agencies. Mr. Zeng’s rare display of honesty in staying behind to clean up was commendable, and fortunately, no motorcyclists slipped and fell due to the spilled waste.
Reported by SET News, when Mr. Zeng discovered the spilled kitchen waste on the road from the truck, he immediately stopped and ran back home to get a bamboo broom to clean up the mess. He even directed traffic when motorcycles and vehicles passed by, ensuring safety before continuing the cleanup.
The Nantou police applauded Mr. Zeng’s actions and praised his honesty, calling him a “rare honest person.” After the Central District Maintenance Office dispatched a water truck for cleaning, the lane was promptly cleared of any waste, leaving it spotless.