A motorist seen driving in reverse with the flow of traffic on Broadway and Eastern Avenue in Chelsea told officers he was driving that way because his car’s transmission was broken.

The driver, who was not ticketed or publicly named by authorities, was observed employing the innovative driving style by a patrolling officer, who quickly pulled him over.

Eastern Avenue turns off of Broadway towards East Boston and is a largely industrial neighborhood, Chelsea Police Capt. Keith Houghton explained. Police were able to escort the driver — still driving his car in reverse — to a nearby parking lot, where the driver contacted AAA. It was not clear why he didn’t just contact AAA in the first place instead of driving backwards on one of the busiest streets in Chelsea.


Hougton said he wasn’t sure where the man was heading.

Our theory? He was reversing the odometer before Dad got home: