Transport has always been a fertile ground for bizarre and unbelievably funny transport stories. From mix-ups at airports to hilarious encounters on buses, people find themselves in the oddest situations while simply trying to get from A to B. The best part?
These stories are 100% true! So sit back, relax, and prepare for a laughter-filled journey.
The Man Who Got Stuck in a Roundabout for an Hour
Roundabouts are designed to keep traffic flowing smoothly — unless, of course, you have no idea how to exit one.
This funny transport story happened In 2016, when a driver in Swindon, UK, found himself trapped in a roundabout for nearly an hour because he kept missing the exit.
The local news reported that the poor man circled the roundabout 57 times before finally being flagged down by a police officer, who helped him figure out how to leave.
When asked about the incident, the driver said he thought it was a “complicated roundabout,” which became a running joke in the town for weeks.
The World’s Slowest Police Chase
In 2018, police in Oxfordshire, UK, found themselves in a slow-motion chase when a man in a mobility scooter decided to take his vehicle onto the motorway. The top speed of the scooter? A whopping 8 miles per hour.
The police were forced to follow the man at a crawling pace with lights flashing, warning other motorists to avoid the “chase.”
After about 20 minutes, they managed to stop the scooter and kindly escorted the driver back to a safer route. The man’s only comment? “I was just trying to get to Tesco.”
The Train That Left Without Its Driver
In 2016, a train in Perth, Australia, decided to go rogue. The driver had stopped the train at a station, got out to investigate a technical issue, and then — you guessed it — the train left without him. It slowly chugged down the tracks with nobody in control while the helpless driver ran after it.
A safety system eventually stopped the runaway train, but not before it had gone 10 miles without a driver.
When asked about the incident, passengers on board said they weren’t aware anything was wrong… until they looked out the window and saw the driver chasing after the train on foot!
The Man Who Tried to Cycle Through a Drive-Thru
In 2017, a man in England tried to order a late-night snack at a McDonald’s drive-thru. The problem? He was on a bicycle. Drive-thrus have rules about vehicles, and the man was told that bikes don’t qualify.
Determined to get his McNuggets, the man tried to convince a driver behind him to “let him hop in the backseat,” but the driver refused.
The man left without his meal, but his commitment to fast food became an instant meme.
The Traffic Jam Caused by… Cheese
You’ve heard of cows or sheep blocking roads in the countryside, but how about cheese? In 2015, a truck transporting hundreds of wheels of Parmesan cheese overturned on a motorway in Italy, spilling its precious cargo all over the road.
Drivers found themselves at a standstill, surrounded by large wheels of Parmesan rolling across the highway. Some took the opportunity to snap photos, while others stepped out to ‘inspect’ the cheese.
It took several hours to clear the road, but locals reportedly joked that the situation was “grate.” (Sorry, couldn’t resist!)
The Time the Luggage Went to Iceland… Without the Passengers
Let’s start with a classic airport blunder. Picture this: You’re flying from Paris to Reykjavik, excited for a holiday filled with glaciers, hot springs, and Northern Lights. But wait — as soon as the plane lands, you hear an announcement that takes you from vacation bliss to confusion.
In 2019, a couple flying with Icelandair discovered that while they had made it safely to Iceland, their luggage had decided to embark on a journey of its own… to Boston.
The airline assured the passengers that their luggage was “enjoying its time in America,” fortunately, it was returned to them the next day. The couple, meanwhile, spent their first 24 hours in Reykjavik wearing airline-issued pyjamas.
The Man Who Used a Ride-on Lawnmower as His Commute Vehicle
In 2018, a man in Wisconsin became a local celebrity when he was spotted commuting to work every day — on a ride-on lawnmower.
His car had broken down, and instead of taking public transport or walking, he decided to get creative. His lawnmower had a top speed of 8 miles per hour, but that didn’t stop him from cruising down the main roads to get to work.
Local police pulled him over to check if he was okay, but when they learned of his situation, they couldn’t help but laugh.
