Vietnam Cancels Ban on Short, Flat-Chested Motorists

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Oct. 31 – Vietnam has cancelled a proposal to ban short, thin and flat-chested people from driving after it drew widespread criticism and ridicule from the public.

According to the ban, people shorter than 1.5 meters (4.9 feet) and weighing below 40 kilograms (88 pounds) or with a chest circumference of less than 72 centimeters would be prohibited from driving and applying for new drivers' licences.

The Vietnamese are naturally slender so the proposal led to jokes being made about the traffic police enthusiastically stopping female motorcyclists with tape measures or resorting to the use of padded bras to increase chest circumference.

The justice ministry has asked the health ministry to temporarily suspend and review the plan, reports the Vietnam News Daily.

"After receiving public opinion about the decision, the health and transport ministries agreed there had to be changes," senior health department official Tran Quy Tuong was quoted as by the newspaper.