

A taxi driver narrowly avoided an accident recently, after a passenger’s trained monkey decided that it would rather drive.

The driver surnamed Liu picked up the peculiar pair on the streets of Qingdao. The human surnamed Wang said that he was the director of a local circus and had been out taking his monkey for a walk when they both got lost, NetEase reports.

On the way back to the circus, the monkey appeared not to care for Liu’s driving skills, seeming anxious and agitated. Eventually, the primate leaped from his trainer’s grasp and grabbed the steering wheel of the moving taxi. The sudden monkey business startled Liu and he says he almost lost control of the vehicle and narrowly avoided a crash on the busy street.



After regaining control, Liu stopped the taxi and ordered Wang and his monkey to get out. Once outside, Wang refused to pay the fare. The monkey also refused and the three then began to argue in the street with passersby stopping to take pictures of the peculiar scene.





Eventually, authorities intervened, saying that taxi drivers had the right to refuse service to passengers with pets. Meanwhile, Wang explained that the monkey rides a monocycle in one act, so is accustomed to handling steering wheels, Shanghai Daily reports.



Looks like a trustworthy monkey to us, comparatively speaking.



[Images via NetEase]



