Driving change one pothole at a time: A digger driver’s journey in Xizang

When Xiaohe set out to drive an excavator in western China’s Xizang Autonomous Region, it seemed like a strange adventure. But his journey along winding mountain roads turned into something much more important: a one-man mission to make dangerous roads safer, one pothole at a time.

The 31-year-old content creator, known for his Bilibili account “Xiaohe Digger Vlog,” turned his unconventional journey into an act of public service by filling more than 7,000 potholes since June. These are not ordinary cracks in asphalt; huge craters, some so deep that they deserve the nickname “crustal craters.”

For drivers in Xizang, where roads are dangerous and unpredictable, Xiaohe’s efforts are more than just a novelty. High-altitude roads, which can be subject to snowstorms even in May, combined with geological hazards make maintenance a constant challenge. A single pothole can easily disable a vehicle or worse.

Xiaohe’s journey began with a personal ordeal. In February, he was stranded on a snowy highway in Hubei Province for three days, running low on food supplies. When hope was almost lost, local villagers arrived with hot water, instant noodles and porridge. They rejected the offer of payment. “Free,” they told him. “We’re just doing the best we can.”

This act of kindness stayed with him. By June, Xiaohe was back on the road again, this time under the control of his excavator. Target: Xizang. His mission: To help others as he was once helped.

His first service came on the third day of his journey, when he helped a truck driver adjust a cargo container that had shifted dangerously. The job only took ten minutes and what was the reward? A bottle of energy drink.

On day 22, Xiaohe encountered his first “bomb crater”; A hole big enough to destroy a vehicle. Instead of wandering around, he carried a bucket of rocks to fill the gap. By nightfall he had repaired nine more. His efforts did not go unnoticed. A bus driver, relieved to see the safer route, gave Xiaohe another energy drink as a sign of gratitude.

That night, Xiaohe uploaded a video of his work to Bilibili. It quickly went viral and was viewed more than 1.3 million times. His simple slogan – “I see a hole, I fill it” – struck a chord with audiences.

Over the past six months, Xiaohe’s videos have chronicled his work to repair more than 7,000 potholes. His followers gave him a series of affectionate nicknames: “Road Repair Sage,” “Cyber ​​Lei Feng,” and “Excavator Bodhisattva.”

But for Xiaohe, recognition is secondary. His actions, he says, were an extension of the kindness he received that snowy February in Hubei.

“Xiaohe doesn’t just repair roads; he rebuilds trust and hope,” one follower commented on his latest video. “It shows how one person can make a difference, even with just one digger.”