Worker who alights lorry to clear road hazard earns praise from netizens

A worker who cleared a road hazard while risking his own safety has earned the praise of netizens.

A video clip, shared on Facebook page SGRV, shows the barefooted man getting out from the back of a stationary pick-up and looking out for oncoming traffic, before removing a bag and some debris to the grass verge on the four-laned road.

The caption of the video, recorded at 6.55pm on Oct 16, reads: "While driving today, I noticed a large backpack lying on the right side of the road. It was quite dangerous - one car even ran over it, causing the vehicle behind to brake suddenly. Amid the situation, a foreign worker in front of me jumped out of his lorry without hesitation and quickly moved the backpack to the roadside, preventing any further accidents.

"Such a helpful and courageous act - a big thank you to him for stepping up and keeping everyone safe!"

At press time, it had garnered 196,000 views, 1,800 reactions and 66 comments, many in praise of the worker's selfless act.

"We laugh and make fun of foreign workers. Many people ignore their contributions to our society. Most of them are kind and hard working people," said one Facebook user.

Another user noted that foreign workers do work that locals are unwilling to do: "How many times these migrant workers doing this kind of good deed? …. They are the first one to rush to help when there's accidents… but some people commented they snatches jobs from local (but they're doing jobs that local refuse to do … , ironically)."

Yet another user felt that the transport of such workers in the back of a lorry should be reconsidered: "Kudos to this gracious act. But what's truly sad is this: that same migrant worker who ensured others' safety was himself travelling at the back of a lorry, at the expense of his own.

"This is yet another reminder we must also do better in protecting their safety."