There is another reason why the locals don’t venture near the ocean. Prior to 1986 (I believe that was the year), they would have been shot.
Depends on the beach. 
Back in the 1980s…you’d see locals at the beach going swimming fully clothed. High school girls in their uniforms, grown women in dresses and stockings. The problem of course is that the clothes weighed them down…if they got knocked down by a wave, they stayed down.
Chinese have traditionally believed death by drowning to be one of the absolute worst ways to die. Ghosts of the drowned linger and try to drown others.
And something to consider. While the Chinese might have created their own system of ethics…they never developed a system of logic. So…drowning at the beach, lake, river or swimming pool is just plain bad luck.
Another reason they may not swim much here is that quite a bit of untreated sewage flows into the ocean.
It would be interesting to find the statistics, someone said 1000 drownings a year in Taiwan, that sounds high. I also heard 6000 moped deaths a year, that sounds low. How many suicides? (not counting suicide by drowning or by moped).
This is very interesting. I used to take it for granted that most people everywhere know how to swim.
The contradiction of islanders who can
Thanks for the good information. It is really a cross-country comparison in swimming and drowning here in the forum. In today’s Apple Daily, there is a picture of one of our heroes. The survivor’s family insisted to thank two English teachers in person for saving their kids’ life. The English teachers decently portray a very nice imagine for foreigners in the press.
But they don’t want to be exposed(didn’t mentioned if they are legal teacher or not, it is not the point) neither to receive any interview regarding this event. The reporter from Apple Daily took the picture sneakingly as you can see from the newspaper which I think was not proper. But it is Apple Daily’s style.
I am thrilled when reading local news about this story. They really risked their own lives to save the kid. They said they are really sorry for not able to save two other teens. According to one witness, they were not really visible after falling into ocean and were disappeared in the wavy conditions.
Though I’m still sorry for two young life’s loss, the only positive thing is to make this tragedy a good lesson for people living here who may be under risk. Most drowning episodes can be prevented here in Taiwan, I believe.
[quote]The contradiction of islanders who can
[quote=“tash”]This is very interesting. I used to take it for granted that most people everywhere know how to swim.
[/quote]
When I was in boot camp many moons ago, we all had to go through swim qualification, just floating mostly (waiting for a pickup ship) swimming in full uniform for 10 minutes.
I was amazed as you are now then, follow me?, at the number of black guys that sank like stones. Now that I think of it, most of those guys were from the city. Most Taiwanese are from the city, where learning to swim involves money andor easy access to swimmable waters. Same same?
Creeks and streams in Taiwan are places to wade, not learn to swim. Swimming pools have been historically expensive in Taiwan for the average Wang.
Back home, we swam in rivers that were not headed down a mountain, or in lakes with floating docks.
We could learn to swim there. This is not the case in natural water settings in Taiwan. Outside of a pool, kids don’t learn to swim here.
Just my thinking.
jdswimswamswum
Yeah, I get your point JD.
In Croatia and in Holland learning how to swim is mandatory in elementary schools. That’s how come I wasn’t thinking past that mind set.
Another factor might be the concept of a long summer vacation, which in many European countries automatically means going somewhere where there’s water to swim. At the very least the local swimming pool. Especially for city kids and their families. That too might be different in US and here.
Swimming is a popular sport in many Western countries, too. Not as common as basketball or football, granted, but nevertheless. Is it the case here?
I learnt to swim at school or in public swimming pools. I don’t remember ever swimming in “natural” water, not planned anyway 
Which is why I said it would be pretty stupid of me to jump in too, but my swimming skills are more than zero, so they would probably stand a better chance if I tried.
Perhaps a good idea for the government is to invite 100 or so Aussie lifeguards here for the summer and shitcan the idea of the low paying tourguides.
Hoping-Dow is an excellent place to teach people how to swim. Taipei City can have city buses take groups of kids there every day. The goal can be a basic swim certification. It’s winter in Australia during our summer so maybe many guards would be interested.
Language may be somewhat of an issue, but most kids can probably pick up the simple instructions. Else, hire local lifeguards or have both to make it an interesting learning experience. I think using foreign pros would give the program added value. Maybe even make up some cheapie medals so the kids feel like they accomplished something useful.
I’ve seen and heard about so many drownings, it time to take action.
What? No pics of teens in bathing suits? Why’d I waste my time coming in here?..thanks a lot guys…
[quote]Comrade’s right, drowning is the worst of deaths for Taiwanese. You can’t retrieve a ghost from the water, they instead constantly attempt to drown others in order to escape.
HG[/quote]True. That’s why many think that swimming during ghost month is even more dangerous.
bobepine
[quote=“bobepine”][quote]Comrade’s right, drowning is the worst of deaths for Taiwanese. You can’t retrieve a ghost from the water, they instead constantly attempt to drown others in order to escape.
HG[/quote]True. That’s why many think that swimming during ghost month is even more dangerous.
bobepine[/quote]
I once went swimming with two of my adult students (guys) in the pouring rain…up at a waterfall where a few people have drowned. And not only was it ghost month…it was the specific day Hell’s gates are opened so the dead can come back to eat. And since I’m still here to talk about it…I can safely say that there’s no truth to these superstitions.
Except for the fact that more Asians die during ghost month than any other thirty days of the year. Regardless of beliefs or location…which is one weird fact.
[quote]Except for the fact that more Asians die during ghost month than any other thirty days of the year. Regardless of beliefs or location…which is one weird fact.[/quote]Interesting. Links?
bobepine
Hmm, did a quick search couldn’t find any. But I’ve heard this more than once…I might have read it in lonely planet as well. Maybe start a new thread about it asking for info…I’m sure someone on here would know where to see the numbers.
I had read that road traffic accidents spike during ghost month, especially in more rural areas. Many crash survivors say they saw something in their peripheral vision, thought it was an apparition, panicked and lost control of the vehicle. Superstition is bad for your health.
It was a few years ago, I don’t remember where I read this.
Can someone post some bikini girl pix to keep Mordeth happy?
I think we should show a little more respect for the dead, but here ya go Mordeth:
[quote=“tash”]
Another interesting issue that arises from the story is this reluctance to help people in need. I see it almost every day around me, on a smaller scale than this. [/quote]
A true story from last nite.
I went to the MRT station to meet my wife…and the way up the alley, I see two elderly women…one has collapsed on the pavement while the other is trying to help her up. It’s raining. I walk over to help. As I’m trying to get her up, a local in a gray late model car pulls up about 2 meters from us, headlights on, and proceeds to start beating on his horn. He continues to do so until I 've gotten her over to the sidewalk…then he races away.
I swear to god I wanted to kill the son of a bitch right then and there. With a baseball bat.
[quote=“Comrade Stalin”][quote=“tash”]
Another interesting issue that arises from the story is this reluctance to help people in need. I see it almost every day around me, on a smaller scale than this. [/quote]
A true story from last night.
I went to the MRT station to meet my wife…and the way up the alley, I see two elderly women…one has collapsed on the pavement while the other is trying to help her up. It’s raining. I walk over to help. As I’m trying to get her up, a local in a gray late model car pulls up about 2 meters from us, headlights on, and proceeds to start beating on his horn. He continues to do so until I 've gotten her over to the sidewalk…then he races away.
I swear to god I wanted to kill the son of a bitch right then and there. With a baseball bat.[/quote]
I do believe this thread is about “bikini clad teens” … your attempts at hi-jacking the thread are not appreciated.