A "heroes' swordplay" event began with bravado but ended in tragedy. During the annual meeting of the "Chengdu Yuesheng Car Enthusiasts Club," an off-road vehicle carrying four people sank into the river while performing a "river crossing" stunt, resulting in two deaths and one person missing.
Even the Jinma River, accustomed to death and having buried many unfortunate souls, had likely never seen a car drive straight toward its center like this. While public opinion mourned the loss of life, it was also deeply shocked by such a reckless act behind the wheel.
Disasters that befall ordinary people are especially heartbreaking. Unlike extreme sports enthusiasts or explorers who make a living from risk-taking, ordinary drivers are just everyday individuals. Joining a car club is merely a way to connect with others over a shared interest in cars, seeking leisurely fun during free time—certainly not for thrill-seeking or confronting danger. In other words, they were not brave by nature, lacking both the motivation and preparation for adventure. To lose their lives in such an unexpected and tragic drowning incident, at the worst possible time and place, is an outcome that is particularly hard to accept.
This is a tragedy that should never have happened, and people are quick to reach that conclusion. What makes this tragedy most heartbreaking is how frighteningly simple the cause was—the act of driving through a river itself. It exceeded the needs of ordinary off-road driving and far surpassed the capabilities of the vehicle. Not to mention that the involved two-wheel-drive car had inherent performance limitations, but even the best off-road vehicles are absolutely not amphibious. Driving into a river without familiarity with the waterway's terrain, without any investigation or caution, is not only inconsistent with the spirit of off-road adventure but also fails the most basic driving standards.
No matter what, taking "unusual roads" in a vehicle should not be equated with innovation or bravery. As the organizer of the car club put it, they sought to “take unconventional routes to gain off-road experience,” and had previously gotten stuck in sand or slipped on pebble beaches. They probably never imagined that this river-crossing stunt would take them so far beyond any real experience.
People can take risks, but not pointless ones. As the ancient saying goes, “Those who wrestle tigers barehanded or cross rivers without hesitation, and who would die without regret—I do not associate with such people. I prefer those who face challenges with caution and achieve success through careful planning.” The prudence advocated by Confucius is not at odds with Mencius’s boldness of “marching forward even against a million men.” That is, we should persist in doing what we believe is right, but acts like fighting tigers barehanded or wading across rivers empty-handed have nothing to do with truth or courage.
With the emergence of China’s automobile society, various car clubs have flourished in recent years, which is not inherently wrong. What needs vigilance is commercial involvement and collective hysteria. Some brand 4S stores and automakers, driven by business interests, either directly initiate car clubs or frequently guide, invite, and sponsor their activities. This makes car clubs appear as grassroots, spontaneous organizations, yet they are more or less tainted by commercial motives. Club activities can easily veer into the trap of excessively promoting vehicle performance or pushing the limits of driving.
Group hysteria is also a common cause of accidents during collective activities. Individuals may become unusually "brave" in a group, perhaps due to the collective unconscious belief that “there is strength in numbers,” or because of peer pressure and the inability
No one wants to have such an experience. What we want is to explore the world safely, not to escape death by a hair's breadth. Life can withstand adventure, but not recklessness.