Gust of wind blows off man's hat, saving him from car crash in China
A 70-year-old man in China's Henan province had his straw hat blown off by wind moments before a car slammed into his parked scooter, sparing him from likely serious injury.
An incident in China's central Henan province shows how even a small annoyance can sometimes prevent a major misfortune. On July 17 in the city of Shangqiu, a 70-year-old man experienced an unexpected twist of fate that may have saved his life.
The man had parked his scooter near a trash bin and stepped off it. At that exact moment, a gust of wind blew the straw hat off his head, prompting him to chase after it and move away from where his vehicle stood.
Car crashes into empty scooter
Surveillance footage captured the moment when, just seconds after the man walked away, a car traveling at high speed slammed into his parked scooter. The man himself did not even notice the collision, as he was busy retrieving his hat at the time.
No one was injured in the crash, though the scooter was damaged. The incident was recorded by a surveillance camera, and the footage later spread through media outlets.
Witnesses react
Local residents expressed shock over the incident. According to a witness quoted by the outlet Need to Know, it is frightening to imagine what could have happened had the man left the spot even a moment later. Another local resident noted that the gust of wind effectively spared both the man and the driver from a far worse outcome.
Following the incident, relatives of the car's driver arrived at the scene, agreed to cover the cost of repairing the scooter, and helped the man get home.
