That’s a funny one, MikeN 
. Them shade patches… I actually use my ride to work as an oppurtunity to catch some sun. The xiaojies, on the other hand :s .
[quote=“Mordeth”]
Just the other day I was approaching an intersection and a scooter comes flying into the entrance of the alley on my side of the alley coming from the wrong way on the big road…I yell “idiot!” in Chinese instinctively…only to realize it’s my South African neighbor. [/quote]
And today I enter the one-way road near my house only to have to swerve and miss another white neighbor of mine. There are certain situations where you have to drive illegally to stay safe in Taiwan (roundabouts for example) but going the wrong way down one-ways…and entering roads in the oncoming lane, there is no excuse for that…I don’t understand these people…they wouldn’t drive like that back home…so why do they here?
Here I just made this…and don’t worry I won’t quit my day job…but look at this pic…How stupid would you have to be to follow this line…to make a left hand turn? I thought only Taiwanese did this…but my neighbors proved me wrong.
Mordeth wrote: “I don’t understand these people…they wouldn’t drive like that back home…so why do they here?”
As the old saying goes, “When in Rome do as the Romans do.” But you are right, some foreigners take this too far. Makes us other “law abiding” foreigners look bad, eh Mordeth? 
Got one more…I live near an army base…and there are some foreigners that work on the base…not sure what they do there. Anyway they are driving the wrong way down a one-way in an SUV and I block them with my scooter get off and ask if they know that this is a one-way. They respond “Yes, but we work here!” :loco: . Oh…you work on this street? Oh…my mistake then…feel free to run the red light as well :loco: .
I think if you just assume the drivers around you will do the stupidest thing possible all the time you may be driving defensively enough to survive here 
just a thought
[quote=“shifty”]I think if you just assume the drivers around you will do the stupidest thing possible all the time you may be driving defensively enough to survive here
just a thought[/quote]
A few people have said that…and I hear some foreigners say that in person as well. But it doesn’t really work…if you were to do it. For example a car comes toward you in the oncoming lane…you expect him to swerve into your lane and come at you head on?!? So you jam on the brakes or maybe jump off your bike? If you really expected every single parked car to swing out and make a U-turn…you wouldn’t get far down the street.
The point of defensive driving is to lessen the chances of a close call as much as possible…which is better than driving normally and just being on the look-out for a close call.
ahh… I see the finer points of sarcasm are lost on you sir, howver if you have failed to have the experience of having a car coming at you in the wrong lane at night with no lights only to swerve and double park on a crosswalk, you are one lucky bastard.
where can I get some of your mojo? :help:
just a thought…
There was no sarcasm…many people use the saying “I just expect the worst at all times and therefore I drive safely.” Or something similiar to that…and it’s a copout. It’s like the idiots that say “I don’t need my headlight on in the day…because I ride as if everyone doesn’t see me anyway.” There are both ways of saying…I’m so super careful that I don’t need to take any extra saftey precautions…like learning proper riding technique or making myself more visible to others. If that’s not what you are saying than sorry…but there are many people who say both the above bullshit excuses for their ignorance.
wow, pull back the hostilities a bit there cowboy.
I am sure am glad you told me what I was actually saying as you know so much better than I what I said or how I meant it. I am sure am glad we have people like you to tell us what we mean.
Lighten up :raspberry:
I think that what Shifty said is an excellent basic attitude to cultivate. I don’t think it’s “cocky” in any way. Quite the opposite – it makes you aware of your own limitations.
And of course you also have to wear a decent helmet and be visible as well. Nobody said otherwise.
Hmm, maybe I’m not making my point. I’ve seen foreigners that drive with their lights off during the day…I tell them that in the West you’d be considered mentally retarded to even consider riding with your lights off…at any time…(but maybe in a not quite so blunt way… ) Anyway…I’ve had a couple of guys respond with…“Well I ride like I’m invisible anyway…so I don’t need it…” Hmm, well if that were true then you wouldn’t need your lights on at night either…since in the city they barely make a difference as the street lamps keep it pretty bright… :loco:
It seemed like he was making that kind of a statement to me…maybe I was wrong. It seemed like he was saying " I don’t need to read or study these safe driving rules…because I always just expect the worst." Which would be a copout…if that’s what he was saying…If I’m mistaken then please forgive me.
I have recently taken to turning on my 'scooter lights during day time hours. Not sure yet if its making any real contribution. I’m watching other 'scootoids to check their reactions.
I have discovered that some activities completely baffle the natives. These include:
Riding at a consistent speed.
Riding in a straight line, not weaving.
Stopping on red, going on green.
Signaling my turns.
Smiling while stopped at a light.
Being courteous to other 'scootoids.
Just a few fun things I’ve discovered on the island.:happybiker: