Two men in Yiwu gallop through the streets on horseback, strictest traffic rules can't stop horses
Yesterday at 5 p.m., Mr. Huang was on his way home from work when he spotted two young men galloping down the street.
“They were going pretty fast, probably 30 to 40 kilometers per hour, and both were dressed quite professionally,” said Mr. Huang. At the time, they were heading toward Danxi Road along Zhongcheng Middle Road, and many cars stopped to watch.
Mr. Huang said that although the traffic light turned red up ahead, the horses showed no sign of stopping. They veered onto the non-motorized vehicle lane and dashed through.
Reporters found that horseback riding on the streets of Yiwu is not a first-time occurrence.
On February 9, a Sina Weibo user named “I Love Clover TYPE” posted a message saying they saw someone riding a horse home on the streets of Yiwu.
On February 15, another user named “Xiao Qiang Is Not a Cockroach” also witnessed people riding horses on the street.
Is it allowed to ride horses on the street?
Traffic police authorities stated that there are currently no specific penalties for horseback riding on the street. Traffic laws and related regulations prohibit driving animal-drawn vehicles on urban roads, but horses not harnessed to a cart fall outside the ban.
However, horses are not motor vehicles, so riding them on motorways is not permitted. Those caught doing so may be fined. If horseback riding causes traffic congestion or disrupts public order, penalties may also apply under the Public Security Administration Punishment Regulations.