The man continued using his lawnmower for a month until his car was fixed, during which time people honked, waved, and even cheered him on his daily “mow-tivation.”
The ‘Ghost Bus’ of London
You’d think seeing a bus hurtling down the road with no driver at the wheel would be enough to spark widespread panic, but in this case, it caused confusion and some hearty laughter.
In 2017, London commuters were baffled when they saw a double-decker bus rolling down the street… completely empty. The driver? Nowhere to be found.
It turns out the driver had parked the bus and gone for a break but failed to engage the handbrake. The bus decided to go on its own little tour of Hackney, with startled pedestrians watching from the pavement.
Thankfully, the runaway bus was stopped safely without causing any accidents, but it left commuters with an amusing, albeit perplexing, story.
Fortunately, no one was injured.
The Flight Attendant Who Quit in Style
Have you ever had a bad day at work and just wanted to quit dramatically? Well, in 2010, Steven Slater, a JetBlue flight attendant, did exactly that — and became an instant legend in the process.
After a particularly difficult flight, during which a passenger had rudely cursed at him, Steven decided enough was enough.
Instead of handling the situation quietly, he grabbed a beer from the galley, deployed the emergency evacuation slide, and slid off the plane in dramatic fashion.
Before he left, he got on the PA system and told the passengers what he really thought of the airline industry.
Steven was arrested shortly after, but he became a folk hero to frustrated employees everywhere who admired his bold departure.
The Pigeon That Delayed a Whole Train
In 2018, commuters on the London Underground found their journey disrupted by an unlikely culprit: a pigeon. The bird had somehow made its way into a carriage on the District Line and seemed to be in no hurry to leave.
It strutted up and down the train, completely unfazed by the passengers trying to gently coax it out.
Things took a turn for the hilarious when one passenger tried to entice the pigeon with crumbs from his sandwich, but the bird just gave him a look as if to say, “I’ve got all the time in the world, mate.”
After a few stops, the pigeon finally decided it was time to exit, but not before causing delays and giving commuters a good laugh.
The Taxi Ride That Turned Into a Free City Tour
In 2014, a tourist visiting Dublin flagged down a taxi to take him to the airport. What he didn’t realize was that his driver wasn’t in the mood for a quick trip — he wanted to give him a full tour of the city, free of charge.
The taxi driver explained that he loved showing tourists around, so he gave the man an impromptu hour-long tour of Dublin’s landmarks before finally dropping him off at the airport.
To the tourist’s surprise, the driver refused to accept any payment, saying it was his gift to share the beauty of Dublin.
The story went viral, and the driver became a local celebrity for his generosity.
The Traffic Police Who Pulled Over a… Plane?
In 2019, traffic police in Washington State were stunned when they received a report of an unauthorised vehicle on the highway.
Upon arriving at the scene, they discovered something you don’t see every day: a small aeroplane parked on the shoulder of the road.
Apparently, the pilot had experienced engine trouble and made an emergency landing on the highway. He calmly pulled over, parked the plane, and waited for assistance.
When the police arrived, they treated the situation like any other traffic stop, even asking the pilot for his license and registration.
Fortunately for the pilot, no tickets were issued, and the pilot was given a tow back to the airport.
The Man Who Drove His Car Into a Canal… On Purpose
Driving a car into a canal might sound like the result of a navigational disaster, but for one man in the Netherlands, it was a deliberate act.
In 2017, Dutchman Fons Veldhuis wanted to propose to his girlfriend in the most memorable way possible — so he planned a staged car crash into a canal.
He hired a team of professionals to make sure everything went safely, then drove his car into the water, only to ‘heroically’ rescue his girlfriend from the vehicle before popping the question.
She said yes, though the whole proposal had onlookers shaking their heads in disbelief.
Luckily, the couple’s bizarre proposal video went viral, and they ended up laughing about the situation along with everyone else.
The Curious Case of the Baggage Claim Cat
Airports have seen their fair share of bizarre incidents, but this one may be one of the funniest.
