Oh god no my parents wouldn’t make it down one block here. Paralyzed with fear.
Taiwan is really really REALLY bad, when it comes to roads, traffic general walking conditions they are still stuck in the 3rd world.
On our trip, we went to Malaysia, which was much, much, MUCH worse when it comes to traffic. As well, my mother has travelled to Thailand before, as well as Taiwan about 20 years ago. So, everyone is different, I guess. And she loves the MRT in Taipei.
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I feel like it’s not so bad.
at least, many of roads are paved, and fairly flat, though they sometimes suffered cave-ins.
In Taipei it’s not terrible for the most part, but it’s pretty hard to be a pedestrian in the rest of the country. Especially if you’re old and not so agile anymore.
Good way to keep them mentally sharp.
If only the MRT went right up to my front door that would be great. Where we live my parents would not be able to walk outside by themselves. They cherish their daily walks. I could move I guess but dont have the time, means or job prospects. It’s tough out here
The broken pavements and the dodgy pedestrian crossings make Taiwan unsuitable for the infirm, except for some select districts I guess. The climate would be a big challenge for many, old people can’t handle extreme heat or cold well.
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Additionally, sometimes mental sharpness has little to do with your physical capability. At 80 years old you might know you need to move out of the way of that car that’s coming your way, but your reflexes just aren’t what they used to be anymore.
Yes it’s simply not possible. Not trying to slag Taiwan I can handle it but my parents would not be able to.
Walking ten minutes to a shop restaurant or park or whatever you have to go through hell. Half the time my partner and I can hold hands the other half we must go single file. Lots of areas where the pavement stops and you say a prayer and try your luck down a sliver between trucks busses scooters. I can’t do this to my old parents. And yes they like many old people have ankle feet knees problems
I’ve been to Malaysia several times. Walking around wasn’t a fraction as bad as Taiwan. Maybe I didn’t go to the bad areas? Must be, as living in a place and visiting are two different things
Thailand has some tough walking areas.
They have traffic lights and at least the streets are marked, which is a step ahead from where I come from.
The driving is scary but old people here go about without a care…causing accidents along the way. meaning walking or driving is a jungle out there.
What I think is tough on older people are the friggin stairs everywhere.
I’m trying to picture my old parents and that scooter that came aggressively fast down the tiny lane last night. I would never subject my parents to that. I’d beat up the scooter guy and then my life in Taiwan would be over
Or the bus last night screaming down the road with all the restaurants and my wife pulled me in as it went by missing my ankle by inches.
Or the puppet show thing that’s taken up the sidewalk for a week so we walk in the road. We often walk in the road. Haha that alone would give my old folks a heart attack
Call the lizhang. Puppet show in the middle of the road is their business.
Buses do not see you. Assume that at all times. Buses, blue trucks, delivery trucks, we gotta stay away from them.
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For my mom, who is used using a car is the “why for her is not having a car”. She uses the subway/trains in Japan but in Hawaii drives everywhere. With Taiwan’s hot weather, she does not like to walk all the time (sometimes is ok, long term “no”) and ask me drive when I can. I assume your mom is used using a car, so it would be an adjustment in Taipei where you and her may no drive. I am in Kaoshiung most of the time so a car is here but in I Taipei rely on public transit so it can be an adjustment.
2nd “why” ? No friends for my mom, my mom can and does use senior center in Hawaii, as well talk with old friends. Here in Taiwan there is language problem, need go out with her here. At home she is independent and free go out on her own schedule. Here means being dependent on others.
Temple on Keelung Rd has been having a festival of sort, something they tend to do on a regular basis. That means the entire sidewalk and 2/5 of the road is blocked off.
Yesterday I saw an elderly woman pushing her cart of recycling down the road to avoid it. This morning, a southeast Asian worker was pushing the wheelchair of her patient in the same place. Scooters were flying around the wheelchair though many were polite enough to blow their horns when they passed.
This is in a good neighborhood with decent sidewalks in Taipei less than 1km from City Hall.
Another problem for the elderly in general is the timing on some of the traffic lights. A lot of old people just can’t cross wide streets in 30 seconds. I often see scooters zooming around old people who haven’t managed to get all the way across before the light changes.
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You see some old people walk far before the light is green - I used to wonder what the hell they were doing though it’s apparent that many are leaving because they can’t make it all the way across the road during the green.
I witnessed a near accident the other day. An old lady who got impatient waiting for the pedestrian light to turn green, decided to run the red. She checked one side but failed to realize the traffic was two way. She got half way into the road and got a loud honk from a fast moving car coming from the opposite direction. She got so startled that she ran back to the sidewalk. For a second I was ready to call for an ambulance.