Volunteer traffic policeman works to protect students on dangerous road

CHANGSHA, Sept. 25 (Xinhua) -- Tang Qixue, a 65-year-old retired elementary school teacher from Wangxian Township in central China's Hunan Province, has been voluntarily doubling as a traffic policeman for 16 years.

Every morning and afternoon, Tang guides passing vehicles with a flag and a whistle at a busy fork on China's National Highway 106, helping students cross safely.

Tang's daily routine can be traced back to an afternoon 16 years ago, when he witnessed two of his students die in a car accident at the same fork in the road.

Tang thought such tragedies could be reduced or avoided entirely if someone were to direct the traffic when students passed, and he believed that he should be the one to protect the students.

When Tang Qixue told his family about the idea, he was met with strong opposition. Wangxian is a town with a large population, as well as a large number of vehicles. There are 10 intersections within a 50-meter range of the fork Tang planned to manage.

There are so many cars and a lot of dust, his wife told him at the time, warning him of the dangers of his plan. But the idea was set in his mind and he would not be moved.

After the accident, he began stationing himself at the fork from 6:30 a.m. to 8:00 a.m. and from 4:00 p.m. to 5:30 p.m., helping students cross the road safely during term time.

He waves a flag with the word "STOP" printed on both sides, using standard signs to direct passing vehicles.

In the summer, the scorching sun tans his skin and sweat drenches his clothes. In the winter, his ears are often numb from the biting cold. But Tang has never given up.

"I always feel happy and at ease when I see the students cross the road safely," he said.

Over the past 16 years, Tang has been hit twice by passing vehicles, resulting in multiple rib fractures. Both times he was injured, he worried about the safety of the students in his absence.

After retiring from his teaching career in 2017, he was able to devote more time to guarding the safety of students. Over the years, he has given more than 200 lectures on road safety, drowning prevention, and other aspects of personal safety.

"Though I have retired, my love for the students will never fade. I will keep teaching them lessons on safety," he said.

Tang also participates in many public welfare activities. He often visits impoverished children, orphans, and left-behind elderly people, and helps them obtain societal assistance.

"Whenever and wherever I am needed for volunteer work, I will always pitch in," he said.