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| The group, named “SOS Sài Gòn team”, has offered assistance for many people in distress along streets such as National Highway 1A, Phạm Văn Đồng and the Hà Nội highway. — Photo plo.vn |
HCM CITY – As night approaches, most people head home to rest after a long working day. But not Hồ Tuấn Sang.
When nigh falls, Sang and his companions drive along the streets of HCM City to provide support for victims of traffic accidents or have those whose vehicles break down.
The group, named “SOS Sài Gòn team”, has offered assistance for many people in distress along streets such as National Highway 1A, Phạm Văn Đồng and the Hà Nội highway.
Lê Cao Minh Chiến from the city’s District 3, is one of many people who the group helped. Chiến had pushed his broken motorbike nearly 7km but found no repair shops because it was about 2am. Luckily, he met the SOS team and they fixed the bike in 15 minutes.
“It was so great to receive assistance when you felt the most desperate,” he said.
The team members meet at about 10pm each day and then head to different streets to help those in need.
The two-month-old team now counts 17 members.
Sang, founder of the group, said all of the members have experienced traffic accidents or had their vehicles break and were aided by others.
“We all experienced and understand such feelings and difficulties when falling into distress at night so we decided to set up the team to help others,” he said.
“I myself was in a traffic accident in 2015 when I was travelling from HCM City to the Central Highlands province of Gia Lai and received assistance from strangers. It was late at night and rainy, and as I was driving my motorbike fell into a ditch,” Sang recalled.
“I trembled like a leaf. It was so scary to have accident in a strange and remote area at night and in the rain,” he said.
“I remember a group of eight people came to help me when they heard noise from the accident. It took them about an hour to get me and my motorbike out of the ditch,” he said.
“Although it was very cold, their help and support kept me warm. From then on, I promised myself that I would never forget their assistance and would do my best to help other people in distress,” he said.
Another member of the group, Huỳnh Quang Nhật Minh, said he joined the team to help other people.
“If your vehicle runs out of petrol or breaks down, it would be joyous to find someone to help,” he said.
The newly established team has faced some difficulties such as a lack of essential equipment to fix vehicles or provide emergency aid for traffic accident victims.
As the team is new and not unheard of some people are wary of receiving assistance, Sang said.
“However, we will try to provide vehicle repair and emergency aid for every team member and equip more devices to improve our operation,” he said.
“I think everyone is inclined to be good. However, for many reasons, people sometimes ignore what happens around them. Some go past when seeing a traffic accident because of being afraid of getting involved,” Sang said.
“Taking a traffic accident victim to hospital for emergency aid in a timely manner means you save a life. I hope that what our team is doing encourages people to support each other when needed,” he said. — VNS
