Chinese Drivers Forced To Stare At Headlights

Police in China have begun punishing drivers who dazzle other motorists by forcing them to stare at full-beam headlights for five minutes.

Officers in the southern city of Shenzhen are using the unusual penalty to crack down on motorists who inappropriately flash their lights.  Drivers are ordered to sit on a small plastic stool and stare at the front of a police vehicle while its headlights are turned on full beam for five minutes.

Shenzhen traffic police announced the optical ordeal on their Weibo account, a Chinese version of Twitter, saying it was an "appropriate experience" that would make offenders "sense the harm" of flashing their lights.

"From now on, traffic police will make those found carelessly using bright lights to look at them for five minutes," they warned.

Offenders are also lectured about properly using their headlights and fined 300 yuan (£30).

The punishment has sparked ridicule and anger on Chinese social media.

One blogger, called Darkcity2, said: "I live in Shanghai. Of all the absolutely mind-bogglingly inconsiderate **** drivers do on the road here, driving with your high beams on is low on the list."

However, some said the punishment did not go far enough.

"I'm hitting 'likes' with my hands and feet," @shenzhenlaocui wrote.

"Full-beam headlights are evil. I suggest they extend the stare time to 30 minutes, splitting it into three time periods, and let people take a 60-second break in between."