Recently, in Chaoyang, Liaoning Province, a group of elderly people called the “reckless walking group” blocked the passage of fire trucks and ambulances on the road, sparking criticism from mainland Chinese netizens. The leader of the walking group later claimed that they were concerned for the safety of their team members, fearing that the vehicles might hit someone, causing controversy.
A video circulating on the internet shows over a hundred members of the “elderly reckless walking group” dressed in red clothes and carrying flags, occupying the road, refusing to yield to an ambulance and two fire trucks with flashing lights and blaring sirens.
After a few minutes of standoff, the three rescue vehicles eventually moved aside to let the walking group pass before they could proceed.
According to reports from mainland Chinese media on July 19th, multiple sources revealed that these elderly people are members of the “Chaoyang On the Road Club” in Liaoning, and the incident occurred on a road in the Daling River Scenic Area in Chaoyang City.
On July 18th, an employee from the Daling River Scenic Area management center told Upstream News regarding the behavior of the elderly walking group members, “Our government departments have already paid attention to this matter. I have been verifying and handling this throughout today.”
The employee further explained that within the Daling River Scenic Area, there is a 7-kilometer-long park with a 10-meter-wide road along the river, where the walking group involved in the incident gathers every evening from 7 to 8 to engage in fitness walking.
He disclosed that there have been previous complaints from visitors about the walking group occupying the road for fitness activities, causing traffic disruptions. Regarding this particular incident, they were also taken by surprise, stating, “We didn’t expect why these few people walking would block the vehicles.”
In response to the backlash from mainland Chinese netizens, the leader of the walking group defended their actions on July 18th, claiming that the location where they were at the time was a non-motorized vehicle lane within the Daling River Scenic Area. They stated that their primary concern was the safety of over a hundred team members and ensuring that people could pass safely without the risk of being hit by vehicles.
It is reported that the “elderly reckless walking group” is a form of group fitness activity where members wear matching uniforms, carry large flags, and walk in organized formations while chanting slogans.
In recent years, these “elderly reckless walking groups” have sprung up all over China. They typically engage in activities in the early morning or evening, sometimes also in public spaces within residential areas. Due to their amplified sound systems, they often disturb residents’ rest and engage in behaviors such as confronting vehicles, going against traffic, refusing to yield, and conflicts with pedestrians.
In recent years, these walking groups have also been involved in tragedies due to their disregard for rules and regulations.
In 2017, in Linyi, Shandong Province, a reckless walking group occupied a motorway, resulting in a taxi colliding with the group, causing 1 death and 2 injuries. In 2018, a group in Qingdao blocked a bus lane and refused to yield to buses even when honked at. In 2019, a group in a certain location in Henan blocked an ambulance for 20 minutes, causing a patient to miss critical medical intervention time. Last year in Zhuhai, Guangdong, a man deliberately drove into a walking group, resulting in 38 deaths and 47 injuries.