In 2021, a man arriving at JFK Airport in New York was waiting at the baggage claim when something caught his eye. Instead of seeing the usual suitcases and travel bags, he spotted a large, furry, black and white cat casually sitting on the conveyor belt, making its way around as if it was just another piece of luggage.
The cat, dubbed “Suitcase Cat” by onlookers, had apparently snuck into a checked suitcase at its owner’s home before the owner unknowingly checked it in for the flight.
To everyone’s surprise, the cat had made it through the journey unharmed and seemed remarkably unbothered by the entire situation.
Airport staff quickly scooped up the feline and reunited it with its embarrassed but relieved owner.
The story went viral, with people on social media joking that the cat had “decided to travel first class for once.”
While the owner was relieved to have their furry friend back, they likely double-checked their suitcase a little more carefully before flying now.
The Llama on the Loose
In 2015, a llama named Lorenzo made headlines when it escaped from a mobile petting zoo in Arizona and took a leisurely stroll through the streets.
The hilarious chase ensued as police officers, with ropes and plenty of patience, tried to corral the runaway llama. The event became so famous that people started live-tweeting and creating memes under the hashtag #LlamaDrama.
The best part?
Lorenzo wasn’t alone. His partner in crime, a white llama, also escaped, creating a bizarre yet hilarious scenario of two llamas on the loose.
The duo was eventually caught, but not before their antics became legendary.
The Airport Chicken
In 2017, chaos ensued at an airport in India when a chicken somehow found its way into the baggage claim area.
Travellers, watched in disbelief as the bird darted between luggage and suitcases, flapping its wings in a desperate bid to avoid capture. Airport staff spent over 30 minutes chasing the chicken before a quick-thinking security guard managed to grab it with a large net.
The chicken was unharmed, and passengers had a great story to tell — one passenger even commented, “At least the chicken made it through security faster than I did.”
The Airport Sushi That Shut Down Security
A Japanese businessman trying to catch a flight from Los Angeles to Tokyo was so determined to bring his fresh sushi on board that he packed it into his carry-on bag.
However, the fishy situation set off alarms at security.
When TSA agents asked him to open the bag, the smell of raw fish filled the air, sending airport staff into a mild panic.
After a 45-minute inspection, the sushi was deemed safe, but the businessman had missed his flight — leaving both travellers and TSA staff with one of the more bizarre stories of airport food incidents.
The Woman Who Tried to Board a Flight… With a Peacock
In 2018, a woman at Newark Liberty International Airport attempted to board a United Airlines flight with her emotional support animal — a peacock named Dexter.
While the airline allowed small animals in the cabin, they weren’t quite ready for a full-sized peacock.
Dexter had his own Instagram account, so the story quickly went viral when photos of him waiting at the gate were posted.
Unfortunately, the airline denied him entry, but Dexter’s owner wasn’t too upset. After all, she said, “It’s hard to be sad when you have a peacock by your side.”
The Pizza Delivery Guy Who Stopped Traffic
In 2019, a pizza delivery driver in Seattle found himself in a traffic jam caused by road construction. Rather than sitting idle and risking cold pizza, he got out of his car, grabbed the pizzas, and ran through the stopped cars to deliver the pies on foot.
Commuters stuck in traffic were treated to the sight of a man in full pizza-delivery uniform sprinting between vehicles, pizza boxes in hand. His dedication earned him a round of applause, and the video went viral online. The pizzas? Delivered on time, of course.
The Runaway Shopping Basket on the Motorway
A highway (motorway) in Ohio was brought to a standstill in 2017 when a runaway shopping basket made its way onto the road. The cart, carried by high winds, rolled down an off-ramp and continued onto the highway as drivers swerved to avoid it.
Traffic cameras caught the whole event, and when a police officer finally managed to pull over and retrieve the basket, he cheekily told reporters, “At least the basket wasn’t speeding.”
