Elderly man dies arguing over city bus seat

An elderly man in Zhengzhou, Henan province died right after a row with a man over a seat on a city bus on Tuesday, Zhengzhou-based Dahe Daily reported Wednesday.

The unnamed senior, who reportedly suffered from heart disease, passed away on a Route 919 bus after the altercation, where he slapped an unidentified young man for refusing to give up his seat.

The elder first responded with a string of curses, said a passenger surnamed Xu.

"He may have died in a fit of temper," a passenger surnamed Wang told the Zhengzhou Evening News. "He struck the boy four times," said Wang, which was also confirmed by other passengers.

The young man did not strike back, said Xu.

"The bus driver surnamed Ge mediated the quarrel and then the boy got off the bus. But the elderly man remained standing in unabated anger," said Xu.

As the bus approached Zhengzhou Central Hospital, the man suddenly fell down.

Paramedics arrived and pronounced him dead.

The vast majority of Netizens were not sympathetic, saying the young man was not obligated to offer his seat.

About 80 percent of the 16,559 respondents of a sina.com pill on Wednesday thought the elderly man's actions were drastic.

"He deserved it. He was just taking advantage of his seniority," a Net user commented.

"Fortunately, the young man didn't hit back and got off earlier, otherwise he would have to pay compensation," a Sina Weibo user said.