Woman Spends Nights Clearing Roads of Nails in Hanoi

In Hanoi, 52-year-old Nguyen Thi Thanh Thu has been dedicating her nights for the past six years to clearing roads of nails and metal debris. Her mission is to prevent traffic accidents and ensure the safety of road users. Thu invested 10 million VND (approximately $400 USD) to build a custom-made trailer. This device features an 80 cm long iron frame containing strong magnets, attached to a motorcycle. Equipped with four small wheels, it effectively attracts sharp metal fragments, nails, and screws that can puncture tires. Her operational route is extensive, spanning about 30 km round trip from her home, covering areas like Nhat Tan Road, National Highway 3, Truong Sa Street, Bac Thang Long Industrial Park, and Vo Nguyen Giap Street. When encountering large metal waste that the device cannot pick up, she stops to collect it manually. Thu estimates that on an average night, she collects 5-6 kg of metal debris, with some nights yielding up to 10 kg after six hours of work. Thu's primary job is cooking for construction workers. Late-night commutes often exposed her to drivers who had suffered accidents after hitting nails. She began collecting nails manually in 2019, but realized the inefficiency of manual collection against the sheer volume of debris. This led her to seek a mechanized solution. Early this year, she obtained a design for a nail-sweeping vehicle from a mechanic in Ho Chi Minh City. After facing rejections from several workshops, the seventh finally agreed to build it, costing her 10 million VND from her savings. With her new equipment, she has expanded her coverage to National Highway 3, the Bac Thang Long Industrial Park, and routes around Nhat Tan Bridge, Vo Chi Cong Street, Cau Giay, and down to Hoang Mai. "I want to protect drivers who encounter difficulties on the road at night, preventing them from being stranded or exploited," Thu stated. Her schedule typically starts after 8 PM and continues past midnight. On weekends, she begins her rounds in the afternoon. For safety, she has equipped her vehicle with flashing lights, reflective stickers, and warning signs. When stopping to clear the collected debris, she pulls over to the side of the road. Beyond collecting nails, her trailer also serves as a "mobile rescue station." It is always stocked with gasoline, an air pump, drinking water, and first-aid supplies to assist those in need. Initially, her daughter opposed the idea due to the risks involved in a woman traveling alone late at night. However, seeing her mother's persistence and the joy she derived from her work, the family now supports her, urging her to prioritize her health. Recently, Thu has been sharing images of her collected nails on social media to warn other road users. These posts have garnered thousands of interactions and widespread community support. On July 5th, Hoang Duc Hiep, 21, from Dong Anh, encountered Thu on National Highway 3 and immediately stopped, offering a small sum for her gasoline. Hiep mentioned he frequently follows her journey through videos and deeply appreciates her silent contribution. "Many times, watching videos of her working while everyone else is asleep, I felt compelled to thank her in person when the opportunity arose," Hiep said. Mr. Do Van Dinh, 60, a security guard at Thu's residential complex, regularly helps her park the vehicle and carry the heavy bags of metal debris in the early morning hours. "Her kind and humane actions inspire admiration in all who witness them, though few can emulate them," he remarked.