The Airport Passenger Who Tried to Board With a Bathtub
In 2020, a man at Düsseldorf Airport in Germany was stopped at check-in when staff realized his checked baggage was… a bathtub. The man had purchased the tub while on holiday and insisted that he needed it on the flight home.
After much back-and-forth, the airline agreed to let him check the bathtub, though they charged him extra for the unusual cargo. Fellow passengers were left baffled as they watched airport staff load a giant porcelain bathtub into the cargo hold.
The Cow That Held Up a Train
A train travelling through rural India in 2019 came to a grinding halt when it encountered a cow sitting calmly on the tracks. The train’s conductor tried honking the horn to scare the cow away, but the animal refused to move.
It wasn’t until train staff came out with brooms and attempted to shoo the cow that it lazily stood up and wandered off. The cow caused a 30-minute delay, leaving passengers amused and slightly annoyed. One passenger tweeted, “Only in India can a cow delay a train.”
The Aeroplane Slide Mishap
In 2018, a passenger on a Delta flight from Atlanta to Miami accidentally triggered the emergency evacuation slide while trying to open the aeroplane door before takeoff. The flight was delayed for several hours while the slide was reset.
When asked why he had tried to open the door, the passenger sheepishly admitted he thought it was the bathroom.
Needless to say, he was not allowed to reboard the flight, but the story gave passengers a reason to chuckle.
The Car Stuck in Cement
In 2020, a driver in New York found himself in an embarrassing situation when he tried to drive through a construction zone.
Ignoring all warning signs, the man drove his car directly into a section of wet cement, where it promptly became stuck.
Construction workers couldn’t contain their laughter as they watched the driver, now ankle-deep in cement, try to figure out what to do next.
A tow truck was eventually called, but not before the story went viral.
The Taxi Driver Who Tried to Out Smart Google Maps
In 2019, a taxi driver in Bangkok made headlines when he refused to use Google Maps to navigate a foreign tourist to their destination.
Instead, the driver insisted he knew a “better way.” This “better way” turned out to be a 2-hour detour through back alleys, during which the driver and the tourist got lost several times.
Finally, the tourist pulled out their phone and entered the destination into Google Maps, which showed they were just 5 minutes from their original starting point.
The tourist tweeted the story with the caption: “Never argue with your cabbie, unless you’re sure you know the way.”
The Car That Forgot to Stop
In 2018, an automated car in California made headlines when it failed to stop at a red light. A police officer pulled the car over and was surprised to find that there was no driver.
The self-driving car, owned by a tech company, had malfunctioned and continued driving despite the light.
The officer, unsure how to write a ticket for a driverless car, decided to issue a warning instead — to the company that owned the vehicle. Social media had a field day with the idea of a “driverless car getting a traffic ticket.”
People joked that this was the future of law enforcement: arguing with your car about whether it should pay the fine.
The Bride Who Drove Herself to Her Wedding… In a Tractor
In 2016, a bride in rural Ireland found herself in a sticky situation when the car meant to take her to her wedding broke down just as she was leaving her house.
With no time to waste, she took matters into her own hands, or rather, into her own tractor.
The bride, who grew up on a farm, hopped into the family tractor, still in her wedding dress, and drove herself to the ceremony.
Guests were stunned when she arrived at the church in the giant green vehicle, but the bride shrugged it off, saying, “When you’re raised on a farm, you learn to adapt.”
Photos of the bride in her tractor went viral, and she was praised for her creativity and determination to make it to her big day on time.
The Parking Space Standoff That Lasted 8 Hours
In 2019, two drivers in Los Angeles became embroiled in a parking space standoff that lasted an entire workday. The dispute began when one driver tried to back into a parking space while another driver attempted to pull in nose-first at the same time. Neither of them was willing to back down.
For the next eight hours, the two cars remained parked, nose-to-nose, with their drivers refusing to budge. Bystanders began gathering to watch the showdown, and someone even brought popcorn.
By the time the police arrived to mediate, the drivers were still refusing to give up their claim to the spot.
The standoff finally ended when one driver left to get lunch, leaving the other victorious. The ridiculous standoff became an instant internet sensation.
