There are mostly high rises in Xiamen shopping streets, commercial and residential districts. Everyday, thousands if not million of pedestrians walk under these high rises and many are not under their protective verandahs. Many buildings have either no verandahs or many of their walking pavements are built outside the verandahs. Usually, if there are verandahs, they may have obstacles created by merchandises displays etc. and pedestrians tend to walk outside these protective verandahs.
Walking under these unprotected pavements is a major concern for the safety of many of these pedestrians. For unsuspecting pedestrians especially those who are less informed of the Xiamen local conditions, you may end up with a spitting stuck in your hair or worst off, a falling object stuck in your head.
This is the uncivilised behaviour of some of the residents of these Xiamen high rises, spitting out of their window or throwing out objects from their windows with no consideration for others. And, though these residents are getting more civilized and the occurrences may be getting less, however, it is still happening.
Few days ago in Chongqing City, a woman's head was hit by a falling clothes-line hook, which came off a high rise building.
The woman suffered severe head injury from the falling metal hook, which penetrated about 3 centimeters into her skull.
She was sent to the nearest hospital after a passersby called the emergency rescue. She underwent emergency operation. Luckily, the craniotomy was successful and the hook was safely removed.
However, she is not yet out of the danger of other side effects from the injury such as hemiplegia and epilepsy etc. The doctor said that the woman may still need a second operation in six months.
This accident is not an isolated case. Some times ago in Xiamen, a boy was killed by a falling air-condition unit at HexiangXi Road. HexiangXi Road is one of the city’s busiest streets.
WOX’s advice to our readers is that you should walk under protective verandahs and stay clear of walkways right under high rises with balconies and windows. Or you could end up with similar fate suffered by the lady in the story.