Biker hounded by police

PHUKET: Police are hunting for a man who authorized a dog to drive his motorcycle last week, according to a report on news24.com. While the appearance of a dog driving a motorcycle without a helmet is not particularly unusual in Phuket, such is apparently not the case in Vietnam where a video gone viral has outraged the Hanoi traffic police.

The video shows a man with a dog driving a Honda Dream in evening rush hour traffic. The clip is reported to have had 83,000 views on one Facebook page alone.

“This act deserves harsh criticism and punishment,” local traffic police officer Nguyen Van Quy is quoted as saying by local newspaper Thanh Nien.

If caught, the motorist would be fined up to $US320 (10,800 baht). He would also lose his driver’s license for two months and have his motorbike impounded for a week. Since he was not wearing a helmet, the man faces an additional fine of $US10 (335 baht).

The dog was also without a helmet and did not have a driver’s license. It is not yet known whether he or she will face charges.