The Funny Transport Passenger Who Boarded the Wrong Flight — And Didn’t Realise for 2 Hours
In 2017, a passenger flying from Chicago to Las Vegas accidentally boarded a flight to Tokyo. How did this happen? The man had accidentally entered the wrong gate, and, somehow, no one noticed the mix-up.
The most incredible part?
He didn’t realize his mistake for two hours.
According to his account, he was halfway through a movie when he looked out the window and thought, “Why does the landscape look so… oceanic?” It wasn’t until the flight attendants began serving sushi that he finally realized he was on the wrong flight.
He was returned to Chicago, but not before giving the internet one of the best examples of “accidental travel.”
The Airline That Accidentally Served a Vegan Burger With Bacon
In 2019, a vegan passenger flying on an airline from New York to London was thrilled to see a vegan burger option on the in-flight menu.
She eagerly ordered it, but upon biting into the burger, she discovered a slice of crispy bacon hidden beneath the patty.
The passenger called over a flight attendant, who was equally confused.
The airline later issued an apology, admitting that the bacon was a mistake but that “at least it was a very tasty one.” Social media exploded with jokes about the “world’s worst vegan burger,” with people questioning how such a mix-up could even happen
The Prank That Grounded a Flight
In 2016, a prankster flying from San Francisco to Los Angeles thought it would be hilarious to label his Wi-Fi hotspot “Bomb on Board.” Little did he know this “joke” would lead to the plane being grounded and the FBI getting involved.
As passengers tried to connect to the in-flight Wi-Fi, they spotted the hotspot name and immediately alerted the flight attendants.
The flight was delayed for hours while security investigated, and the prankster was quickly identified and arrested. He later claimed he didn’t think anyone would take the name seriously, to which the FBI responded, “We do.”
The Duck Passenger on a Train
In 2021, a duck was spotted riding the Metro in Paris, sitting on a seat like any regular commuter. The duck’s owner, who was standing nearby, explained to curious passengers that the duck, named Quackers, loved taking public transport.
The sight of the duck happily perched on the seat sparked smiles from fellow commuters. One passenger even offered the duck some bread, which it happily accepted.
Quackers was so well-behaved that one person commented, “I’ve seen worse passengers on the Metro!”
The Man Who Went to the Wrong Airport
In 2018, a man travelling from London to Barcelona showed up at the wrong airport — he arrived at Gatwick instead of Heathrow.
Realising his mistake only an hour before his flight, he hopped in a taxi and frantically tried to make it to Heathrow on time.
In his rush, he managed to leave his passport in the cab, making the situation even worse.
By the time he sorted everything out, his flight had long departed. The man later shared his story on social media, joking, “At least I got to see two airports for the price of one.”
The Man Who Took a Wrong Turn and Ended Up in a Different Country
In 2019, a German driver on holiday in Switzerland managed to accidentally cross the border into Italy while trying to find his hotel.
The man, who was relying on his GPS, took a wrong turn, and before he knew it, he was greeted by an Italian border guard.
The driver was allowed to turn back, but not before he spent a good hour trying to explain to Swiss and Italian authorities that he wasn’t trying to leave the country — just get to his hotel! His friends later teased him, saying, “Next time, just ask for directions.”
The Guy Who Drove His Car Up the Stairs
In 2017, a driver in the UK mistook a flight of stairs for a ramp and drove his car right up them. The man, attempting to park in a multi-storey car park, was trying to reach the upper levels but ended up halfway up a set of pedestrian stairs before realising his mistake.
Bystanders couldn’t stop laughing as they watched the car get stuck. To add to the comedy, the driver then attempted to reverse back down, but the car refused to cooperate.
A tow truck eventually had to rescue him, and his story became one of the most unusual parking mishaps of the year.
Summary
This article on funny transport stories features amusing transport tales that highlight the quirks of travel mishaps. Hopefully, they have put a smile on your face and illustrate the hilarious side of transportation blunders that can happen to anyone.
