10/30/2011

Getting Off the Bus


In Taiwan, scooterists from the right routinely pass stopped buses. This is a hazard for disembarking passengers, and they are often hit or brushed back by the bikes. There are warnings on buses to look out for these nuts. Here's a sign (above) on the Taipei MRT also alerting commuters to simply look out: "Getting off the bus? Please pay attention to the right-hand side for coming traffic!"

*****

Taipei Police are cracking down on scooterists driving on sidewalks. Yes, it is illegal to drive your scooter on a sidewalk in this city as the sidewalks are meant for pedestrians, not traffic. If you're one of those inclined to parking on a sidewalk, the rule of thumb is to get off and push your scooter (motorcycle). This seems to be catching on, though yesterday someone on a scooter cruising down a stretch of sidewalk near the Fushing and Chungshiao MRT Station did still honk at me from behind to clear aside. 

2 comments:

Terry J. Benzie said...

You should include the words "cracking down" in quotations or it leads the reader to believe that it is a serious statement.

If I want a picture of a scooter driving down the sidewalk, I can think of three places to go and get it before my cup of coffee is finished - two of them have regular traffic cops in the same location.

However, I have noticed that bus drivers have been more likely to warn disembarking passengers.

Patrick Cowsill said...

Point taken on the cracking down. I have seen people pushing their scooters from time to time; let's hope the message is starting to get through.

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