An emergency crew in China which illegitimately used its ambulance siren and flashing lights to clear a way on a popular tourist highway in Tibet has triggered a public backlash.

中国一支急救团队在西藏一条热门旅游公路上非法使用救护车警笛和闪烁警示灯来开辟道路，此举引发了公众的强烈反响。

The incident happened on the 117km-long road that connects the rest of China to the remote county of Medog in the mountainous autonomous region in the Western part of the country.

该事件发生在一条全长117公里的公路上，这条公路连接着中国其他地区与位于该国西部山区自治区的偏远县——墨脱县。

Medog used to be known as China's last roadless county because of its difficult geological conditions before the highway opened in 2013.

在2013年公路开通之前，墨脱曾因地质条件恶劣而被称为中国最后一个不通公路的县。

The road has been popular among tourists nationwide for the beautiful scenery along the route.

这条公路因其沿途美丽的风景而受到全国游客的青睐。

On May 12, a driving tour enthusiast from Shandong province in eastern China posted a video online criticising an ambulance crew for using their siren to clear their way on the highway.

5月12日， 一位来自中国山东省的自驾游爱好者在网上发布了一段视频，批评一支救护车团队在公路上使用警笛来开辟道路。

The man, who goes by the username @dayangdelutu, said the highway only allowed cars with even plate numbers to drive in the direction of Medog county on the day in question because of difficult road conditions.

这位网名为@dayangdelutu的男子表示， 由于道路条件恶劣，当天这条公路只允许车牌号为偶数的车辆向墨脱县方向行驶。

Not long after they hit the highway they saw an ambulance, with its lights flashing and siren on, coming from behind.

他们刚上公路不久，就看到一辆救护车闪着灯、鸣着笛从后面驶来。

They drove into the side of the road to let it through.

他们便将车开到路边让救护车通过。

They were then shocked to find the ambulance parked at a famous tourist spot along the highway. Its passengers got out of the vehicle to take photos.

随后，他们震惊地发现，那辆救护车竟停在了公路沿线的一个著名旅游景点。 车上的乘客下车拍照。

They could not give way this time due to the traffic conditions, but the loud ambulance siren kept blaring.

由于当时的交通状况，他们这次无法让路，但救护车刺耳的警笛声却一直在响。

Eventually, they pulled the ambulance over to complain.

最终，他们拦下那辆救护车进行投诉。

It turned out it was using a number plate registered in Sanya, in southern China's Hainan province.

原来，这辆救护车使用的是在中国海南省三亚市注册的车牌。

A man got out of the ambulance and told the poster and his friends off, before saying that only the police could stop him from using the siren.

一名男子从救护车上下来，责骂了发帖者及其朋友，并声称只有警察才能阻止他使用警笛。

He also encouraged them to report him to the police, which they did.

他还鼓励他们向警方举报，而他们也确实这么做了。

Officers arrived and disabled the siren. They also fined the driver 200 yuan (US$28).

警察赶到后，关闭了警笛。 还对司机处以200元（约合28美元）的罚款。

The poster said he did not plan to post the video online, but the person did not admit to his mistake, and even filed a complaint against the police officers.

发帖者表示，他原本并不打算将这段视频发布到网上，但对方没有承认自己的错误， 甚至对警察提出投诉。

On May 13, Sanya Health Commission announced that it had suspended the company that operates the vehicle and demanded it make the rules clear to all its emergency crews.

5月13日， 三亚市卫生健康委员会宣布，已暂停运营该车辆的公司业务，并要求该公司向所有急救团队明确相关规则。

The Hainan-based company, Orient Air Medical Association, is a private, for-profit emergency medical service provider.

总部位于海南的东方航空医疗救援协会是一家私营、以营利为目的的紧急医疗服务提供商。

The vehicle involved had been sent by the company to Tibet on a long-term period of service.

涉事车辆是该公司派往西藏进行长期服务的。

China bans individuals or non-medical agencies from buying or running ambulances.

中国禁止个人或非医疗机构购买或运营救护车。

Responding to previous case in 2023, lawyer Fu Jian at Henan Zejin Law Firm said private ambulances are illegal, and face legal consequences if they endanger the health of patients.

针对2023年的一起类似案件，河南泽槿律师事务所的律师傅健表示，私人救护车属于非法运营， 如果它们危及患者健康，将面临法律后果。

In that case, it was reported that a private ambulance driver deliberately drove slowly in a bid to extort more money out of the family of the patient he was carrying.

在那起案件中， 据报道，一名私人救护车司机故意开慢车，试图从他运送的患者家属那里敲诈更多钱财。

Some medical workers told the mainland media outlet Tide News that many patients had to use private ambulances, especially in cases that required a transfer to another hospital in another city or province, because legitimate ambulances did not normally provide such a service.

一些医护人员告诉大陆媒体《潮新闻》，许多患者不得不使用私人救护车， 尤其是在需要转院到其他城市或省份的医院时， 因为正规救护车通常不提供此类服务。

"They must be punished for abusing the priority that an ambulance is entitled to," one online observer said.

“他们必须为滥用救护车享有的优先通行权而受到惩罚，”一名网友表示。

The driver of a legitimate ambulance then added: "We even turn down the siren if we get stuck in the traffic."

随后，一名正规救护车司机补充道：“我们甚至在堵车时都会关掉警笛。”