Man with no arms caught driving car with his feet

You can imagine the conversation.

One policeman turned to his partner and said: "Blow me down in Tiananmen Square, but isn't that bloke driving his car with his feet?"

His partner just stared as if he was watching Saw III, and, then, with a strange, involuntary reflex, stopped the car in question.

The driver of the car was Zing Shen, a 42-year-old resident of Beijing. Chinese police claim this was a mere random vehicle check. I always believe anything I hear from the Chinese police. But how much visual acuity do you need to notice that a driver has no arms?

Mr. Shen lost his hands and forearms in an industrial mishap some years ago. But this did not prevent him from driving his car.

He explained to the kind and thoughtful policemen that he had taught himself to steer with his feet and that he believed he was just as good a driver as anyone else on the road. And, judging by some of the lobotomized halfwits, mostly driving Priuses, who polluted the road on Black Friday in San Francisco, who could argue with him?

Mr. Shen drives an automatic, so there was no issue with shifting gears. It appears he had simply taught his legs sufficient tautness to manipulate, or rather footipulate, the steering wheel.

He was a little annoyed at being stopped, as he believes that he has become a much more careful driver since losing his arms.

Although I cannot help but wonder just how often he used his blinkers.

Regretfully, the legendarily liberal Beijing policemen, gave him something called a 'public safety summons', without actually proving that he had done anything to threaten public safety.

I heartily recommend that Mr. Shen come to California to open a driving school.

Indeed, perhaps he could extend his expertise to other technical and mechanical gadgets. After all, if you could learn to answer a cell phone and hold it with your feet while driving, that would enhance road safety, wouldn't it?