In Shandong Linyi, due to his wife’s inability to care for herself after a car accident, a ride-sharing driver has been taking his wife with him while working, sparking discussion online as his car is covered in colorful sticky notes left by passengers. One note reads, “This is the safest car, he has brought everything with him.” While the passengers’ blessings are heartwarming, some netizens have raised questions about the social security system.
“Hello passengers, due to my wife’s inability to care for herself following a car accident and no one at home to take care of her, she can only travel with me, occupying a seat… Thank you for your understanding.” According to a report by the “Xiaoxiang Morning News,” on April 20, Mr. Wang from Linyi, Shandong, encountered a driver who had his wife with him in the car. Wang noticed that the car was covered in colorful sticky notes filled with encouraging messages from passengers to the driver. Wang recorded this scene and posted it online, garnering over 200,000 likes in 24 hours.
Mr. Wang explained that on the afternoon of April 19, he took a ride-sharing car and initially felt a bit unhappy due to the driver’s delay. However, upon getting in the car, he saw a note on the passenger seat that read, “My wife is unable to care for herself due to a car accident, can only travel with me,” which instantly made him understand and feel touched. He said, “I was moved by this scene at that moment, all complaints were set aside.”
What further touched him was the colorful sticky notes all around the car, filled with encouraging words from passengers like “Keep it up, everything will get better,” and even hand-drawn blessings. One note that left a deep impression on Mr. Wang said, “This is the safest car, he has brought everything with him.”
On April 21, the ride-sharing driver, Mr. Zhou Deqing, who drives with his wife, introduced his wife Pang Shuqia, 52 years old this year, who suffered a serious head injury and multiple fractures in her left arm in a traffic accident in early 2023. After spending two months in the ICU and ward, she underwent seven and a half months of recovery training upon discharge but still cannot regain self-care abilities, with her intellectual function regressed to that of a 14-year-old.
Mr. Zhou Deqing explained that previously he had been working odd jobs outside the home, but due to his parents getting old and the family’s financial situation not being able to afford a caregiver, and his lack of trust in others caring for his wife, he took on the responsibility of caring for his wife. To support the family and take care of his wife simultaneously, Mr. Zhou Deqing decided to drive a ride-sharing car with his wife.
Since February this year, he has been leaving for work at 7 a.m. every morning, finishing work at 5 p.m., receiving passengers during busy times, and taking care of his wife during free time.
Regarding the apology letters placed on the seats for passengers, Mr. Zhou Deqing explained, “At the beginning of driving, some passengers mistook my wife sitting in the front passenger seat for another passenger and reported it to the platform. To avoid such misunderstandings, my youngest daughter suggested writing a note and sticking it on the seat to explain my special circumstances, which everyone will understand.”
Mr. Zhou Deqing said that life is very hard but must be faced with optimism.
After the report of this story, it has sparked a lot of discussion among netizens:
– “Your forever friend: Life is not easy, let’s understand and support more.”
– “sigtem: Where is the social security system, where did the taxpayers’ money go?”
– “RACMKDbC5B: This is what the government should have done.”