Until they realize that Japan does it too.

We often see excavators as huge and clunky machines slowly digging away at dirt, but little do most people know that they can also do surprisingly agile tricks like climbing onto trucks.

A video clip posted by Twitter user @xChina4 has made rounds on the Internet, showing us that China has another use for the digging machines when transporting them on boats.

▼ Rather clever of them, really.

https://twitter.com/xChina4/status/1084039100145971200

Utilizing the large scooping action of the excavator, the machine in the video appeared to be rowing the boat it was on as if it was the most natural thing in the world. Although the short video seems to have been sped up to achieve dramatic effect, it still makes you wonder wacky excavator boat races could be a thing one day.

Japanese netizens were amused by the sight of a digger — normally used to gouge earth — essentially hauling itself and the boat across the surface of the water like some kind of metallic beast:

“It turned and looked this way!”
“That’s why I love China.”
“These are exceptional people who can take existing stuff and do something awesome with it.”
“I got a good laugh out of this.”
“We’re on the same planet, but this kind of stuff wouldn’t be allowed in Japan at all.”

Except that they do, as a few netizens kindly pointed out that such practice also occurs over here.

▼ In this clip, the excavator claw is driven into the river bed
and used as leverage to move the boat.

How’s that for an eye-opener? Here’s hoping those excavator boat races turn into reality some day! Sure there are a ton of impressive machinery out there, but what is truly fascinating is humans who come up with ingenious ways to breathe new life into them.

Source: Twitter/@xChina4, Twitter/@nougyoukikai01 via Hachima Kiko
Featured image: Twitter/@xChina4